Why does my chainsaw keep throwing the chain?
- Thread starter Kern Dog
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Is the bar discolored anywhere? If so, that's an indication of low or no oil for a period of time and it's pretty easy to not notice it until the bar has been over heated. Rather have an over active oiler than one that's not putting out enough. If it's not oiling sufficiently, then the chain can heat up and stretch pretty quick and come off. I'm also one to use whatever oil that's on hand but have never used 80-90 weight unless it's been cut down a bit with ATF. Imo, ATF is a bit light if you're doing long term heavy duty work and heavy oils usually slow down automatic oilers and make a manual oiler tough to operate.
BeeKool
Well-Known Member
I use the recommended bar & chain lube.
It seems to work better and comes in a handy jug.
In winter I use the winter blend, although Im fairly certain thats not necessary for you sun-lovers.
30 years ago this was my solution to the problem of a bar.
Hanging in my tool shed to this day.
3400 though.
Hanging in my tool shed to this day.
3400 though.
Gone
Well-Known Member
[/QUOTE]
My uncle had one of those Poulan bow saws. All metal...no plastic anywhere. Now that was a saw!
My uncle had one of those Poulan bow saws. All metal...no plastic anywhere. Now that was a saw!
My uncle had one of those Poulan bow saws. All metal...no plastic anywhere. Now that was a saw![/QUOTE]
In North Carolina?
I hope he still has it today.
Our local weather guru just said people give to much attention to the category which is based on wind speed because the top wind speed is localized.
He said 75 percent of the deaths are due to water.
Sorry Kern, but that saw is a homeowner grade machine. But if that's all you use it for, then it's ok.
Maybe there's some tree guys on here, but at one time Husqvarna was the top choice - pro series. Now it's Stihl professional line. Take your wallet, they are 3 times the cost of consumer retailers. But they last 5 times as long.
Oh, and NEVER run regular ethanol mixed gas in one. Now you can buy the premix fuel in small containers $$ but worth it.
As for your current condition, replace the bar, chain, and probably the sprocket.
The bar guide is more than likely worn allowing too much side to side movement.
Use bar chain oil, regular oils are just thrown off by the time it reaches the tip.
Maybe there's some tree guys on here, but at one time Husqvarna was the top choice - pro series. Now it's Stihl professional line. Take your wallet, they are 3 times the cost of consumer retailers. But they last 5 times as long.
Oh, and NEVER run regular ethanol mixed gas in one. Now you can buy the premix fuel in small containers $$ but worth it.
As for your current condition, replace the bar, chain, and probably the sprocket.
The bar guide is more than likely worn allowing too much side to side movement.
Use bar chain oil, regular oils are just thrown off by the time it reaches the tip.
YY1
Well-Known Member
Does the sprocket click without the chain installed?
Could there be something stuck in the bar?
How much is a new bar?
I cut down an 80 foot oak with an 18" trunk with a plastic remington 14" electric saw.
That same saw lasted almost 10 years and cut down another tree almost the same size as the first, plus cut both of them up to be taken to the curb (2004 FL hurricane season).
I use whatever oil I have around for chain lube- last few times was ATF.
Could there be something stuck in the bar?
How much is a new bar?
I cut down an 80 foot oak with an 18" trunk with a plastic remington 14" electric saw.
That same saw lasted almost 10 years and cut down another tree almost the same size as the first, plus cut both of them up to be taken to the curb (2004 FL hurricane season).
I use whatever oil I have around for chain lube- last few times was ATF.
Good chainsaw practice is to turn the bar over every time you change a chain.You may have to bite the bullet and replace your bar. Which really isn't a biggy, price wise, I keep a couple of 16's and an 18 bar, and probably 14 chains.
20 some odd years..... Stihl 026!!!!!!!!and it stihl runs like a champ lol...
20 some odd years..... Stihl 026!!!!!!!!and it stihl runs like a champ lol...
jason79
Well-Known Member
Have you ever greased the front sprocket? There are 2 small holes that a needle tip grease gun fit into. Most people overlook this step. Tighten your chain a little more. If you pick the chain up in the middle of the bar the teeth should still be engaged when you start to lift the saw.
rebel513r
Well-Known Member
new chain, sprocket, and bar and you should be all set, change the sprocket every 2 or 3 chains, bars wear out fast if they are cheap, quality makes a big difference. 30wt bar oil, stand in front of a log rev the saw wide open, you should have a little bit of oil coming off onto the log, if not you don't have enough oil. when the gas is empty the oil should be almost empty too.
BigCountryMopar
Well-Known Member
I flip my bar every time I sharpen my chain, which is about about every three tanks. I run just a generic bar oil with my Oiler turned up all the way. If the chainsaw gets used a lot and the bar has never been flipped it’s very possible that its worn out. Run it tighter and see. Not so tight that you can’t turn it by hand but tighter than you probably normally do. Also the best way I’ve found to deburr a chain after it’s thrown is to put it on, loose but not drooping loose, leaving bar nuts loose fire up saw rev it and kill it. Tighten up the chain tighten up bar nuts and get to cutting. I hope that made sense....
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Gets cold here too at times and one winter my now X put 4 cords through the fireplace! What are ya tryin to do to me, woman!? lol. Will also use the bar and chain oil when it's on hand but there's been times when it just wasn't. My main saw is an old Poulan 3400 bought in 86 and it came with bucking teeth and a lowly 16" bar which didn't take long to make way for an 18" and the saw acted like it didn't notice. One thing that you just can't do is loan one out. For some reason people don't seem to know how to use one without screwing it up. There's always been a couple of electrics hanging around for light duty trim work and one of those got loaned out to a buddy and it came back with the now very dull chain hanging off the bar a good inch and had a cracked case....and no explanation as to what happened to it. Surprised that the bar was still good so pulled it off and threw away the rest of it.I use the recommended bar & chain lube.
It seems to work better and comes in a handy jug.
In winter I use the winter blend, although Im fairly certain thats not necessary for you sun-lovers.
747mopar
Well-Known Member
Are you cutting brush? Cutting brush will always be more prone for throwing chains, only real answer is use the smallest bar when cutting brush. My little 450 will cut truck load after truck load without a hiccup but as soon I start cutting brush it begins to throw the chain. I bought a 563XP (63cc) with a 24" bar for cutting the firewood recently and will put the shortest bar I can buy on the 450 and only use it for brush for now on.
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Yup...brush and very small branches/twigs get grabbed by the chain and will tug on it or get caught up in the housing. Found that out when I first started using chain saws.
BeeKool
Well-Known Member
Ranger16
Well-Known Member
That would be my guess as well. I have a 20" McCulloch that must be 30 years old and runs just fine. I run used 10w30 motor oil on the bar (it already knows what to do), but I give it a squirt almost every time I pull the throttle trigger.
747mopar
Well-Known Member
As for oil it's just like chain lube on a motorcycle, oil without additives to make it sticky will be thrown from the chain quickly. Chainsaw oil is cheap and is designed to resist being thrown off, that's all I use.
I would replace the clutch drum when replacing the chain, they are a wear item on the teeth. There should be an upgrade drum available with a replaceable drive cog that slips on the drum.
Don't overtighten the chain! It puts too much lopsided pressure on the crank seals.
Don't overtighten the chain! It puts too much lopsided pressure on the crank seals.
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Gone
Well-Known Member
What's that? An outboard engine?
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