# How to tell if oiler is oiling enough?



## baratta930 (Jan 11, 2012)

Hi All,

I recently bought my first chainsaw, a husky 450 w/18" .325 narrow kerf chain.  I had always used Stihl saws borrowed from friends before but the anti vibe on the Husky is what pushed me towards it.  My arthritis isn't getting any better and I couldn't justify the higher end Stihls (although I tried, the 261 was SWEEEET ).

The saw cuts great, but it doesn't seem to oil as much as the Stihls did.  After cutting some mixed wood (maple, cedar, and pine), there was some discoloration on the cutters that looked a little like overheating. Could that just be sap from the pine?

I cleaned up everything and then ran the powerhead without a bar.  Oil came out.

Also I ran the saw standalone, it will spray oil onto the ground.  The spray though is pretty weak.

So, long rambling but how do I tell if there is enough oil coming out?

Also is it possible to install the 350 adjustable oiler into a 450?

Thanks,

Berardino


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## Adios Pantalones (Jan 11, 2012)

Experts will chime in, but generally you want to be using almost a tank of oil per tank of gas.  If you can see a little spray then you're probably in good shape.  Cold weather may slow down the oil a bit as well because it thickens- mine looked like hot pizza cheese when I filled my tank last


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## Jack Straw (Jan 11, 2012)

I have an Echo and in the owner's manual it tells you how to check that, so you may want to start with the manual.


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## smokinj (Jan 11, 2012)

Bars get hot real hot at times. If your spinning the chain freely with the brake off by hand and having to issuses from a hole shot your good. You can point the tip of the bar at a stump and see what flys off as well.


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## Kenster (Jan 11, 2012)

Adios Pantalones said:
			
		

> Experts will chime in, but generally you want to be using almost a tank of oil per tank of gas.  If you can see a little spray then you're probably in good shape.  Cold weather may slow down the oil a bit as well because it thickens- mine looked like hot pizza cheese when I filled my tank last



Tank of oil per tank of gas sounds on the heavy side to me.  Is that the standard?   My MS390 is a perfect 2/1 ratio.  The oil tank is almost, but not quite, empty at the second gas fill up.   So every other fill up, I stop, gas it up, add oil, hand sharpen the chain, and take a short break.


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## Adios Pantalones (Jan 11, 2012)

I dunno if it's standard.  I use about 3/4 tank oil per tank of gas.


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## smokinj (Jan 11, 2012)

Adios Pantalones said:
			
		

> I dunno if it's standard.  I use about 3/4 tank oil per tank of gas.



You have a 260 as well as his friend....Pro saw's will normally use more.


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## Adios Pantalones (Jan 11, 2012)

That'd 'splain things nicely


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## oldspark (Jan 11, 2012)

Kenster said:
			
		

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 That's what I have been reading for the last 30 years or so, one to one.


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## smokinj (Jan 11, 2012)

oldspark said:
			
		

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30 years ago yes. No newer pro saw that I have ran is no better than 3/4 of a tank of oil per 1 tank of gas.


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## Kenster (Jan 11, 2012)

I put the question to an acquaintance of mine who is a Stihl dealer in Dallas.  I told that the chain oil on my MS390 last for two tanks of gas.  His reply:

*Ken,

I think the oiler is fine.  We recommend filling the oil tank with each fuel fill up.


With that said the MS 390 should have an adjustable oiler.  If the oiler is turned all the way up she might be near out when fueling.  If you were cutting in extremely hard, dead or dirty wood you might want to increase the adjustment.  Sounds like all is working fine to me as is....  Stihl uses less oil than any brand on the market.  Stihl manufactures their own guide bars and chains and they are engineered to use less oil to save you money with less contamination to the environment.  Your saw will get the same lubrication to the bar and chain as most brands with 1/2 of the oil.*  (end of quote)

I'm guessing the amount of oil used per tank of gas varies a lot between brands, age of the saw, and personal preference of the operator.


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## baratta930 (Jan 11, 2012)

smokinjay said:
			
		

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Maybe this is the problem   I got used to killer saws and now have to settle for average ... waaaah 

The manual doesn't saw how many tanks of fuel per tank of oil, just that you should run out of fuel before you run out of oil.  I haven't been tracking oil vs. fuel consumption that closely (breaking in the saw right now).  I'm going to cut up a few oaks next weekend at a friend's property and will try to track it better.

Thanks for everyone's responses, I'm less worried now 

Still wondering though, does anyone know if I can upgrade the oiler to the 350 adjustable oiler?

Thanks,

Berardino


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## smokinj (Jan 11, 2012)

baratta930 said:
			
		

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Would be very difficult...But just changing the pump its self may be possiable.


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## Backwoods Savage (Jan 12, 2012)

I always have had the belief that oil is cheaper than metal.


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## oldspark (Jan 12, 2012)

smokinjay said:
			
		

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 Not a pro saw but my new 361 is doing the same thing. The 045, 009L, 028 super all do it, junk I tell ya junk.


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## WoodpileOCD (Jan 12, 2012)

Never really considered the ratio of oil used to gas used because I've always filled up both at the same time.  Needs gas then fill up the oil too.  I was just taught that you don't EVER want to run out of oil so get in the habit of filling both at the same time.  I'm with Savage, oil is WAY cheaper than burning up a chain.  

 Just looking in the oil tank when I fill it up though I'm guessing a little more than a half tank of oil / tank gas.


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## Kenster (Jan 12, 2012)

I think I'll start filling the oil every time I gas up.  Can't take more than an extra minute and might save hours of grief.


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## amateur cutter (Jan 12, 2012)

Backwoods Savage said:
			
		

> I always have had the belief that oil is cheaper than metal.



+ 1000 1 to 1 or very close except on a real short bar. I E 14 or 12" A C


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## MasterMech (Jan 12, 2012)

That 450 isn't going to be running a 24"+ Bar, ever, so it may not have a very big oil pump installed for that reason.

That's true about Stihl chain not needing as much oil as other brands.  So long as it flings off the nose of the bar a bit, it's good.


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## BobUrban (Jan 12, 2012)

My Husky 350 runs pretty close to 1:1 gasil per fill up.  I have always just filled both every time I run out of gas.  Seemed prudent?  

Never really looked to see how much oil was in there but from what I could/can tell it seems close to empty.  I always check the oil spray on a log end or the snow before I start cutting for the day.  As long as I get some spray I feel like it is working properly.  If it is not spraying - or spraying very little I open it up and spray it all out with air.  Works for me.

JM2C


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## oldspark (Jan 12, 2012)

BobUrban said:
			
		

> My Husky 350 runs pretty close to 1:1 gasil per fill up.  I have always just filled both every time I run out of gas.  Seemed prudent?
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> Never really looked to see how much oil was in there but from what I could/can tell it seems close to empty.  I always check the oil spray on a log end or the snow before I start cutting for the day.  As long as I get some spray I feel like it is working properly.  If it is not spraying - or spraying very little I open it up and spray it all out with air.  Works for me.
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> JM2C


 +1 for me, not sure how much oil is left in tank but it sure looks like not that much.


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## smokinj (Jan 12, 2012)

oldspark said:
			
		

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361 is a pro saw....But you really dont need to be throwing 1:1 anyways...


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## oldspark (Jan 12, 2012)

smokinjay said:
			
		

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 Next time I use the saw I will see how much oil is left in the tank on refill, does it have an adjustment for that, I can look in the manual later.


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## smokinj (Jan 12, 2012)

oldspark said:
			
		

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Yes there is an adjuster on the bottom of the saw. (Screw)


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## Thistle (Jan 12, 2012)

WoodpileOCD said:
			
		

> Never really considered the ratio of oil used to gas used because I've always filled up both at the same time.  Needs gas then fill up the oil too.  I was just taught that you don't EVER want to run out of oil so get in the habit of filling both at the same time.  I'm with Savage, oil is WAY cheaper than burning up a chain.
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> Just looking in the oil tank when I fill it up though I'm guessing a little more than a half tank of oil / tank gas.



That's the way I've always done it too. Whenever I either top off the tank or have to fill it completely,I check/top off the oil also.


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## ironpony (Jan 12, 2012)

My pioneer uses more oil than gas (not adjustable)

the correct ratio is  The velocity vector v of an object that has positions x(t) at time t and x(t + Î”t) at time t + Î”t, can be computed as the derivative of position:

 or when you rev it up
it should spray oil all over you and the wood you are cutting


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## Black Jaque Janaviac (Jan 12, 2012)

I fill both tanks at the same time.  Sometimes it looks like I could get by with 2 gas tanks per oil fill, but other times not so much.

My Poulan doesn't seem to be consistant with the amount of oil it consumes.  I've noticed the cheapo bar/chain oil at Fleet Farm is pretty thick so I've added mineral spirits and that beefed up the oil consumption.  I THINK I notice that it uses oil more after blowing out that area at the base of the bar - whatever you call it.  That seems to collect a lot of sawdust which absorbs oil.


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## seeyal8r (Jan 12, 2012)

All of my Stihls use 1 tank of gas and 95% of a tank of oil. None of my saws leak oil. But in the summer time in the back of the truck at 120 degrees they will leak like a faucet.


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