# Bar oil leaked in storage



## LLigetfa (Oct 5, 2014)

When I took my Stihl saw out for the first time this Spring, there was a bunch of bar oil that leaked out into the carry case.  Not sure why.  I cleaned it up and the next time I took it out it had leaked some more.  I've had the saw out a few more times since then and haven't noticed any more oil so not sure waddup widdat.

I got an extra year of warranty cuz I bought a case of oil with the saw so if it leaks again maybe I'll let the dealer figure it out.  Is this a known issue or what?


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## wolfonahill (Oct 5, 2014)

Mine has also leaked! Not sure where it came out but there was a sloppy mess underneath the saw and the cap was on properly. It's a 361 and I still love it btw...


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## Chimney Smoke (Oct 5, 2014)

Check to make sure the bar is tight.  If the bar is loose some oil can leak by.


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## cityboy172 (Oct 5, 2014)

Clean o ring on flippy cap.


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## JustWood (Oct 5, 2014)

Pretty common occasionally on  most every Stihl I've owned.
Never enough to worry about and not often enough to worry about.


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## cityboy172 (Oct 5, 2014)

I've gotten to the point I just store my saws caps up. Getting ready to fix the problem though. Buying a husqvarna.


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## CTYank (Oct 5, 2014)

Some saws simply never leak bar oil. Ferinstance: 35 cc Jenn Feng, Dolmar PS-6100, RedMax GZ4000. Not drop one.

Never was inclined to get involved with stihls.


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## TreePointer (Oct 6, 2014)

1. It's extremely common for saws to have oil under them.
2. Almost always this is not a defect or malfunction.

Run a saw and you have oil under it from use.  Put saw away without wiping it.  Next time you pick up saw you see oil under it.  Not a leak.

Fill oil reservoir in evening when cool.  Pick up saw next day after temperature rises in your warm shed/garage/barn/truck.  Oil expands with temperature, but reservoir does not.  Where does oil go?  Out oiler hole and under saw.  Not a leak.

Fill oil reservoir after running engine.  Ambient temperature oil is heated by warm saw.  Oil expands with temperature, but reservoir does not.  Where does oil go?  Out oiler hole and under saw.  Not a leak.

More expensive saws have an oiler gear that's engages ONLY when chain moves.  In general, the inexpensive saws output oil any time saw is running.  Because of this, these inexpensive saws will have a lot more oil under them when you pick them up next time because there's more oil splashed under the clutch cover from when you last ran it.  This splashed oil settles under the saw over time.  Not a leak.

I've never owned a saw that I used that didn't have at least some oil under it after sitting a while.


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## LLigetfa (Oct 6, 2014)

OK, thanks for the input.  First off the saw had cooled off before being put away into the plastic tote.  The amount of oil that pooled under the saw was significant, not a small amount that may have collected on the bar or under the clutch cover.  I fill the reservoir before I start the job, not after.

The saw does not show any sign of leaking while in use.  No oil pools where it is set down.

For now I'm going to assume this is related to cold storage.  While the flippy cap is convenient and easy to open/close, I think it may be a bit of hit & miss WRT the seal.  I'm not too crazy about all the crevices where sawdust can get into.  On my old saw, I could clean around the cap easily with a toothbrush before opening it.


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## cityboy172 (Oct 6, 2014)

LLigetfa said:


> OK, thanks for the input.  First off the saw had cooled off before being put away into the plastic tote.  The amount of oil that pooled under the saw was significant, not a small amount that may have collected on the bar or under the clutch cover.  I fill the reservoir before I start the job, not after.
> 
> The saw does not show any sign of leaking while in use.  No oil pools where it is set down.
> 
> For now I'm going to assume this is related to cold storage.  While the flippy cap is convenient and easy to open/close, I think it may be a bit of hit & miss WRT the seal.  I'm not too crazy about all the crevices where sawdust can get into.  On my old saw, I could clean around the cap easily with a toothbrush before opening it.



I acquired a ms250 that was doing it really bad when I got it. Pulled the o-ring, cleaned it, the tank surface and the cap surface thoroughly, and it stoped. No big deal. My ms460 leaks gas every now and then, that usually gets a new o-ring to correct it.


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## xman23 (Oct 6, 2014)

My Stihl case always has a bed of oil in it. I clean it from time to time but it comes back.  I can't say it's anything more than what's on the bar running back into the case. It would be a real mess without the case.


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## Wormyone (Oct 7, 2014)

I too have the same problem with my Stihl. Glad to have answer to this and know it's not just me


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## duramaxman05 (Oct 7, 2014)

The stihl ms211 I used to have done the same thing. I replace  the oil hose underneath the saw and that fixed it the first time. The second time I took the oil hose off and cleaned everything with brake clean. The. I put black silicone on and let it sit for a day. No more leak now


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## sigepsb (Oct 8, 2014)

cityboy172 said:


> I've gotten to the point I just store my saws caps up. Getting ready to fix the problem though. Buying a husqvarna.



Good luck, my Husqvarna has leaked since the first time I filled it. Loses the whole tank in storage. Was just too busy to return it. I just try to time it so a lot is not left in there when I put it away. I also throw some wood shavings from the cutting under that part of the saw in the case to soak it up. Dump them out the next time and then replace with new chips.


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## cityboy172 (Oct 8, 2014)

sigepsb said:


> Good luck, my Husqvarna has leaked since the first time I filled it. Loses the whole tank in storage. Was just too busy to return it. I just try to time it so a lot is not left in there when I put it away. I also throw some wood shavings from the cutting under that part of the saw in the case to soak it up. Dump them out the next time and then replace with new chips.


We'll see. Got a 562xp coming. Not for any reasons related to this thread.


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## sigepsb (Oct 9, 2014)

cityboy172 said:


> We'll see. Got a 562xp coming. Not for any reasons related to this thread.



That's a really nice saw on a whole different level- you'll probably be fine. Mine is a 455 Rancher from Lowe's; I suspect the big box store models are not made to the same quality as the dealer saws.


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## TreePointer (Oct 9, 2014)

sigepsb said:


> That's a really nice saw on a whole different level- you'll probably be fine. Mine is a 455 Rancher from Lowe's; I suspect the big box store models are not made to the same quality as the dealer saws.



To clarify this issue, a 455 Rancher at BB store is the same 455 Rancher at a dealer.  In general, professional line Husqvarna saws (and a few others) are simply not offered at BB stores.  That is the difference.


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## pen (Oct 9, 2014)

I found that temp swings will make the saw puke oil.  I used to keep the saw up on a metal shelf in the garage, and it made a mess sitting there.  Since it was still under warranty I took it back to the shop and they had it on the floor for a week and didn't spill a drop.....

Their store is insulated and heated, but I took the lesson to my unheated garage and moved the saw onto the concrete floor, in a case.  It sees less in the way of temp swings now, and leaks less to no oil.

At the same time, my buddy had a saw that never leaked oil and he told me it made a mess being locked up in the tool box in the back of his truck (he just installed the tool box).  The tool box was like my metal shelving, big temp swings.

Not saying that a saw in good order won't lose some oil even when sitting under constant temp, but that big temp swings may make a minor thing seem major.

pen


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## LLigetfa (Oct 10, 2014)

Ja, I can buy into the temp swing theory.  Had the saw out today to drop a big Aspen and the tote was bone dry.  Not a drop of oil.


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## D8Chumley (Oct 11, 2014)

cityboy172 said:


> I've gotten to the point I just store my saws caps up. Getting ready to fix the problem though. Buying a husqvarna.


My 460 does this, and I did the same- store it caps up. I have 3 other Stihls that don't seem to leak but a few drops, but the 460 spilled a bunch on my workbench. 


sigepsb said:


> I just try to time it so a lot is not left in there when I put it away. I also throw some wood shavings from the cutting under that part of the saw in the case to soak it up. Dump them out the next time and then replace with new chips.


 I just throw an old rag or paper towel in the case then throw it away when its time. Maybe if mine leaked bad I'd try that


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