In order for the chainsaw to work properly and perform its functions efficiently, it is necessary to use suitable chain oils. The service life of the sawing machine depends on the choice of consumables. How to replace oil for a chainsaw chain if it is not possible to purchase expensive options?
An alternative is a lubricant that has good adhesive properties. Compounds with low adhesion rates accelerate wear of the unit, since the lower part of the tire remains without lubrication. There are also options that are prohibited for use with saw chains.
Basic properties
When deciding what kind of oil to pour into a chainsaw, you first need to consider the required characteristics, taking into account the specifics of its functionality. First of all, this is the following set of properties:
- High adhesion.
- The presence of ingredients that prevent the formation of scuffing and rapid consumption.
- Subsequent decomposition under natural conditions.
- Compliance with ambient temperature. At positive temperatures, predominantly mineral compounds are used, and at negative temperatures, synthetic ones with frost-resistant additives are used.
The adhesive qualities of a lubricant are perhaps the most relevant among others. Since it will largely depend on how long the lubricant stays on the metal elements of the chain. In addition, oil with low adhesion will not envelop the entire surface of the chain - but due to inertial forces, it will simply fly off it, bypassing the lower part.
A chainsaw with a properly lubricated chain has high productivity Source diz-cafe.com
During active use of the chainsaw, a huge portion of the oil used will simply fly out, ending up in the ground. Remaining with shavings in the soil cover, it will contribute to the deterioration of the ecological situation of the area. Therefore, many manufacturers today produce quickly decomposing compounds that do not harm the environment.
In addition to these criteria, there is a rule - to use lubricant components from the manufacturer that manufactured and launched the equipment itself. An example of this is Makita branded electric saw oil.
Advice! The user of the saw has to pay for taking care of the environment with unnecessary maintenance procedures. Thus, biodegradable oil can polymerize even in the device’s filling tank. Therefore, after work it must be drained and the system thoroughly flushed.
Adjustment to temperature
Using oil at low temperatures will negatively impact the performance and life of the oil pump. .If the required material is not available, the problem can be solved by diluting cold oil.
Kerosene can serve as a solvent. It can completely lubricate parts, but is not very suitable for high loads.
Oils from Europe, which have a high cost, are recommended for use with professional chainsaws that have high loads. The inflated price of materials is fully justified by the high cutting performance and long service life of the tool.
Our Russian oils are often made from foreign raw materials using new technologies. In terms of properties and operation, they are practically not inferior to European competitors, but their price is several times lower.
Chainsaws from China are of an average level and in terms of service life are significantly inferior to previous manufacturers. This can be eliminated using specially formulated oils that have proven themselves to be effective. All these criteria are relevant only to large manufacturers.
Meaning for sawing mechanism
Electric saw chain oil simultaneously lubricates several parts of the sawing mechanism:
- The guide part.
- The main star.
- Tire star (driven).
Lubricating device Source dm-st.ru
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With an ideal setting, the lubricating substance should flow slowly and in portions - after a specified period of time. Initially falling into the tire groove, it is then distributed along the guides and the entire surface area and teeth of the sprockets. Thus, the oil reduces the friction forces between the parts that determine the movement and the guides.
When switching from an electric model to a liquid fuel one, the user often has questions about what kind of oil to fill in to lubricate the chainsaw chain - is it permissible to use what was previously used for an analogue with an electric motor. Manufacturers give an affirmative answer.
The only thing the consumer may encounter is the need for manual lubrication - some models still do not have an automatic lubrication system. At the same time, more advanced specimens are equipped with special pumps with the ability to regulate the supply flow.
Note! Most electric models equipped with an oil pump do not have a function for adjusting the lubrication supply. Therefore, questions about how to properly supply chain oil for an electric saw - which one to use for specific operating conditions - can only be resolved by selecting substances with different viscosities.
Electric saw with automatic oil supply to the cutting part Source liderstroyinstrument.ru
Sprocket Lubricant
At the end of the chainsaw bar there is a driven sprocket, which ensures rotation of the chain. It also needs to be lubricated periodically. For this purpose, thick materials are used. You can use STIHL universal lubricant. Domestic lithol-based lubricants are also suitable. There is a special hole on the tire for lubricating the sprocket. You need to pump lubricant into it using a grease nipple or syringe.
Please note that if you frequently work with the toe of the tire, for example, when making grooves, the load on the sprocket increases and it needs to be lubricated more often.
Determining the required level
For confident operation, it is important to know not only what kind of oil to pour into the chainsaw to lubricate the chain, but also what its level should be in the tank. As a rule, the manufacturer of electric models puts special marks on the containers and gives appropriate recommendations in the technical documentation.
For gasoline analogues, the device looks simpler. In most modern models, the volumes of gas and oil tanks are proportional to each other. This means that as you work, they will be consumed at the same rate. Therefore, it is better to fill them to the top immediately before use, so that during intense work there is no need to refuel one or the other.
If the oil for a chainsaw or its gasoline variant is consumed excessively, the only drawback will be cost overrun. Another thing is lack of lubrication. The result may be serious consequences of the following nature:
- Tire failure.
- Rapid wear of the guide groove.
- Jamming and grinding of the drive sprocket.
- Boring, dropping or breaking the chain.
Repairing a chainsaw Source ytimg.com
Features of lubricants for chainsaws
Most oils are susceptible to combustion because they contain hydrocarbons.
Mineral oil is actually a product of petroleum distillation. However, four-stroke engines have special mechanisms that prevent lubricant from penetrating into the cylinders. The reverse process, when the engine “eats oil,” leads to increased smoke formation and is considered a malfunction. In a two-stroke engine, everything happens the other way around - the oil must penetrate the combustion chamber and turn into smoke from the exhaust system. This led to a number of fairly stringent requirements for good chainsaw oil:
- Maximum complete combustion . The less smoke and soot produced when oil burns, the cleaner the channels through which exhaust gases pass will be. A very important requirement for manufacturers of oil for two-stroke engines is its environmental friendliness. A large amount of smoke and soot coming from the exhaust pipe can not only harm the environment. It is inhaled to one degree or another by the operator operating the tool. Therefore, oil that burns completely, with a minimum amount of smoke, is preferable for modern models of chainsaws.
- Purity and absence of impurities . The chainsaw carburetor is miniature in size. The channels through which the fuel mixture moves are so narrow that various foreign inclusions can partially block or even clog them.
- Combustion of the oil-gasoline mixture should occur with minimal soot formation . Otherwise, during regular operation, the working cylinder becomes coked: the resulting carbon deposits cover the walls of the combustion chamber and the piston, leading to wear of the cylinder bore. Operating such a motor becomes not only undesirable, but even dangerous.
- Oil should not only lubricate, but also clean interacting
- . This applies to a greater extent to synthetic fluids, whose performance characteristics are among the best on the market.
Manufacturers make colored oil for two-stroke engines. Dissolving in gasoline, it colors it pale pink or red. This way the operator can easily check whether he (or someone from his team) has forgotten to prepare the mixture in the required proportion
Top brands
Chainsaw lubricant is produced today by the following popular manufacturers:
- Stihl.
- Husqvarna.
- Makita.
- BISON ZMPM-M.
- Ryobi.
- Anchor.
- Polar Lube.
The most widely purchased lubricants are from the German company Stihl. Three popular varieties:
- ForestPlus – with increased adhesion, for work at temperatures down to -15 °C.
- BioPlus is biodegradable and suitable for use in cold temperatures down to -15°C.
- SynthPlus – allows you to operate the saw in cold temperatures down to -25 °C.
Good to know! When solving the problem of which chainsaw oil is best suited when there are several different mixtures, you need to know that substances of the same type, but from different brands, can be mixed. However, it is not recommended to store this mixture for a long time. At the same time, under no circumstances should you mix oils of different types, for example, synthetic and mineral, even from the same company!
Starting a chainsaw in the cold Source ytimg.com
Rules for preparing the fuel mixture
Gasoline and oil must be diluted in containers that are resistant to petroleum products (plastic or metal cans). It is not recommended to use plastic water, juice or milk bottles for these purposes, since food-grade plastic decomposes when exposed to gasoline. As a result of this process, the fuel mixture will change its properties, and it is difficult to predict what effect it will have on the engine.
The combustible mixture for a chainsaw is easy to prepare.
- Take the required amount of lubricant and pour it into the prepared container. You should not pour all the prepared gasoline into the container with oil; half the required amount will be enough.
- Rock the container slightly until the lubricant is completely dissolved in the gasoline.
- Now you can fill in the remaining gasoline, mixing it well with the mixture in the container. This completes the preparation of the fuel mixture for the chainsaw.
Before each refueling of the chainsaw, the combustible mixture must be shaken. Also, do not forget to tighten the cap of the fuel tank well, otherwise this will lead to a lean mixture and engine failure.
It is better to use the prepared fuel mixture immediately. Therefore, it needs to be prepared in such quantity that it is enough for the expected amount of work. If the mixture remains, then it cannot be stored for more than 1-1.5 months. During this time, it will lose a significant part of its lubricating properties.
Inexpensive analogues
There are several options for which oil to use to lubricate a chainsaw chain in the absence of high-quality branded products:
- Substances from unknown manufacturers.
- Lubricant for internal combustion engines and diesel engines.
- Workout.
Chainsaw chain lubricant in any of the options considered is not a full-fledged alternative to branded products, but may be suitable as a temporary replacement in case of emergency. With prolonged use of such mixtures, the lubrication mechanism may completely fail and the chain may deteriorate.
How to replace expensive oil
The disadvantage of special branded chain lubricants is their high price. Buying a liter of another expensive oil is not burdensome. And if there is work to be done that requires several liters, or even tens of liters, thoughts about saving will probably arise. The main thing is not to go to extremes when considering options. You can save on oil to such an extent that you will have to change the chain several times, or even the tire itself or the oil pump.
There are three replacement options. Firstly, you can use specialized products from little-known manufacturers to lubricate the chain. But we still need to look for such oils. In addition, there is a risk of stumbling upon a low-quality product.
Application of oils for automobile engines. They can be used as a temporary replacement, but they cannot boast of high adhesion, so the quality of their work will be clearly worse than special ones. For this reason, it is not recommended to use spindle and diesel oils - the worst in terms of adhesion.
And we definitely need to talk about one more option - working out. This is the name of oil that has spent its life in the engine and is drained from it when replaced.
In fact, this is not an option at all. Metal particles are always present in the waste. And if they may not damage the chain itself, then they certainly will not damage the oil pump and the entire lubrication system. On forums on the Internet you can find a “killer” argument in favor of testing - that the Soviet chainsaw “Druzhba” did not have chain lubrication at all and worked. So you can pour whatever you want - and it will do. Well, “Shtil” will also work with a working off or even with a non-lubricated chain. The question is how long it will work and how many chains will have to be replaced during this period.
A warning to those whose chainsaw is under warranty. Warranty workshop technicians are able to identify cases of poor-quality chain lubrication. Especially when using mining. Repairs under warranty will be rejected immediately.
Criterias of choice
It is recommended to choose oil for an electric chain saw or its gasoline equivalent based on the following criteria:
- The product must not have obvious fractional separation or sediment.
- Technical specifications must be officially certified by the manufacturer.
- The manufacturing company must have a registration and legal address.
- Before purchasing a specific oil, it is useful to read reviews from real consumers of the product.
Checking a chainsaw Source livejournal.com
It is impossible to decide which oil is suitable for a chainsaw chain without a practical test. Ideally, at 100% load, there should be no smell of overheated wood in operation, and the engine should not show signs of overload.
How to shorten a chain with your own hands
You can repair a chainsaw chain with your own hands, provided you have a special tool (most often included with the saw). Most often it is necessary to shorten it, especially if it has stretched. This is difficult to do, but possible. To repair it by shortening it, you need to prepare the following tools:
- vice;
- needle file;
- hammer;
- pliers;
- goatee
Some work can be done with a welding machine if you have doubts about your own abilities.
To shorten the chain on a chainsaw, you need to rivet it. Since it is made of durable steel, the process can be complex. It is connected on the inside of the rivet. The reduction is performed in the following sequence:
- Secure the part in a vice.
- Use a file or needle file to grind off the protruding part.
- Knock out the rivets using a punch.
- Do similar work in another place. This allows you to rivet it.
- Remove links.
- Connect with old rivets, while pressing them on the sides. The rivet can be welded to the side parts of the link, after which all excess can be filed off.
Problems and their solutions
Knowing what kind of oil is needed for a chainsaw allows you to avoid the following series of typical problems:
- Decrease in efficiency.
- Chain jams.
- Clogged lubrication system.
- Wear of mechanisms.
- Engine malfunctions.
Note! Often, information about what kind of oil to pour into a chainsaw does not always save you from the malfunctions described above. The problem may lie in a clogged oil supply artery. The situation can be corrected by blowing or cleaning the channel, as well as replacing the internal oil filter.
Oil is not supplied to the chain, electric saw repair, oil pump replacement
Even the most reliable tool has its own degree of wear, and minor or minor repairs are required from time to time.
Chainsaw fuel system: 1 – fuel filter, 2 – carburetor, 3 – manual pre-priming pump.
If the carburetor is adjusted correctly, fuel will be consumed in the permissible amount. Otherwise, it will end too quickly.
A slow decrease in fuel while the saw is in use is normal. If it is missing, the chain is not lubricated correctly, so working with the chainsaw must be smooth. It is necessary not only to be able to fix breakdowns, but also to identify them yourself.
You can change the fuel supply manually. The correct operation of the lubrication system is determined by holding the tire up. If oil splashes appear, then everything is set up correctly.
Briefly about the main thing
Knowing what kind of oil can be poured into a chainsaw to lubricate the chain makes its operation productive and durable. The lubricant must meet the following criteria:
- Increased adhesion.
- Additives to prevent scuffing and premature wear.
- Rapid decomposition in natural conditions.
- Sufficient viscosity and fluidity at appropriate air temperatures.
The main purpose of the oil is to lubricate the guide, drive and driven sprockets. The presence of lubricant should always be at a certain level in the saw's filling tank. Its deficiency can lead to a break in the circuit and damage to the device. In addition, the quality of the lubricant is important. It is best to use products from Stihl, Husqvarna, Makita and some other popular brands. Alternatively, in emergency cases, for short-term operation, you can use engine oil or waste oil.
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