Bar Oil discussion

[buck91]

Now, I don't do much cutting these days living in suburbia and all but I recently found reason to discuss bar oil with some people. I have traditionally stuck with either Stihl or Husqvarna brand name bar oil figuring for the volume I go through the peace of mind is worth the few extra pennies. The question is, how critical is a top-name bar oil in chainsaw applications? Or conversely, what bar oils should be avoided due to lack of performance?

 

[Bluestream]

I use old tranmission fluid with good results...plus its free

 

[Cujet]

I honestly can't tell one bit of difference between used motor oil and bar oil. I live in Florida, and the palms I sometimes cut contain plenty of sand. The chains wear out (called stretch) well before the cutting edges wear down. This is due to grit on the pins grinding them down.

No oil is going to solve this problem.

My best saw, a Husqvarna 346XP has adjustable chain oiling. I have it on "MAX" and chains don't last any longer than my other saw, a homeowner 345 with much less oil on the chain.

 

[cat843]

I buy TSC bar oil by the gallon. Its a basic oil with a tacky component to keep it (or help at least) on the bar and chain.

Given that bar oil is pretty cheap and has the tacky component, I would use it over user oil or ATF.

 

[bchannell]

I'm like you and don't go thru a lot of bar oil now, but that's because I recently put in a gas insert, after almost 30 years of burning wood. When I did use a chainsaw a lot, I always used specific "bar oil" and not 30wt motor oil or ATF etc. My thoughts were that bar oil isn't all that expensive, and I used to buy it when it was on sale, and get several gallons. When I quit burning wood, I still had 3 or 4 gallons of Stihl bar oil left. Now that I don't use enough to make a big difference, I still use bar oil. It is supposed to have tachifiers (is that a word) in it, to keep it on the bar, and other things to break up gum and pitch. I dunno, but it just makes sense to me to use it. If for some reason I couldn't get it, I'd use the cheapest 30wt I could find. I'm not brand specific, I've used Stihl, TSC, SuperTech, and currently Echo, whatever is on sale, or convenient when I need some. For me a gallon will go a fair piece right now.

 

[Vern_in_IL]

It is even more important if you do NOT have an adjustable oiler!

It has been mentioned on another thread that the Stihl oil was thin compared to Poulan oil.

When working with a fixed oiler, you get the oiler to deliver more oil is either by playing with the viscosity of the oil or, if the saw has a 7 teeth sprocket by using a sprocket with 6 teeth.

The latter will allow the limited oil supply to enter into the chain which now moves at a slightly slower speed, this will put a bit more oil onto the chain. This should only be a problem if you are running a longer bar.

 

[Tdbo]

I am still using a gallon that I bought at K Mart 35+ years ago, so it is obvious that I don't use a lot of it.
However, the tacky component in it is why I use it. More of it stays on the chain and bar, and less on the ground.

 

[barkingspider]

I bought a gallon of supertech bar chain oil a while back, still have half of it left, use it on chain saw, bicycle chains and garage door chain. It works good and its cheap

 

[expat]

I add a little Walmart oil treatment (like cheap STP) to used motor oil.

It seems to work very well.

 

[CT8]

Peace of mind? I use what ever trans, THF any oil that is left over. Recycle. Reuse.

 

[Lubener]

Originally Posted By: Bluestream
I use old tranmission fluid with good results...plus its free


Does that fling all over the place?

 

[Bluestream]

Originally Posted By: Lubener
Originally Posted By: Bluestream
I use old tranmission fluid with good results...plus its free


Does that fling all over the place?

no its the same as bar oil..my main saw has automatic and manual oiling I pump a lot of oil so my chain stays lubed...here we can by winter or summer grade bar oil. Its noting special other than the tackifier. This is about as basic an oil application as you can get...any old lube is fine.

if you're going to buy bar oil then buy the cheapest. its all the same ...what do you think will happen if you use an off brand.. Do you think the bar will melt. There are no special additives other than the tackifier

 

[JR]

Stihl bars and chains is all I will buy and use.
For bar oil:
Summer is cheapo sae30 bar oi with bottle of stp style stuff added to each gallon
Winter is stihl or cheaper winter bar oil
This always treats me well. Will sharpen til teeth are near gone, usually with no links removed.

Harvey

 

[dirtymudder]

Originally Posted By: expat
I add a little Walmart oil treatment (like cheap STP) to used motor oil.

It seems to work very well.

I've done this for 37 years. I put in one container of STP or equivalent to one gallon of used motor oil and never had a bar problem. What I tell people is I would not have had a problem running that oil for another minute in my vehicle whats wrong with letting it sling off of the bar?

 

[Mr_Joe]

I mostly use 'bar oil', but I do like a bit thinner oil with cold temps. You can either thin the oil yourself or use a 'winter grade' or possibly 'all season'. If you use summer oil at 10 degrees you will likely have a lot of oil left in the tank when you go to refuel.

I got some winter grade oil on a trade. I have also mixed in some lower weight, clean synthetic motor oil I had around.

Just got done with two big loads of Oak the other day. My Stihl was cutting great.

 

[ironman_gq]

Brand isn't important as long as it sticks in the bar groove and lubes the rails up. Even the brand name stuff is cheap considering a gallon lasts most people a year or more. I usually just buy the cheap stuff that the tractor supply has on the shelf and adjust the oiler on my saw so there is always some visible in the bar groove near the tip (some saws have adjustable oilers, most homeowner saws don't).

As far as winter weight goes, I've never worried about it. The oil tank on my saws gets plenty warm as the engine warms up and the oil is pretty thin when it's hot regardless of air temp.

 

[HangFire]

I had one gallon of Poulan that just wouldn't lube, bar heated up and engine was laboring. I compared it carefully with some Stihl I still had in stock, the Poulan was almost jelly thick. Thinning it with Kerosene did the trick. Others had no problem with that brand, I just got a bad batch.

So, I would go along with the brand being less important, but watch the thickness and adjust as necessary.

 

[AMC]

Originally Posted By: barkingspider
I bought a gallon of supertech bar chain oil a while back, still have half of it left, use it on chain saw, bicycle chains and garage door chain. It works good and its cheap


I like the Wal-Mart brand bar oil too. It is thin and flows well yet it is just tacky and clingy enough to not sling everywhere and make a big mess. To me, it is the perfect balance between thin enough to flow yet sticky enough to cling to the bar and keep your chain clean and cool, even when you are cutting a lot of hardwoods.

 

[userfriendly]

Anything Lucas should work fine.