New Stihl MS 194 CE Chain Saw Not Fitted With Recommended Chain or Bar

[UpNorthMI]

I have many Stihl chain saws from Professional grade, farm & Ranch and Homeowner, a few months ago I wanted to buy one of their light weight Farm & Ranch grade saws for general pruning use while walking the forest trail and for carrying on my tractor, I starting looking at the MS 194 , the new model that replaced the MS193, it's been on the Stihl website since February but only became available in the last month or so. I checked the recommended chain and bar specification on the "Saw Chains" link on the Stihl USA website and found that I could run the same chains as a MS 211 that I have owned for some years, .050" gauge 3/8"Picco pitch chain.

I put an order in with my local dealer to get my hands on one as soon as they are available, I picked it up about a month ago, it is a very nice compact saw also available in a top handle model, the weight is great for carrying along the trail or for light cleaning up of deer runs in the woods. I gave it a full day use on it's first day and in the afternoon I thought I would swap out the chain, I came to fit a spare chain but it did not fit, the 0.050" gauge chain I had was too thick!

On returning home and revisiting the Stihl website I found that the product specification page was updated in the last couple of weeks and that Stihl was fitting a different chain and bar, they are telling dealers to fit a 3/8"Picco chain but in 0.043 gauge, this is a combination that does not exist on any other Stihl saws and used parts that are not on the current Recommended Saw and Bar data sheet that is still on the Stihl website.

I cannot believe that Stihl can introduce a new saw model and not have cohesive data and recommendations. The only Stihl saws using a 0.043" gauge chains are the very basic home owner saws, MS 170 / MS 180. Stihl recommends 0.050" gauge chain for MS193, MS 194, MS 201 saws all Farm & Ranch saws.

I went back to see my dealer whom I have purchased a lot of Stihl equipment from, they were apologetic and offered to take the saw back for a full refund, they have no explanation as to why Stihl does not fit the bar and chain that they recommend for this saw and the prior model it replaced MS 193. I really liked the new MS 194, and wanted to keep the saw, the dealer replaced the 14" 0.043” bar with a 14” bar with gauge of 0.050", I purchased a spare 16" bar and 10 new yellow chains, we all went away happy.

If you are out purchasing a new Stihl chain saw, make sure you really understand what bar and chain specifications it will ship with as what they are telling the dealers to fit is not what is on their online "Saw Chains" guide for chain and bar specifications.

A 0.043” gauge chain is not much use on a Farm & Ranch grade saw! Now I’m running yellow 0.05” gauge chain and really like this saw.

 

[SidecarFlip]

I'm done with Stihl and have been for a while. The noise and pollution police came down on them hard and now they are the weenie saw. Husky is much better and cheaper too.

 

[RCW]

Husky is much better and cheaper too.

Be careful what you wish for. A buddy had to return 2 new 572’s (?) in a row because the auto-tune electronics went bad within 48 hours on each. Couldn’t get them to fire.

Don’t know much about Huskies and not knocking them. This guy was a Husky guy and pretty discouraged. I would be for any brand.

A lot of saws now are electronic, Stihl included. That’s bad juju in my book.

To the OP, a 0.043 chain is bad news in my book...find another, and then a bar. All will be small and probably safety chain, which I won’t use.

Good observation! 3/8”/0.050 gives you more options.

 

[SidecarFlip]

Don't do electronic anything. No tractors, no saws, no lawnmowers, no weed eaters, nothing except the buggies.

Electronics are always lowest bidder stuff. Lowest bidder = fail. Just ask the automakers about Takita.

 

[Fordtech86]

Well since you mention it I had to go look .

So you kept the saw and just went to a 16” bar. I love the little 193, use it more then the 391

 

[RCW]

Don't do electronic anything. No tractors, no saws, no lawnmowers, no weed eaters, nothing except the buggies.

Get that, but a while back was just looking at saws and the number with “auto-tune” or “auto” something is scary....

 

[RCW]

I can get non-safety chains for this. Advantage of 0.050. Both are 3/8p pitch, but the heavier gauge drive tooth allows an option.

 

[UpNorthMI]

Well since you mention it I had to go look .

View attachment 47132
View attachment 47133

So you kept the saw and just went to a 16” bar. I love the little 193, use it more then the 391

You have the same bar that the dealer put on my new MS 194, go to the Sthil website, select chain saws, down the left menu you will see an option for saw chains, select it and click on download link to get a pdf of Stihl’s recommended bars and chains that lists all of their saws, your MS 193 is listed with a 0.050” gauge chain and bar.

it does not make sense, there are a very high number of saws that are listed as 3/8 picco pitch and 0.050” gauge,I own and run some of these saws and thought great I will have common chains with my new MS 194, not the case.

My dealer swapped the 14" 0.043" gauge bar out for a 14” 0.050” bar, I purchased an additional standard weight 16” bar 0.050” guage as this is typically what I use on other saws, now I have what Sthil recommends for my saw. Finally I run it with either 14” or 16” yellow chain ( not low kick back chains), this little saw really performs and I have the ability to share chains with my MS 211 saws.

Your bar is 3/8 Picco pitch with a 0.043” gauge, there is not a saw on the Sthil recommended list with that set up, but Sthil is selling them that way, I don’t understand why.

If you want part numbers for bars and chains let me know, the standard recommended 0.050” bar is $40. The outcome is night and day, I believe that you will love your MS 193 even more with the recommended Sthil set up.

 

[UpNorthMI]

I can get non-safety chains for this. Advantage of 0.050. Both are 3/8p pitch, but the heavier gauge drive tooth allows an option.

View attachment 47134

View attachment 47135

I have 2 MS 211 C saws, I love mine and use the hell of them, other than spark plugs, air filters and oil rubber tubes they have given 10 years great use. I buy and use Yellow chain on them. My new MS. 194 should have had interchangeable chains with the MS 211. The 0.043” gauge chain fitted to a Farm & Ranch saw was unacceptable and stupid of Sthil. My dealer was great and said I was the first person to raise this issue. I run several 261 and 461 saws but they are a lot of work to lug around for miles.

 

[Fordtech86]

You have the same bar that the dealer put on my new MS 194, go to the Sthil website, select chain saws, down the left menu you will see an option for saw chains, select it and click on download link to get a pdf of Stihl’s recommended bars and chains that lists all of their saws, your MS 193 is listed with a 0.050” gauge chain and bar.

it does not make sense, there are a very high number of saws that are listed as 3/8 picco pitch and 0.050” gauge,I own and run some of these saws and thought great I will have common chains with my new MS 194, not the case.

My dealer swapped the bar out for a $40 14” 0.050” bar, I purchased an additional standard weight 16” bar 0.050” as this is typically what I use on other saws, now I have the equivalent of what Sthil recommends for my saw. Then I run 14” and 16” yellow ( not low kick back chains), this little saw really performs.

Your bar is 3/8 Picco pitch with a 0.043” gauge, there is not a saw on the Sthil recommended list with that set up, but Sthil is selling them that way, I don’t understand why.

If you want part numbers for bars and chains let me know, the standard recommended 0.050” bar is $40. The outcome is night and day, I believe that you will love your MS 193 even more with the recommended Sthil set up.

Haven’t looked yet, stopped for a beer while mowing but one thought. When I was shopping I was looking for the ms193, it is a conventional rear handle saw. Dealer only had the ma193t which is the top handle and its in their specialty saw section on the website (or was at the time) and it was advertised as an in tree only saw. Is it possible for safety purposes it has the smaller bar? I am far from an expert in saws btw, just thinking out loud.

 

[UpNorthMI]

Haven’t looked yet, stopped for a beer while mowing but one thought. When I was shopping I was looking for the ms193, it is a conventional rear handle saw. Dealer only had the ma193t which is the top handle and its in their specialty saw section on the website (or was at the time) and it was advertised as an in tree only saw. Is it possible for safety purposes it has the smaller bar? I am far from an expert in saws btw, just thinking out loud.

You are correct the 193 T is considered a professional in tree saw, all bar lengths are typically 14”, but Sthil recommends a 0.050” gauge bar and chain for all 193 or 194 saws, I’m sure that professional in tree guys do not run 0.043” gauge saws. This gauge only appears on basic homeowner saws 170 and 180.

The key issue is that there is a significant difference between 0.043” gauge chain and 0.050” gauge chain.

Im a huge Sthil supporter but they are selling a number of their mid range saws with bars and chains that are not in line with their own bar and chain recommendations and not in line with customer or industry expectations, I’ve spent thousands of dollars on their products, I expect them to ship them with the recommended equipment, especially when you get to Farm & ranch product line.

 

[SidecarFlip]

As an non related aside, last year I bought a Stihl Professional Top Handle Arborists' saw and it was very expensive (like 600 bucks). What a piece of dung. Gutless, suffered from vapoe lock as well. Struggled to pull a 10" limbing bar. It went back and I bought a 110 buck Tanaka (Mikita) top handle with a 12" bar that has run flawlessly and actually makes some power. That kind of turned me off far as Stihl is concerned. The new ones are wimpy. My 028 and my 075 aren't but then they are old enough to collect Social security.

 

[William1]

Odd. My Stihl dealer sells the basic powerplant and then offers what ever bar/chain you want, with the dealer always leaning toward what is recommended by Stihl but leaving the choice up to the consumer.
In five years,
I have had only one issue with my Stihl products (fouled a plug), the dealer checked the saw over, put in a new fuel filter and a new plug, at no charge. Gave me a can of their special fuel too for my trouble. The saw in question was a year old and one of the electronic ones, it runs flawlessly.

 

[skeets]

I bought a new stihl and I hate the damn thing, it is the hardest stating saw I ever saw,, it is a gutless wonder when it does run. I loved my old husky, but it cost more to fix it than a new one so one does what one must do

 

[Thunder chicken]

I recently bought a Sthil MSA 140. (battery powered). I wanna say it has that tiny picco 3/8 chain in 043.
For limbing small stuff and general trail trimming, i find it to be a great little saw. The quietness of it is the beat part, and not waiting for it to warm up to make one or 2 simple cuts.
But these small chains/bars are likely on other electric saws perhaps?

 

[Fordtech86]

You have the same bar that the dealer put on my new MS 194, go to the Sthil website, select chain saws, down the left menu you will see an option for saw chains, select it and click on download link to get a pdf of Stihl’s recommended bars and chains that lists all of their saws, your MS 193 is listed with a 0.050” gauge chain and bar.

it does not make sense, there are a very high number of saws that are listed as 3/8 picco pitch and 0.050” gauge,I own and run some of these saws and thought great I will have common chains with my new MS 194, not the case.

My dealer swapped the bar out for a $40 14” 0.050” bar, I purchased an additional standard weight 16” bar 0.050” as this is typically what I use on other saws, now I have the equivalent of what Sthil recommends for my saw. Then I run 14” and 16” yellow ( not low kick back chains), this little saw really performs.

Your bar is 3/8 Picco pitch with a 0.043” gauge, there is not a saw on the Sthil recommended list with that set up, but Sthil is selling them that way, I don’t understand why.

If you want part numbers for bars and chains let me know, the standard recommended 0.050” bar is $40. The outcome is night and day, I believe that you will love your MS 193 even more with the recommended Sthil set up.

If you wouldn’t mind posting the p/n for the 14” bar and chain that would be great! Don’t need the 16”. My dealer that I bought all my stuff from has closed so now I will be using the local Kubota dealer for Stihl too.

 

[UpNorthMI]

If you wouldn’t mind posting the p/n for the 14” bar and chain that would be great! Don’t need the 16”. My dealer that I bought all my stuff from has closed so now I will be using the local Kubota dealer for Stihl too.

You can fit the following to your Stihl MS 193T just as I did to my new model MS 194 CE:

Standard 14" bar, 0.050" gauge, 3/8" Picco Pitch - Part No. 3005 000 4809 - Cost Approx. $40
Chain (non low kick back) Yellow to fit above bar - Part No. 3613 005 0050 - Cost Approx. $18

If you want to run the Green safety chains the Part No. 3636 002 0050.

Stihl recommends its lightweight bar with these saws Part No. 3005 000 7409, they are made from 3 pieces welded together with empty spaces inside, they are also twice the cost of a standard solid bar, my dealer had never seen one! The saw power head is so light I can handle a regular solid bar.

If you change to the 0.050" gauge bar and yellow chain I think you will see a big difference in the performance of your saw. Good luck with it.

A copy of the current Chain & Bar Recommendations from Stihl is attached for any Forum Members, check whats on your saw and what Stihl recommends.

 

[Fordtech86]

You can fit the following to your Stihl MS 193T just as I did to my new model MS 194 CE:

Standard 14" bar, 0.050" gauge, 3/8" Picco Pitch - Part No. 3005 000 4809 - Cost Approx. $40
Chain (non low kick back) Yellow to fit above bar - Part No. 3613 005 0050 - Cost Approx. $18

If you want to run the Green safety chains the Part No. 3636 002 0050.

Stihl recommends its lightweight bar with these saws Part No. 3005 000 7409, they are made from 3 pieces welded together with empty spaces inside, they are also twice the cost of a standard solid bar, my dealer had never seen one! The saw power head is so light I can handle a regular solid bar.

If you change to the 0.050" gauge bar and yellow chain I think you will see a big difference in the performance of your saw. Good luck with it.

A copy of the current Chain & Bar Recommendations from Stihl is attached for any Forum Members, check whats on your saw and what Stihl recommends.

Thank you!

 

[Fordtech86]

Thank you again upnorth!

Finally got the new bar and chain for mine and what a difference. It and the 391 gonna get some work after Laura!

 

[NHSleddog]

Don't do electronic anything. No tractors, no saws, no lawnmowers, no weed eaters, nothing except the buggies.

Electronics are always lowest bidder stuff. Lowest bidder = fail. Just ask the automakers about Takita.

You are a hoot Flip. Almost everything in your life is touched by "electronics".

With the 10's of millions of cars, tractors, mowers, saws etc that are out there the streets should be littered with them?

You probably b1tched about fuel injection, the calculator and the touch tone phone as well.

Look under a car hood today. They are more reliable than ever and yet they look really simple now. Remember the vacuum line years?