Husky 450 chain tightens up during use

[woodhog73]

That's just a band-aid for the real issue. You shouldn't have to free rev a saw like that to get oil flow on the chain.

Not really. The saws oiler is low output and fixed. That's one way they get the cost to certain price points. If the OP is running a 20 inch bar on a smaller saw like that, the oiler they fitted with it can't keep up.

It's common knowledge that with homeowner class saws ( not a negative it's a build and price point simply put) certain items are lower quality. The oiler on that saw is one of them. Fit a 16 inch bar on that saw and most likely your dry chain issues will go away. The manufacturer didn't design that saw to have a 20 inch bar buried to the tip and past the tip in very dense wood. Yes it can do it, but if pressed into service all the time for this things like inadequate oiler starts to surface.

And sure they say the saw can run a 20 inch bar and it can. But not very efficiently. But marketing wants to sell as many saws as possible. And they assume the typical buyer for that saw won't be cutting too many 20 inch plus trees, probably just a few and only occasionally.

Case in point. I've got a Jonsered 2252. Sister saw to a Husky 545/550. Pro saw. Adjustable high output oiler. When I first got the saw I didn't check the adjustment on the oiler. It was on ""low" within 5 minutes of bucking a large log using an 18 inch bar my chain dried up badly. Just like the OPs chain. On low my oiler on my 50cc saw same size as the OPs couldn't keep up. Nothing could fix that on low. I turned my adjustable oiler on high and never had a problem since. I've cut 30 inch logs with it using the 18 inch bar and plenty of oil. On low, or probably the middle setting as well, it will dry up.

Also you will find even on big saws such as 660/661 there is even a higher output oiler available if you happen to be say on the west coast felling 60 inch diameter trees all the time. The stock oiler on a Stihl 660 indeed has an upgrade option because it might struggle running a bar big enough for 5 foot around trees.

The whole reason many saws come with adjustable oilers is to help save oil. Most people leave them set to high. But if your making a living with your saw and have to buy your own oil there are times when it makes sense to turn the oiler down a bit. For example If your just limbing 6 inch limbs turn the oiler on low. Save oil. Bucking big logs turn back on high.

Now I've got several saws including big pro saws and I never touch the oilers. In my book the more oil the better. But if I was going to cut 6 inch limbs with my Johnny 2172 or Stihl 661 it would make sense to turn the oiler to low if I cared about saving oil.

 

[woodhog73]

Good idea on getting a second chain. I've always had two with my previous saw.

Where is a good place to get a replacement, and how do I know the specifications of the chain I need? It can't be as simple as "20 inch chain for Husky 450". I can remember reading somewhere about different "color" chains, and "beginner" chains.

Yellow labeled chain is NOT low kick back. That's what you want . 50cc saws are required by law to come with safety chain which is green label.

Look on the bar. You should see a set of numbers which are the pitch, guage, and drive links. 3 sets of numbers. Once you find those then you can use any chain with the same pitch/guage/links. I would suggest buying full chisel yellow chain. It will cut much faster than what the saw came with .

Don't let the idea of yellow ( regular non safety chain) deter you. Even safety chain ( green label ) can kick back. Just have to be careful. Kick back occurs mainly from your tip of the chain so with any chainsaw just be carful. Yellow full chisel chain will cut much better than what you have .

 

[Marshy]

Not really. The saws oiler is low output and fixed. That's one way they get the cost to certain price points. If the OP is running a 20 inch bar on a smaller saw like that, the oiler they fitted with it can't keep up.

It's common knowledge that with homeowner class saws ( not a negative it's a build and price point simply put) certain items are lower quality. The oiler on that saw is one of them. Fit a 16 inch bar on that saw and most likely your dry chain issues will go away. The manufacturer didn't design that saw to have a 20 inch bar buried to the tip and past the tip in very dense wood. Yes it can do it, but if pressed into service all the time for this things like inadequate oiler starts to surface.

And sure they say the saw can run a 20 inch bar and it can. But not very efficiently. But marketing wants to sell as many saws as possible. And they assume the typical buyer for that saw won't be cutting too many 20 inch plus trees, probably just a few and only occasionally.

The issue might not be the oiler at all. Husqvarna spec'ed a 20" bar for the saw for a reason and I'd challenge the idea that the oiler isn't sufficient for that size bar. I'm sure there are plenty of people that run a 350 buried in hardwood without any issues. I never expect my chains to be dripping wet with a properly operating oiler. IMO "wet" chain is vague at best for determining the proper oil on the bar/chain. For a saw that has 5 tanks through it it's my opinion the oiler is likely working fine. There is a higher chance the chain is dull, creating additional friction and causing the chain to get tight. If that's the case additional oil is not going to remedy that situation. I like to start with the easiest and most probably thing and I believe it's not jumping to a faulty oiler. Stopping mid cut to free rev the saw is not practical IMO. However, I agree checking the oil spray coming off the tip is a perfect way to see if there is proper oil.

 

[Petstang]

Stihl color codes their chains and I haven't a clue what that's all about.
My suggestion is if you bought your saw from a dealer go back to the dealer and tell them what you have and they will get the chain you need. I would also suggest you take your chain off the bar and bring it into them for two reasons. 1) they will make sure they are giving you the right chain, and 2) ask them if the chain is dull and needs to be sharpened. Ask them if they sharpen chain and could do it before you leave the store. (They likely can if they aren't overly busy).
If you plan on sharpening your own chains and don't already have a filing guide then ask then what guide you need (husky makes different roller guides for different sized chain). If necessary, ask them how to file it.
Tell them about the problem you are experiencing.

If you don't have a dealer then you can still go to tractor supply or Lowe's/Home Depot and get a replacement chain. In the chainsaw isle they will have a book. Just look up your saw and they will tell you the chain to buy. I could guess what chain you have but would rather not. Again, take your chain with you and compare it to the new one to be sure if you like.

I'm general when talking chain there are a few terminologies you might want to become familiar with. Drive Links (DL) - those are the links with the heel that ride in the bar groove. Chain is sold by the number of DL for a given length of bar. Thickness of the heel on the dive link is called the gauge. There are 3 common sizes and are measured in inches (0.063, 0.058, 0.050). The gauge of the chain needs to match the gauge of the bar (the slot) the drive link rides in. Pitch of the chain - in short, it's the distance between drive Links. Smaller saw, likely yours uses 0.325" pitch chain. The pith if the chain needs to be correct for the spur sprocket. There are 3 common pitches for saws, 0.325, 0.375 (also known as 3/8), and 0.404. they are measured in inches. The pitch of the chain governs the size of the cutter and the size of the file you need to sharpen it with. There are a lot of other variables for the type of cutters and the rakers (bump in front of the cutter) so I'm going to stop there before either turns into a novel.

Thanks for the terminology lesson, I appreciate it!

 

[Petstang]

Yellow labeled chain is NOT low kick back. That's what you want . 50cc saws are required by law to come with safety chain which is green label.

Look on the bar. You should see a set of numbers which are the pitch, guage, and drive links. 3 sets of numbers. Once you find those then you can use any chain with the same pitch/guage/links. I would suggest buying full chisel yellow chain. It will cut much faster than what the saw came with .

Don't let the idea of yellow ( regular non safety chain) deter you. Even safety chain ( green label ) can kick back. Just have to be careful. Kick back occurs mainly from your tip of the chain so with any chainsaw just be carful. Yellow full chisel chain will cut much better than what you have .

I saw the three numbers on my bar. They were hard to read because the paint was getting rubbed off. Gauge 0.05 (cleaned bar grove with a dime), pitch 0.325. Didn't recall #DL. Will look again tonight.

Who is a good source for the yellow chain?

 

[Sean McGillicuddy]

Stihl

 

[woodhog73]

The issue might not be the oiler at all. Husqvarna spec'ed a 20" bar for the saw for a reason and I'd challenge the idea that the oiler isn't sufficient for that size bar.

For a saw that has 5 tanks through it it's my opinion the oiler is likely working fine.

I agree the oiler is probably working fine. It's just doesn't have a high enough output in certain cutting circumstances. I'm not going to argue that fact. After 25 years of running saws I've encountered a few along the way that just simply didn't oil very well magnified by longer bars. Been there done that. I'm guessing a simple search on other forums will find others experiencing the same problem. It's not that uncommon of a complaint.

Keeping things clean helps obviously.

They spec up to a 20 inch bar to sell more saws to the intended user. Plain and simple. Doesn't mean it's optimal.

Most seasoned users
would agree that 50cc saws regardless if it's a plastic clam model or a commercial model work best with bars 18 inches or smaller. But can run 20 inches if needed.

But I'm not here to argue. Everyone's got an opinion.

I'll just say your right

 

[Sean McGillicuddy]

Stihl has a good yellow chain.
Most likely you will see Oregon, also good chain.
Have you thought of getting an 18"or 16" bar, if you do get the bar/chain combo

 

[woodhog73]

Who is a good source for the yellow chain?

Stihl makes excellent chain. The RS

In .325 pitch I like Oregons LPX

Both excellent cutting full chisel chain. The stihl chain seems harder metal and holds and edge longer but the Oregon in my opinion seems easier to hand file. I think the metal is softer but not sure.

You should pick up a round file and flat file to keep a sharp edge on your cutters and keep your rakers in check. If your not sure how to hand file there are lots of great videos out there.

 

[Marshy]

I agree the oiler is probably working fine. It's just doesn't have a high enough output in certain cutting circumstances. I'm not going to argue that fact. After 25 years of running saws I've encountered a few along the way that just simply didn't oil very well magnified by longer bars. Been there done that. I'm guessing a simple search on other forums will find others experiencing the same problem. It's not that uncommon of a complaint.

Keeping things clean helps obviously.

They spec up to a 20 inch bar to sell more saws to the intended user. Plain and simple. Doesn't mean it's optimal.

Most seasoned users
would agree that 50cc saws regardless if it's a plastic clam model or a commercial model work best with bars 18 inches or smaller. But can run 20 inches if needed.

But I'm not here to argue. Everyone's got an opinion.

I'll just say your right

I'm not here to argue. I think we've both made our points and we are both right. I'm not discounting the fact that the oiler is likely undersized just that there other factors, operator induced, that likely need to be addressed. Without addressing those first he could possibly still have issuses. Cheers.

 

[Sean McGillicuddy]

OK my favorite advise.....4 just beginers... best results...
https://www.stihlusa.com/products/chain-saws/filing-tools/2in1file/

 

[woodhog73]

Lots of people have spoken highly about the Stihl 2 in 1 sharpener above which does your cutters and rakers at the same time with each pass. I've never used it but enough folks have commented on it and it apparently does a decent job.

As others have said your chain after 5 hours is most likely not sharp. It might still be cutting but not as well as it could. That ( as others have stated ) will contribute to higher temperature generated on the chain/bar and in turn could be contributing as well to your dry chain.

Also a dull chain will allow your saw to run higher RPM having less bite in the cut. Over time that could lead to possible damage to the engine.

So point is keep your chain sharp

Let us know how you make out

 

[Dobish]

i sharpen my chain every 15-20 minutes. Mostly it is on rocks, dirt, things stuck in my elm logs

I used the husky bar oil for a while, but now I use this and it works great.


I would also recommend putting a smaller bar on there. I notice a big difference when i go between the 16 and the 18" bar with my oil.

 

[Dairyman]

I saw the three numbers on my bar. They were hard to read because the paint was getting rubbed off. Gauge 0.05 (cleaned bar grove with a dime), pitch 0.325. Didn't recall #DL. Will look again tonight.

Who is a good source for the yellow chain?

With stihl rs or rm is non "safety" chain. Anything with a 3 is "saftey" chain. Oregon has lpx & bpx in full size .325. Vpx & txl in .325 nk. Only the lpx is non "safety" but the others work very well so long as there maintained properly. Here's a handy cross referance chart.

https://www.baileysonline.com/Pages/Chainsaw-Chain-Cross-Reference-Chart/


If you are going to start sharpening them yourself I'd go with a semi-chisel cutter. Rm, bpx, & either of the nk's. It's a little more forgiving on file placement & will stay sharper longer.

 

[Marshy]

I suppose its worth mentioning that there is also winter grade bar oil. Its thinner and flows easier. Tractor supply sells their name brand in winter grade by the gallon and its way cheaper than the Husky brand oil. I like to use Itasca bar oil year round personally but I don't do a whole lot of cutting in the coldest parts of the winter if I can help it.

 

[Petstang]

Update:

First of all, thanks a lot for all of your help. I learned a lot in the last 24 hrs!

I ran the saw with the bar, chain and clutch cover off. The oiler was pumping oil, so it's not clogged or broken, so that's good. Based on all of the your suggestions, here is my plan:

1. I'm going to clean the saw more often, periodically stop cutting and run the saw to let the oil catch up.
2. I'm going to keep the 20" bar for now.
3. I'm going to get a new chain. With a .325 pitch a .50 gauge, and 80 DL, the only chain I can seem to find is a Husky H23. Did I miss any other brands? I'd like to learn to sharpen my own chains and learn on the existing chain. My brother in law uses a Harbor Freight electric sharpener.
4. I'm going to use 5-20 synthetic motor oil as bar oil in temps less than 35 deg.

Thoughts?

 

[Marshy]

Update:

First of all, thanks a lot for all of your help. I learned a lot in the last 24 hrs!

I ran the saw with the bar, chain and clutch cover off. The oiler was pumping oil, so it's not clogged or broken, so that's good. Based on all of the your suggestions, here is my plan:

1. I'm going to clean the saw more often, periodically stop cutting and run the saw to let the oil catch up.
2. I'm going to keep the 20" bar for now.
3. I'm going to get a new chain. With a .325 pitch a .50 gauge, and 80 DL, the only chain I can seem to find is a Husky H23. Did I miss any other brands? I'd like to learn to sharpen my own chains and learn on the existing chain. My brother in law uses a Harbor Freight electric sharpener.
4. I'm going to use 5-20 synthetic motor oil as bar oil in temps less than 35 deg.

Thoughts?

Buy winter grade bar and chain oil. While SAE30 is suitable for summer as an alternative bar and chain oil has additional additives to keep it on the bar and chain. Tractor supply had a gallon for probably $8.

 

[Sean McGillicuddy]

I agree with Marshy!
Also .. Look into that 2in1 I mentioned..
https://www.stihlusa.com/products/chain-saws/filing-tools/2in1file/
very good results are done in the field, were you need it.
Not only do you need to sharpen the teeth.. the rakes are just as important.That sharpener ( your brother in laws, let him do it for you on his machine) is not so easy for a novice. A second chain should be with you ... Oh ...when you clean the bar, you should flip it so you can beat up both sides.....Good luck!

 

[Marshy]

I'd also recommend putting the new chain on and cutting normally. Bury the tip and just go to town and see if the chain self tightens. If you can run a tank full through the saw without the issue repeating then the oiler was not a factor. Dull chain and or too tight was the culprit. Very good advice one the multi tool sharpener.

 

[tpenny67]

Thank you to all who posted on this thread. I've been using chainsaws for years and never knew why sometimes the chain would greatly tighten up while running, to the point I'd have to loosen it up. Of course, when everything cooled off the chain would be practically falling off the bar.

As for yellow versus green chains, yellow does cut much better but I find myself using a green chain most of the time. Supposedly the green chain is more tolerant of contact with dirt and rocks without getting dull as fast. Typically I'm using the saw to clean up trails on a woodland property, so most of the time it's cutting rotting dead stuff that's got one end hung up in a tree, the other end in mud, and branches everywhere.

A chain can go extremely long between sharpening when cutting dead pine. Not so long when it finds a nail unexpectedly, but it sure makes an impressive shower of sparks.

 

[Marshy]

Surprisingly there isn't many sparks from a nail, maybe just one or two sparks unless you happen to be lucky enough to cut it length wise. They do a good number on the chain. The performance change is immediately noticable even if only 2-3 teeth are effected.

Sounds to me like the green chain is semi chisel chain and yellow is full chisel. The rounded corner on the semi chisel is more robust and dulls less in dirty wood. The full chisel chain performance suffers a lot when the leading corner dulls slightly.

Then there's even another variation called square chisel. It's a full chisel cutter that's been sharpened with a special square file. It has better performance than round filed full chisel but can dull quicker in dirty wood, it's also the hardest to master in hand sharpening. Round filed semi chisel chain is the most forgiving.

 

[tpenny67]

Surprisingly there isn't many sparks from a nail, maybe just one or two sparks unless you happen to be lucky enough to cut it length wise. They do a good number on the chain. The performance change is immediately noticable even if only 2-3 teeth are effected.

Sounds to me like the green chain is semi chisel chain and yellow is full chisel. The rounded corner on the semi chisel is more robust and dulls less in dirty wood. The full chisel chain performance suffers a lot when the leading corner dulls slightly.

It was a big nail. All the teeth were visibly damaged and the saw immediately lost all ability to cut anything. This is why a second chain is handy.

Yes, the green chain is semi-chisel with a rounded edge, and the yellow is a full chisel with flat top and sides that come together to form a very sharp point. I haven't seen a chain without an angled cutter before. I don't know many of the terms, having learned mostly by watching other people long ago before web browsers were invented.

 

[Dobish]

i cut through some aspen the other day, and it was like cutting butter! i couldn't believe how quickly I went through it after cutting elm and locust all afternoon! Speaking of that, its probably about time I swap out my chain, since i managed to hit something not good and my saw started cutting sideways.

 

[ErikR]

Update:

First of all, thanks a lot for all of your help. I learned a lot in the last 24 hrs!

I ran the saw with the bar, chain and clutch cover off. The oiler was pumping oil, so it's not clogged or broken, so that's good. Based on all of the your suggestions, here is my plan:

1. I'm going to clean the saw more often, periodically stop cutting and run the saw to let the oil catch up.
2. I'm going to keep the 20" bar for now.
3. I'm going to get a new chain. With a .325 pitch a .50 gauge, and 80 DL, the only chain I can seem to find is a Husky H23. Did I miss any other brands? I'd like to learn to sharpen my own chains and learn on the existing chain. My brother in law uses a Harbor Freight electric sharpener.
4. I'm going to use 5-20 synthetic motor oil as bar oil in temps less than 35 deg.

Thoughts?

I think you've got it figured out and have gotten a lot of good advice. I'd run a winter weight bar oil rather than engine oil in cold weather.

I have a 450 but mine came with an 18" bar. I have several chains for it and keep a sharp spare or two ready to swap out. Everyone will have their own opinion about the best or easiest way to sharpen... It's all personal preference. There are several tools, holders, grinders, jigs, you name it, but finding a way that works for you might take some time. Watch a lot of Youtube videos on sharpening to see all kinds of ways!
i used to bring them into the local saw shop and let them sharpen them, but since bought a Timberline sharpener and am pleased with the results I get..

http://www.timberlinesharpener.com/

I run Husqvarna chains, others will have their favorites... Again, it's all a matter of opinion. I'n not a professional, I don't use my saw 8 hours a day, 7 days a week. I can live with a chain that takes a few extra seconds to cut through a 12" log...