A widespread complaint from chainsaw owners is that chainsaw leaks oil when stored. And this is something that almost all types of chainsaws experience but it can be fixed with proper storage of the chainsaw and some preventive steps to avoid oil leakage.
Mostly, for the newbies in the world of chainsaws, oil leakage could be a significant concern. But usually, the problem isn’t in the chainsaw. It’s in how you store and keep your chainsaw when not in use. Although the oil that leaks from chainsaws isn’t a lot. It couldn’t be more than 10 ml daily, and such a modest quantity doesn’t harm your chainsaw either. But it is a messy thing to experience and the wastage of oil as well.
The real problem could be your chainsaw leaking oil of more than 20ml per day. If this is the case with your chainsaw, you should contact a technician for professional advice. Because having more than 20ml of oil leaked may be a result of some damaged part of the saw or improper oiling.
So, the question is, how to store a chainsaw so it doesn’t leak oil? In our article today, we’d be discussing some proper ways to keep your chainsaw when you’re done using it, and the preventive precautions you must take while storing your saw.
Why Does My Chainsaw Leak Oil When Not in Use?
If your chainsaw is leaking oil and the leakage isn’t more than 20ml per day, it’s probably because you haven’t stored it correctly. But there could be other possible reasons too such as:
- The chainsaw kept running when not cutting.
- You’ve overfilled the oil reservoir and kept the chainsaw for storage.
- Changes in temperature could also be one of the reasons.
- The chain might be drained of oil when it has sprayed from it while rotating at high speed.
- There could be little oil spillage due to the log absorbing oil and the chain producing sawdust.
Some Tips to Store Your Chainsaw Without Leaking Oil
Here are some of the methods we’ve personally tried to prevent your chainsaw from oil leakage, and they actually work!
- Do Not Overfill the Oil Reservoir
- Be Sure to Secure the Plugs Before You Store the Saw
- Always Check the Saw’s Mechanical Points Before Storing
- If Hanging Vertically or by Rear Handle, Do It Correctly
- Keep the Bar Flat Against the Ground
Do Not Overfill the Oil Reservoir
The very first thing to keep in mind while storing your chainsaw is to NOT overfill the oil reservoir. This is a huge factor in oil leaking from the saw. With the temperature changes, the oil expands, and this leads to oil leakage when the chainsaw isn’t being used.
To avoid this from happening, always fill the reservoir only till the marked point.
Be Sure to Secure the Plugs Before You Store the Saw
Be sure to tighten and secure the fill plugs before storing them. If your chainsaw has plugs made of plastic or rubber, they may wear out over time. But that’s no issue. They’re easily available in the market and not even costly. The local markets, however, do not carry all brands of fill plugs.
Always Check the Saw’s Mechanical Points Before Storing
After you’re done using your saw and you’re ready to store it, always verify the mechanical parts of the chainsaw to make sure it won’t leak when you store it. Do check for the oil tank vent, clutch outlets and the oil pump itself to make sure they’re not clogged?
If any of these parts is clogged, there is a possibility that oil pressure inside the tool may build up until it leaks out of the lines. And that’s when the chainsaw oil accumulates in the body and drips out of unsealed casing parts during storage.
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If Hanging Vertically or by Rear Handle, Do It Correctly
While storing the chainsaw in a hanging manner, whether it’s vertically by its handle or by the rear handle, there’s a chance of oil leaking down the bar. To avoid this, you can do two things. You’d either need to drain the fuel and bar oil before you store the chainsaw, or you can simply hang the chainsaw but burp the oil tank and fuel tank after every few days.
For those who are unfamiliar with the burps, it’s just the opening of tanks and let the gases escape out.
If you do not burp the tanks, the liquid or oil inside will flow out due to the pressure that builds up inside. And burping the tanks would simply release the pressure and prevent oil from leaking out.
Keep the Bar Flat Against the Ground
If you plan to not hang the chainsaw and store it somewhere on the ground, just make sure you store it flat against the ground. It should not bend towards the left or right side as it would cause the oil to leak.
In case there’s a situation where you have to store it on a side, do make sure you empty the oil reservoir. But this also should only be for lightweight saws. Otherwise, storing the saw flat against the ground is recommended.
Chainsaw Storage Precautions
Here are some precautions you must take to prevent your chainsaw from leaking oil when you store it.
- The chainsaw chain must be completely removed and cleaned before storing.
- Cover up the chain in a cloth or newspaper and store it in a plastic bag.
- Empty the oil tank and clean the chainsaw nicely. Make sure to let it dry well.
- Storing the chainsaw in a vertical position is best. But you must keep a check on it to make sure it doesn’t leak.
- Change the oil in the saw whenever needed.
How to Store Chainsaw Without Oil Leaking – FAQs
Conclusion
Careful storage of your chainsaw is the best thing you can do to prevent oil from leaking from its chain. Although it’s normal for chainsaws to drip some oil, still, storing your chainsaw in an appropriate manner can fix this to a great extent.
You can always keep a towel underneath where you’ve stored your chainsaw. This would absorb the oil that your chainsaw leaks and would save you from a messy situation.
