Stihl MS361 - white plastic press-in pieces in cover

[Ratman]

I have a Stihl MS361.
Under the chain cover are two white plastic press-in pieces into the cover.
What purpose do these serve?

 

[Jack33]

I assume you are talking about the bumpers/guides for the chain. They protect the cover and help keep the chain centered on the sprocket.

 

[smokinj]

I have a Stihl MS361.
Under the chain cover are two white plastic press-in pieces into the cover.
What purpose do these serve?

to help clear chips

 

[Ratman]

smokinjay & Jack33 thank you very much for your quick response.

This site has some very knowlegable members, thanks again.

The oiler on my MS361 is really lousy in my opinion.
That fact is magnified with my addition of a 25" bar.
I literally have to pour oil on the bar every few cuts.
I clean the saw after every other use.
The saw eats chains.
The saw is only 6 months (2 cords) old so I don't want to try any oiler or muffler mods yet.
I have read tons on this saw and I may be the only person with a negative comment about this saw

 

[smokinj]

smokinjay & Jack33 thank you very much for your quick response.

This site has some very knowlegable members, thanks again.

The oiler on my MS361 is really lousy in my opinion.
That fact is magnified with my addition of a 25" bar.
I literally have to pour oil on the bar every few cuts.
I clean the saw after every other use.
The saw eats chains.
The saw is only 6 months (2 cords) old so I don't want to try any oiler or muffler mods yet.
I have read tons on this saw and I may be the only person with a negative comment about this saw

My 361 throws oil like crazy but the longest bar I will run on it is a 20 in. bar ,and your wrong, there's alot of people that dont like it.For me it only needs to cut up to 30 in. and it works very well for that.

 

[Ratman]

Thank you jay.
The same behavior existed with my 18" bar.

I had turned the oiler screw full clockwise (away from 'E' indicator) with no change.
I haven't tried 2 tricks and will try them today after the hobbits I live with awake


LOCATE OILER PROBLEM AREA
1. With chain and cover off start saw and look for oil coming from exit hole.
2. If oil exits then bar holes clogged, if no oil exits then oiler hose is clogged, kinked or locked.


RESOLVE VACUUM LOCK
1. Start saw with oiler turned full off. Run and rev for 1 minute.
2. With saw still running run with oiler wide open.

 

[smokinj]

Thank you jay.
The same behavior existed with my 18" bar.

I had turned the oiler screw full clockwise (away from 'E' indicator) with no change.
I haven't tried 2 tricks and will try them today after the hobbits I live with awake


LOCATE OILER PROBLEM AREA
1. With chain and cover off start saw and look for oil coming from exit hole.
2. If oil exits then bar holes clogged, if no oil exits then oiler hose is clogged, kinked or locked.


RESOLVE VACUUM LOCK
1. Start saw with oiler turned full off. Run and rev for 1 minute.
2. With saw still running run with oiler wide open.

if you have an air compressor blow everything out

 

[kevin j]

Basics first, then search on arborist site. can't recall if it was 361, but if it under oils and you need to consistently run long bars, I think some stop bolts or oil pump parts interchanged from larger saws to increase the oiling.
Thank the EPA for part of it, pressure to reduce oil in the environment. Newer saws do run less oil.

 

[Bigg_Redd]

smokinjay & Jack33 thank you very much for your quick response.

This site has some very knowlegable members, thanks again.

The oiler on my MS361 is really lousy in my opinion.
That fact is magnified with my addition of a 25" bar.
I literally have to pour oil on the bar every few cuts.
I clean the saw after every other use.
The saw eats chains.
The saw is only 6 months (2 cords) old so I don't want to try any oiler or muffler mods yet.
I have read tons on this saw and I may be the only person with a negative comment about this saw

Try thinner oil

EDIT: What makes you think it's under oiling?

 

[Highbeam]

Even the lowly MS290 is a really light oiler. I have mine maxed out and it still barely sips oil. Better oiling when it's hotter out so I am thinking that viscosity of the bar oil makes a difference. So don't expect oil to sling off the bar like the good ol days. Instead, when you pull the chain away from the bar are the drive teeth oiled or dry and hot?

 

[moterhead3]

My beautiful wife just bought my early Christmas gift, a 361 with a 25" and 20" bars. It didn't seem like it was using much oil but after using it and maxing out the oil adjustment it's used a tank of oil per tank of gas. Seems normal to me. I love this saw.

 

[rdust]

I've been less then impressed with mine with a 20" bar but it's ok most of the time. I turned the oiler up and opened up the feed holes on the bar a touch. I can see it being an issue with a 25" bar. One of the oil pumps will work from one of the bigger saws, I have the info. on another computer. I'll look it up next time I go downstairs.

 

[Ratman]

I've been less then impressed with mine with a 20" bar but it's ok most of the time. I turned the oiler up and opened up the feed holes on the bar a touch. I can see it being an issue with a 25" bar. One of the oil pumps will work from one of the bigger saws, I have the info. on another computer. I'll look it up next time I go downstairs.

Thanks rdust...

The teeth were dry and hot even after I max's the oil screw out.

Although not totaly tested I did get the chain to sling some oil after trying this:

RESOLVE VACUUM LOCK
1. Start saw with oiler turned full off. Run and rev for 1 minute.
2. With saw still running run with oiler wide open.

The true test will be to evaluate the tank of gas to bar oil ratio.
Will advise.

I'm going to try Big Reds common sense approach and use a thinner oil.

Thank you all

 

[ccwhite]

I run a Stihl 039 and always felt that it didn't use enough oil. I cranked up the oiler and I mix a quart of 10w30 motor oil with each gallon of bar oil and ... viola .... no more problems. If I point the tip of my bar at a stump and give her a couple revs I can see a line of oil slinging off the chain. Happy times, friends happy times. LOL

 

[Bigg_Redd]

My beautiful wife just bought my early Christmas gift, a 361 with a 25" and 20" bars. It didn't seem like it was using much oil but after using it and maxing out the oil adjustment it's used a tank of oil per tank of gas. Seems normal to me. I love this saw.

"Normal" is 1/2 tank oil to every tank of gas. Over oiling certainly won't hurt but be mindful on hot days that you don't run out of oil first.

 

[madrone]

Hunh. My MS260 seems to run almost a tank of oil to a tank of gas. Not the "pro", so no adjustment, automatic oiler. I've never had a problem starting either, so I'm not sure the MS 260 pro is worth it...

 

[moterhead3]

Thanks Redd I'll keep an eye on it.

 

[ccwhite]

I run a Stihl 039 and always felt that it didn't use enough oil. I cranked up the oiler and I mix a quart of 10w30 motor oil with each gallon of bar oil and ... viola .... no more problems. If I point the tip of my bar at a stump and give her a couple revs I can see a line of oil slinging off the chain. Happy times, friends happy times. LOL

With this method I use around 2/3 tank of oil per tank of gas. As someone else said ... a little more in warm weather and a little less in the cold.

 

[rdust]

Thanks rdust...

Here is a thread from the Arborist site with part numbers. http://www.arboristsite.com/showthread.php?t=75144&highlight=1122+647+0602

 

[chad3]

Yup,
Threw the larger oiler in mine. Works well, but Stihl says it is too much oil. These do not run oil like older saws, so they are stingy. The larger one spits out alot, I don't run it full. Nice to have and if you replace the parts yourself it is only about 30 bucks.
It is a 460 W oiler for those who want to know.
Chad

 

[Bigg_Redd]

Yup,
Threw the larger oiler in mine. Works well, but Stihl says it is too much oil. These do not run oil like older saws, so they are stingy. The larger one spits out alot, I don't run it full. Nice to have and if you replace the parts yourself it is only about 30 bucks.
It is a 460 W oiler for those who want to know.
Chad

There's no such thing as "too much oil"

 

[LLigetfa]

There's no such thing as "too much oil"

Really? So you blow through $100 of oil to save $50 in B/C that's going to wear out regardless???

 

[d.n.f.]

Hunh. My MS260 seems to run almost a tank of oil to a tank of gas. Not the "pro", so no adjustment, automatic oiler. I've never had a problem starting either, so I'm not sure the MS 260 pro is worth it...

Ditto.

 

[smokinj]

Hunh. My MS260 seems to run almost a tank of oil to a tank of gas. Not the "pro", so no adjustment, automatic oiler. I've never had a problem starting either, so I'm not sure the MS 260 pro is worth it...

Ditto.

where its worth it would be to slow that oil down a little decompssion vaule on the 260 nice when it's cold,and gives you more on the resale side

 

[Bigg_Redd]

There's no such thing as "too much oil"

Really? So you blow through $100 of oil to save $50 in B/C that's going to wear out regardless???

Yes. Yes that is exactly what I meant.