Oiling your chainsaw is just as important as its maintenance! In fact, oiling does count as maintenance.
If you’re a chainsaw owner, you should know how important it is to keep the chainsaw bar and chain lubricated using a chainsaw bar oil. Only a perfectly oiled chainsaw will work with the highest power, and smoothness to avoid friction and the least risk of injury due to any sudden stopping of the machine.
So, what oiling does is that it lubricates the bar and chain so that it doesn’t overheat due to friction and performs smoothly and effortlessly throughout the operation.
Anyways, you’re most probably here, either to find out how to oil a chainsaw or other things related to chainsaw oiling. And our article has it all explained for you below. Reading the article further, you’ll be able to know all the important details you should know including how a chainsaw oiler works. So, let’s dive in!
Is It Necessary to Oil Your Chainsaw?
Yes. It is. Keeping chainsaw bars lubricated is crucial to chainsaw operation. It keeps the chain nicely lubricated and prevents overheating. Too much friction could burn the chain, which is something you don’t want and so, you must lubricate the chain against its bar.
If the chainsaw does not have oil, frictional forces are also created on the motor which is of course not healthy for the saw as well as for the user.
In the absence of lubricant, the chain can move over the chainsaw bar at an extremely rapid speed, causing friction. As a result, your saw could be seriously damaged by too much friction caused by a slowed-down chain and excessive fuel burning.
Oiling Your Chainsaw in Just Two Minutes!
Oiling your chainsaw is just a simple task and can be done in a few simple steps. Here’s what you need to do.
- Firstly, make sure you place your chainsaw on a flat surface, not bent on either side because that’s important to note the accurate level of the oil while pouring it in.
- Then, let the chainsaw sit idle for a few minutes so that if there’s some amount of oil in it already, it would settle.
- Now remove the cap of the oil reservoir and start pouring in the oil. It is recommended to use a funnel to do so so that you don’t spill any oil and create a mess.
- Remember, you do not need to overfill the reservoir. The excess oil would only be wasted anyway. So, you must fill it to an appropriate level.
- When you’re done, put the cap back on the reservoir and start the chainsaw.
- Let it run for a minute. Then turn it off. See if there’s any oil leak. If yes, clean it up using a cloth and then again run the chainsaw. That it is about oiling your chainsaw.
Types of Oils Recommended to Oil a Chainsaw
If you’re new to using chainsaws, you might be hearing a lot about using different kinds of oils for your chainsaw. But what we recommend is, either the engine oil or the bar oil. Also, the manufacturer of your chainsaw could best help you know what oil you should be using.
But, for almost all types of chainsaws, engine oil and bar oil work best. However, if you’re in a situation where you’d need an alternative to these two oils, such as while doing forestry, you can use hydraulic oil, motor oil, or even canola oil.
Otherwise, here’s what’s most recommended:
Engine Oil
If your chainsaw features an automatic oiling feature, then engine oil would be best for it. In this type of oil, light oil is combined with chainsaw oil, which is suitable for almost all chainsaws.
Using engine oil on a chainsaw makes it work properly and gives it great cutting power which means cutting wood is easier with it. Also, chainsaws stay in good condition for a long time when they are lubricated with engine oil.
Bar Oil
If your chainsaw features a manual oiler instead of an automatic one, then bar oil would work best. It’s thick and provides great lubrication to the bar and chain. Because this oil is combined with a thicker chainsaw oil, it is mostly suitable for heavy chainsaws with big bars.
Other than that, just like the engine oil, bar oil also provides great cutting power to the saw and lets the chainsaw cut through the wood like butter. Also, chainsaws stay in good condition for a long time when lubricated with bar oil.
Some Tips for Appropriate Oiling of Your Chainsaw
I’ve personally been using chainsaws for many years now. And when it comes to oiling a chainsaw, there are a few tips that I learned over time, and I think they’re extremely important to consider for an appropriate oiling of your saw.
- Use the right type of oil, and the right amount of oil, and avoid over-oiling.
- Oil can leak from the chainsaw when it is over-oiled, leading to a mess. So, add up the oil only to the required level.
- It is possible for the chainsaw to become clogged if the chainsaw oil type is incorrect, and the chainsaw will not be able to lubricate the chain as a result. So, make sure you’re using the oil perfectly suitable for your particular chainsaw.
The Best Way to Check If Your Chain Has Been Oiled!
First of all, make sure you are wearing a glove and that the chainsaw is off and idle before checking if you have properly oiled the chain.
Starting with the process, pull away the chain using your gloved hand. Take hold of the chain once again and rotate it on the bar, away from your body. No sections should be clunky or jumpy in the chain.
You must then ensure that the chain is sufficiently oiled. Do it on a vertical surface. Start your chainsaw first. It’s recommended to NOT do this from a cold start since the oil won’t flow correctly.
For the oil to flow properly, there might be a need to turn the oil adjustment screw underneath some chainsaws. Give your chainsaw some revs now that it is about two inches from a vertical surface.
Now Continue to work the chainsaw and it should result in an oily line appearing on the vertical surface shortly afterward. This shows that the chainsaw is properly oiling.
Adding 2 Cycle Oil to Gas: How to Do it?
Well, it should always be a 40:1 or 50:1 gas-to-oil ratio for the chainsaw models manufactured after the year 2003. Whereas for the older models before that, it should be a 32:1.
You’ll first need to pour in the oil and then add gasoline to it. But it is important to always use fresh gasoline. Also, there’s no need to shake the mixture. Let it just sit and settle on its own.
Remember, you should not be keeping a mixture in the chainsaw that’s very old. It is because it could be dangerous when you run the chainsaw. So, when the oil to the gas mixture is old, it must be replaced anyway.
How to Oil a Chainsaw – FAQs
Conclusion
Although oiling a chainsaw is no big deal and a super easy and quick task to do, it is always recommended to see the instructions manual for a complete procedure before you actually start up. This is because, when it comes to oil, different manufacturers might suggest different oils for oiling. So, it is always better to give the user manual a thorough read.
Other than that, oiling a chainsaw is the same for all chainsaws. We hope we’ve been helpful to our readers through this guide!
