029 cylinder shot, options?

[tstex]

Hello to all,

Well, my 029 cylinder is shot. A new stihl cylinder and piston is $334+shipping...I Paid $375 for it new.

Are there any aftermarket cylinder/piston kits that are quality products? This chainsaw, if fixed, it not going to be used 8hrs/day 5 days per wk. It's more like every 3-4 months and 1-2 days at a time. I have a MS290 that's my primary horse, w the same usage frequency....

If you do have a quality product that you have used w success, it would be greatly appreciated if you could provide the make/model.

Thank you in-advance for your help !!

 

[GrandpaSmurf825]

Two options here for less. If you are doing the work yourself I probably would try the cheapest option. Inspect the components upon arrival and decide if you want to return them.

Amazon.com

Meteor Nikasil cylinder piston kit for Stihl MS390 039 MS310 MS290 029 49mm - Wolf Creek Saw Shop

Brand new Meteor 49mm cylinder/piston kit. Fits Stihl chainsaw model MS390

www.wolfcreeksawshop.com

 

[Eagle1]

Meteor usually makes quality stuff but for the price I had decent success with even the cheapest ones as well. I do my own work so no one to blame but me and a redo just puts my time at risk.
There a a number of decent saw shops and suppliers on line that sell parts they try to stand behind.

 

[tstex]

Thank you very much Grand and Eagle...

The Meteor is $120...while the other amazon is $26...there has to be a quality difference, yes? The meteor product mentions " Nikasil plated cylinder". Is the stihl cylinder plated too or is it solid? I am trying to discern what the plated means vs a Stihl OEM or the Amazon $26 piston kit option?

Thanks again.

 

[nando]

I have a ms390 which needed a new cylinder a couple of years ago. I cannot remember what brand of after market cylinder and piston I purchased. I'm sure it was not top of the line because I wasn't sure whether I could replace it successfully.

After a learning experience the repair was a success. I have been using this saw a couple of years so far with no problems. My saw use is firewood related so not heavy use.

 

[tstex]

I have a ms390 which needed a new cylinder a couple of years ago. I cannot remember what brand of after market cylinder and piston I purchased. I'm sure it was not top of the line because I wasn't sure whether I could replace it successfully.

After a learning experience the repair was a success. I have been using this saw a couple of years so far with no problems. My saw use is firewood related so not heavy use.

Thank you Nando

 

[Eagle1]

Nikasil plated cylinder is a hardening plating and should improve life.
HL supply, Smelter City Saws, Saw Salvage (Traverse Creek Inc.) and others have a selection. As does Amazon and Ebay.
Reading some reviews can help, if you are doing it yourself. Not hard to do unless you plan on improving performance, then it's easy to break stuff by going overboard.
If it is going to a shop (other than Stihl) let them use their preferred solution.

 

[GrandpaSmurf825]

I did a search and the factory cylinders are either Nikasil plated or chrome plated depending on the model. So it would appear the Meteor brand is probably better quality. I saw that Hyway also offers a Nikasil lined cylinder and piston. Meteor is rated highest in quality and Hyway second.

 

[tstex]

I did a search and the factory cylinders are either Nikasil plated or chrome plated depending on the model. So it would appear the Meteor brand is probably better quality. I saw that Hyway also offers a Nikasil lined cylinder and piston. Meteor is rated highest in quality and Hyway second.

Thanks Grand...

What do you think of this option? They provide a 1 yr warranty and were pretty good at answering all my questions. They were adamant that none of their cylinder/piston kits were made in China..thanks again !

Proline® Cylinder Piston Kit For Stihl 029 039 MS290 46mm Nikasil Chai

Proline® cylinder piston kit for Stihl 029, 039, MS290 chainsaws. Please match you part with ours for proper fitment; actual pictures are shown. This kit is Not made in China. Includes: Cylinder Piston Piston rings Circlips Wrist pin Specs: 46mm Nikasil plated Requires silicone sealant to...

sawzillaparts.com

 

[dodge man]

Hiway(sp?) is another aftermarket brand that is decent. I think of it as the good cheap stuff.

 

[tstex]

Hiway(sp?) is another aftermarket brand that is decent. I think of it as the good cheap stuff.

Thanks Dave

 

[GrandpaSmurf825]

Thanks Grand...

What do you think of this option? They provide a 1 yr warranty and were pretty good at answering all my questions. They were adamant that none of their cylinder/piston kits were made in China..thanks again !

Proline® Cylinder Piston Kit For Stihl 029 039 MS290 46mm Nikasil Chai

Proline® cylinder piston kit for Stihl 029, 039, MS290 chainsaws. Please match you part with ours for proper fitment; actual pictures are shown. This kit is Not made in China. Includes: Cylinder Piston Piston rings Circlips Wrist pin Specs: 46mm Nikasil plated Requires silicone sealant to...

sawzillaparts.com

It looks like a good middle of the road price option. If you are able to do the repairs you probably also know what things to look at for quality. It's easy to put a shiny piston in the photo. I'm more interested in cylinder roundness and finish. I would check how the piston looks in the cylinder and if the overall fit and finish look acceptable.

 

[tstex]

It looks like a good middle of the road price option. If you are able to do the repairs you probably also know what things to look at for quality. It's easy to put a shiny piston in the photo. I'm more interested in cylinder roundness and finish. I would check how the piston looks in the cylinder and if the overall fit and finish look acceptable.

Perfect. Thanks again !

 

[nyone]

I wouldnt hesitate to use a quality aftermarket top end. However I wouldnt use the $24 version.

My 046 came with a aftermarket top end. I cut about 4cord a year and have owned it for 8yrs with out issues.

 

[tstex]

I wouldnt hesitate to use a quality aftermarket top end. However I wouldnt use the $24 version.

My 046 came with a aftermarket top end. I cut about 4cord a year and have owned it for 8yrs with out issues.

ny, anyway to discern the make of your cylinder head? However, what was made 8 yrs ago is prob better than what they made today, in general terms.

 

[Richard001]

If you are looking at spending several hundred dollars on new parts and maybe to pay someone to put it together for you, you maybe better off getting a battery operated saw.
If you are just using the saw for trimming or cutting down a small tree from time to time, you are better off with a battery powered saw.

Richard

 

[DutchInNZ]

Have a look here: stihl 029 cylinder - Buy stihl 029 cylinder with free shipping on AliExpress

and https://www.aliexpress.com/w/wholesale-stihl-029-carburettor.html

If you get a pop-up window, click it away on the X right top corner.

I got there a complete cyl/piston/bearings/rings set for my Poulan and also for the 025, and as well a carburettor for each because they are around US$15. Clutches are also just a few $$, so do that one too while you are at it. Both saws have a high compression now, especially the Poulan that with 33cc now pulls as much as the 025. The only thing is that when starting I have to pull very hard against that compression, much harder than before. I have those parts built in 4 years ago now and I am very happy with them. I changed the Poulan from 14 to 16¨, as the 025, and use them mainly for felling and cutting up trees for firewood, and then continuously from early mornings to late evenings.

There is one thing with the Chinese: the price you see on the main page often is not the one that you get when you go into the ordering page. Some of them add there a few $$ to the price and hope that you don't notice that, some others don´t, but you better check it. Prices for the same items can vary a lot by suppliers; I went for the cheapest if the description fitted. Delivery is between 1 and 3 weeks, at least to NZ. I would say that you have everything, cylinder, piston, bearings, carb and clutch at home for about 80-90 US$. Doing it yourself is easy with a standard metric tool set and will take some 2-3 hours max.

I also bought a few Toyota and Ford engine parts via aliexpress. For the Ford it cost me NZ$185, from the Ford dealer it would have been NZ$690. I have done 8000 miles since.

Edit for the made-in-Chine-haters Where do you think that the replacement parts, that are on offer on Amazon or as non-brands in your local shops, are really made? Branded from the OEMs or non-branded in the after market, not in the US, for sure.

 

[neilpaku]

My brother is a commercial logger and he routinely uses aftermarket piston and cylinders on his Stihls. For the bottom end, you want to go with genuine but if you're a homeowner, it's probably best to just get a new saw because it's quite involved to do a bottom end and really only makes sense when you're doing them often because you need to have the tools.

 

[laabk2]

I was given a 029 several years ago, it ran great but started to lose power until it just quit. I did research and found out that I could just get an aftermarket 039 short block, I did that, the cost wasn't that bad, and replaced the assembly. Much less of a headache and got the extra power. It is a direct replacement.

 

[tstex]

Thank you again for everyone's continued comments, suggestions and experience.

Based on how things were made 20-25 yrs ago vs today, I'd rather fix the older model bc the newer stuff is way more electronics, plastics & planned and premeditated obsolescence. I have another MS290 & 025, but i use the 029 as a back up to the ms290. If i get the MS290 stuck (doesn't happen often), the 029 is a great get out of jail card. The 025 isn't big enough.

Thank you again and great hearing from folks in NZ.