Chainsaw Bar & Chain Oil - Antiwear Additive?

martinq

martinq

Joined
Jul 22, 2005
Messages
1,092
Location
ON, Canada
After the latest YT bar oil test / comparison I'm surprised to find that many bar oils don't seem to have any AW additives.

Is there something easily available that can be added to a typical chain oil that would provide sufficient AW?

Some thoughts of what I have at hand.
- 2-Stroke oil
- API CK diesel engine oil
- API SN/SP engine oil
- ATF
- 75w90 GL-5
- THF GL-4
 
martinq said:
After the latest YT bar oil test / comparison I'm surprised to find that many bar oils don't seem to have any AW additives.

Is there something easily available that can be added to a typical chain oil that would provide sufficient AW?
Click to expand...
That would probably be a waste of money.
 
As always, I question the Project Farm testing methodology. While it looks good, there are always variables. When the video showed "no appreciable chain stretch" on the Oregon lube segment, the chain was obviously very loose. This makes one wonder if he maintained equal chain tension (on new, stretchy chains no less) throughout the test. Unequal chain tension is probably the biggest variable that would affect much of the meaningful data.

Other questions: does anti wear additives designed for internal engine points of wear correlate with chainsaw bar/chain points of wear? Does the extreme pressure test rig correlate with chainsaw bar/chain wear? Stihl has a thinner winter grade bar oil that was not tested.

The smoke? I don't recall my bars and chains ever smoking like in the videos. Was his test not in line with real world use? Were the chains tensioned too tight?

Then, one has to ask if the Tractor Supply Harvest King oil is consistent from year to year or do they use the cheapest bid every time? I'm just not convinced. With over 4 decades of semi-professional chainsaw use and various dedicated bar oils, I don't recollect the bars or chains wearing out excessively before the teeth were filed down to point of no use. In the end, use what makes you happy and don't over think it.
 
Last edited:
I think most bar chain oils are too thick, and there is no real need for the tacky factor. You need the oil fluid enough to actually lube the chain pivot points and actually get to the bar rails and not be flung off due to chain speed. In the old days some manufactures recommended 30 motor oil, and less viscosity in winter time.
Also I think the thick stuff is just too much for the oil pumps on the saws, as seems to degrade them.
 
doitmyself said:
As always, I question the Project Farm testing methodology. ...

Then, one has to ask if the Tractor Supply Harvest King oil is consistent from year to year or do they use the cheapest bid every time? ...
Click to expand...
Yes I thought much the same but putting his tests aside and looking at the lab results I was surprised and concerned. Since most of these "bar and chain" oils don't list any approvals or certs it could be just about anything.

One thing that came to mind after watching was an SDS sheet I found on some Stihl BioPlus that listed ingredients as vegetable oil and 2-stroke oil. I figured they were using their 2-stroke oil as an anti-wear additive but couldn't find similar about their regular chain oil. It would be easy enough to add 2-stroke to a gallon. 50:1, 25:1?
 
Exhaustgases said:
I think most bar chain oils are too thick, and there is no real need for the tacky factor. You need the oil fluid enough to actually lube the chain pivot points and actually get to the bar rails and not be flung off due to chain speed. In the old days some manufactures recommended 30 motor oil, and less viscosity in winter time.
Also I think the thick stuff is just too much for the oil pumps on the saws, as seems to degrade them.
Click to expand...
I used to think this too but most traditional 2-stroke saws have the oil tank in the same casting, or bolted to, the engine crankcase. It doesn't take long for the oil to get hot but this is not the case in some modern designs or battery saws. Stihl and others offer different viscosites so it's easy to adjust your flow to your application. Light/Medium/Heavy (20/30/40?)
 
JohnnyJohnson said:
Bar oil is pretty cheap and the same can be said for a new bar!
Click to expand...
We had a price shock in the last years and it certainly hasn't returned to "normal". It's not uncommon to see bar/chain combos well over $100 CDN. You can easily spend as much on bar & chain as you do for a $1000 saw in it's lifetime.
 
Exhaustgases said:
I think most bar chain oils are too thick, and there is no real need for the tacky factor. You need the oil fluid enough to actually lube the chain pivot points and actually get to the bar rails and not be flung off due to chain speed. In the old days some manufactures recommended 30 motor oil, and less viscosity in winter time.
Also I think the thick stuff is just too much for the oil pumps on the saws, as seems to degrade them.
Click to expand...
The tacky factor isn't just to assist with lubing the chain, although it might help slightly. You don't want it slinging everywhere and making a huge mess. I will actually refuse to work on saws where the owner runs used motor oil or gear oil through their saw. The entire saw is usually caked in oily mess, and I'd have to spend hours cleaning it before I could even get to repairing it. Not to mention the oil slings off onto the ground, onto your clothes, into wetlands, etc.
 
The chain for the lesser saws go in the steel bin long before the rollers and such wear out. Larger better chains, after how many sharpening cycles, rollers and such still will be OK.

Plus it seems like so many saws leak.

I usually have a can of whatever spray nearby as well, give the chain some little extra squirts because it deserves some love. But not too much love.
 
PontiacHO said:
I’ve used 30HD and this from Lowe’s.
The 30HD gummed up and collected so much debris that it would cause the saw to bog.
Click to expand...
30HD?


The SDS for the Pro-Select oil states:

PRO SELECT PREMIUM BAR & CHAIN OIL
F-7410, Bar & Chain Oil

Omni Specialty Packaging, LLC
10399 Hwy 1 South
Shreveport, LA 71115

Lubricant Base Oil (Petroleum) Highly refined, mineral oils (C15-C50), Various, 95-99%

Bar & Chain Oil Additive Mixture, Proprietary, 1-5%
 
Last edited:
I simply want a bar oil that flows at -25f when I go out to work 🤷‍♂️


By the way, super tech seemed to have changed. Prior winter, it flowed well but not this good…and it was still normal tan color. Past fall it didn’t flow that good so something changed. Bought one more jug to try and the color changed to red and the flow was fantastic.

The PDS for Mag1 (same bottle) has pour pount of -49f

MAG 1® Premium Bar & Chain Oil - Mag 1

mag1.com mag1.com
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

hank2
Gear oil as chainsaw bar lube?
2
Replies
29
Views
20K
borgward
N
Conclusions on Ecoboost Engine Oil - Gas Turbo Direct Injection
5 6 7
Replies
128
Views
12K
odie
Y
ACEA A3/B4 oils still relevant in 2024 for Turbo GDI 'High performance' Engines? - Hyundai ElantraN
2
Replies
32
Views
4K
edyvw
Gokhan
Convergence of the API SP/RC (ILSAC GF-6) and ACEA-2021 specs
2
Replies
35
Views
11K
CarfriendXX
cptbarkey
Russian Oil Club VOA General question: Total 5w30 Ineo MC3
Replies
7
Views
2K
cptbarkey
Back
Top