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johnct_gw

Chainsaw chain oiling

johnCT
18 years ago

I recently acquired a slightly beat up craftsman 36cc saw. I managed to get the thing running very well. It had a broken handle and a bent bar both of which I replaced. Its a five year old model with a 16" bar, but I don't have the owner's manual for it and it doesn't seem to be availible to download on the web anywhere. My question concerns the oiling system. The chain seems to be getting an excessive amount of oil. To the extent that its dripping off into a small puddle a few minutes after running. Is there a way to adjust the amount of oil or is that something preset by the factory? Thanks.

Comments (28)

  • andyma_gw
    18 years ago

    on my old Stihl Farm Boss there is. Under the aircleaner housing. The stihl uses a pump driven off the chain sprocket. I would imagine thats a pretty standard design. I would look around the top of the sprocket area for a knob of some sort. IIRC, Craftsman saws are built by Poulan.

  • turnkey4099
    18 years ago

    Sounds like you have a leak. The craftsman being the cheap thing it is probably has nothing but a pulse tube that pressurises the oil tank. Even turning the adjustment wide open (if there is one) won't put out that much oil.

    Harry K

  • canguy
    18 years ago

    You will get a small amount dripping off the bar and chain after shutdown. If not, the chain is not getting adequate lubrication. Are you using a proper chain oil?
    The small saws sometimes will have the tank siphon dry because of a plugged tank vent. There is usually no adjustment on these models

  • Fisher
    18 years ago

    Find the sticker on it with the model number, then go to
    www3.sears.com and download the blowup. The model number
    will be a 3 digit number, followed by a dot/period and
    then a 5 or 6 digit number.
    Fish

  • hippy
    18 years ago

    What you are seeing is normal for a saw that uses a pressurized the oil tank. It takes a while for the pressure to leak off which causes the oil to puddle near the sprocket end of the bar.

    It helps a little to loosen the oil filler cap when you are ready to store the saw to release the excess pressure. Once the saw cools. Do not forget to tighten the cap. Even doing this you will see some oil drool near the sprocket end of the bar.

    If you are really concerned about oil spots. Just set the saw on an old folded up towel or old shop rag.

  • johnCT
    Original Author
    18 years ago

    Thanks a lot guys. I'll have to pull the cover off of it and check it out. Maybe its a bad seal or something. I can't see how this could be normal. Oil sprays off the chain at full throttle onto the garage floor also. Yes, I am using chainsaw bar oil that I bought at Lowes. Yeah, I realize the craftsman saws are bottom of the line stuff, but hey it was free and only cost me $20 in new parts to get it running. Not bad for my first saw I guess. Its a model number 358.350060. Anyways, I appreciate the replies.

  • hippy
    18 years ago

    "I can't see how this could be normal."

    Well it is normal, be you want to except it or not.

    "Oil sprays off the chain at full throttle onto the garage floor also."

    It is normal and expected for oil to spray off of the end on the bar when the saw is running wide open. If it does'nt. Your saw is not oiling correctly.

  • johnCT
    Original Author
    18 years ago

    OK, thanks Hippy.

  • ohmyrakinback
    18 years ago

    This post reminds me of a chainsaw I once bought at a yard sale.It was a little 240 Homelite.The young man doing the selling ,probably 16 or 17 years old,said the saw was almost new and seemed to run great,but it used oil.I felt a bit guilty paying him the $25.

  • jtc001
    18 years ago

    My Craftsman chainsaw (about the same vintage) does the same thing. It is a gear driven pressurized tank type. It provides pelnty of oil but does leave the small puddle if you don't burp it.

    No way to adjust.

    I am with you on the value you got. I got mine from Sears on a closeout - cost me $40, but I had to sharpen the chain. For the amount I use it, it is just right and serves me very well.

  • johnCT
    Original Author
    18 years ago

    Thanks again guys. Jtc001, by "burping" it, you mean opening and closing the oil fill plug? Yeah, the price was definitely right and after using it for the first time last night, it seems to have more power than my neighbor's Echo CS-3450 that I've been borrowing lately.

  • jtc001
    18 years ago

    Yes - burping it means opening and closing the oil fill plug.

    To me, the most important thing you can do is keep the chain sharp. Either learn how to do it yourself (the guides and files are real short money) or have it done by a shop.

  • jack-of-all-chores
    17 years ago

    Hey johnCT, watch what you say 'bout ECHO being less of a man over Craftsman. Your neighbor's ECHO might grow legs and chase you down like a redneck.

    All seriousness aside, My ECHO CS5000 slobbers like a hungry baby. I have to dig into it someday, but my time is worth more than the extra oil at the moment. Hope it's not a bad thing and end up losing use of it. After all....It's and ECHOoooooo. And besides, what would the neighbors think?? :-)

  • mike8149
    17 years ago

    I have a Stihl 009 that does the same thing. Replaced the pump and oil line to no avail. I just keep a rag under it.

  • maineman
    17 years ago

    John,

    It's certainly better to have too much oil on the chain than too little. My Stihl dealer "threw in" a gallon of Itasca bar and chain oil when I bought my chain saw, even though he had some Stihl brand oil in stock. I thought maybe he was trying to get rid of it.

    I now use the Stihl brand, because it has both a winter grade and a summer grade. But the Itasca chain oil was "stringy and clingy" and it sticks to the chain very well, even when the chain is hot. It might reduce your dripping problem.

    MM

  • maineman
    17 years ago

    John,

    Oh, I forgot to mention that you can probably get Itasca bar and chain oil at Agway, if you have one handy.

    MM

  • cciaffone
    17 years ago

    I've got an older, smaller Poulan 16 that does NOT seem to
    throw much oil. I recently put on a new chain, which stretches a
    lot as well. Both concern me.

    I usually have to re-adjust the chain every time
    I re-fuel and add bar oil. Is that excessive??

    I have cleaned out the oil port and all the parts of the bar.
    I can see a little oil coming out, but with the bar and
    chain on, a newspaper stays fairly clean and dry under it
    when I throttle up.

    Any suggestions for repair? I over-use this very small
    saw and it has taken down many large pines after our
    yearly hurricanes and I'd like to keep it a while longer.

    chuck

  • rea1
    16 years ago

    Thanks for the info here. I'm using a new 14" ECHO for the first time and am also noticing the chain oil pooling at the sprocket end. I understand from reading here that that's normal. But after about 20 min of use, the oil is all mixed in with the sawdust, making a pasty mixture that's sticks to the bar and inside near the sprocket as well. I had to take the bar and chain off to clean it off. Does anyone know if this is normal?

  • maineman
    16 years ago

    real,

    "But after about 20 min of use, the oil is all mixed in with the sawdust, making a pasty mixture that's sticks to the bar and inside near the sprocket as well. I had to take the bar and chain off to clean it off. Does anyone know if this is normal?"

    No. The only thing you should have to do after 20 minutes of use is add more gas and chainsaw oil. Maybe adjust the chain tension.

    First of all, there shouldn't be any sawdust. Your chain should be cutting out small wood chips. Normally, the appearance of dust means the chain is very dull. I'm actually wondering if you might have the chain installed wrong.

    Read the ECHO manual to see if your saw has an adjustment for the chain oiling rate. I had to cut through some fairly gummy pine, so I adjusted the oiling rate on my Stihl fairly high to "throw off" any pine gum that might want to become involved with my chain. As long as you don't run your oil tank dry before you run your gas tank dry (I rarely do that), it should be "safe" to increase your oiling rate. When you rev your engine, you should see a visible spray of oil slinging off the end of your bar. That's my thinking.

    MM

  • rea1
    16 years ago

    Thanks for the advice MM. I found the chain oiler adjustment and turned it down all the way. The pasty goo was gone but so was the oil spray off the bar end. So I'll have to experiment a bit more to get the right balance. I think the chain's on properly because it cuts like butter and there are definitely woodchips on the ground after a cut. Also I was cutting pine and hemlock, so maybe the paste was the oil mixed with tree sap as well as bits of wood.

  • aryzl
    16 years ago

    Does anybody have opposite problem? I mean not oiling the chain enough? I just made my 16" craftsman to run, but the chain looks dry.
    Any ideas?

  • luciano
    15 years ago

    I am helping a neighbor with her Craftsman 2.75/16" electric chain saw. I see it has a "thumb pump" on top of the oil compartment. I do not believe there is any oil in there and found a small can of a Lawn-Boy 2 Cycle Oil. I see this is to be used for mixing with gasoline for lawnmowers, etc. Can I use this as just oil for this electric chain saw?

  • giventake
    15 years ago

    If I remember correctly, the owners manual calls for 30 weight motor oil. the oil/gas mix might be a little lite.

  • luciano
    15 years ago

    thanks for the response giventake. I ghuess any oil is better than none but I just wanted to make sure it would not be bad for the chainsaw. thanks!

  • malcelvis_tiscali_co_uk
    15 years ago

    Hi, I noticed no one is replying to the people who are not getting enough oil on their chain, I have the same problem with a Powercraft saw (UK Company), so I am going to take it apart to see how the oil is sent from the tank. will let the oil less know if I find a fix!

  • ssewalk1
    6 years ago

    Olivia , stick to the OP,s question instead of schilling elect saws . If u have no mechanical intelligence find another site

  • loger_gw
    6 years ago
    last modified: 6 years ago

    My Neighbor ask me to look at his Poulan "Wild Thing" he just purchased used. It was floating in oil in the case. It brought back memories of my 70’s Poulan S-25, as some close year Craftsman were labeled.

    1. 1. The oil tank was split with a gasket. It started leaking in warranty and they
      replaced the gasket. After the warranty it leaked and I used newspaper in the case (w/o leaving excess oil in the saw).
    2. 2. On slow oiling, I usually found trash from not being too clean refilling. Plus drilled a few to increase flow.
    3. 3. I feel the Wild Thing as newer electric saws has plastic tank vs a seam and gasket. The o ring on the cap is where I would look for a leak. Most electrics are top loaded solving leaking caps.
    4. 4. I always felt 100 degree TX heat was bad for a saw
      and extra oil did not hurt and some monitoring of heat is needed.
  • ssewalk1
    6 years ago
    last modified: 6 years ago

    Yeah a little mechanical applitude and effort , can resolve many of these issues rather than purchasing another form of saw as Oliva who lacks even the minute level of common sense , would most likely recommend . lol.