Gear oil as chainsaw bar lube?

hank2

hank2

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Mar 18, 2014
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Location
PA.
I need to get to some long-postponed chainsaw work. It seems that I'm nearly out of bar lube oil. While I was in a hardware store today, I passed on some store brand bar oil at $10 a qt. The brand name lubes were far more money. Although I have a couple of vehicles that use it, I somehow have far more auto gear oil than I will ever use. Everything from 75w90, 80w90 to 75w140.

Would auto gear oil be a passable substitute for chainsaw bar lube? I believe most bar oils are rated 30 weight but I've heard that the engine and gear oil weight ratings are not directly comparable. Perhaps cut it a bit with some ATF that I have no use for? I'm guessing that it will fling off more than the correct lube. Or should I just break out of my cheapskate suit and buy Supertech for $7 a qt.?
 
You can buy chainsaw bar & chain oil for what like $15 / gallon at most hardware stores. Why not use the real thing? Pretty much any oil will do the job but is likely to make a bigger mess flinging all over the place.

The stuff I use is pretty heavy, seems to be somewhere between a 40 weight motor oil a 90 weight gear oil.
 
Good points and thanks! I need to put in an online Walmart order for other things and I'll just order some ST bar oil. In a real pinch, I think I'd just use some 10w40. I may have some straight 30.
 
yep, I've used motor oil in all weights over the years heck a friend uses used motor oil, not sure I would use used oil but it doesn't seem to affect anything, he runs some high-end Stihls and echo saws
 
Yeah I used gear oil..... worked well but you get the smell on the wood and you bring it inside and then the house stinks, or you get a bit of oil soaked chip on your fingers stoking the fire after wash up, so not good. As mentioned above clothes and shoes etc. as well.
I went to motor oil, whatever I had around and added an off the shelf Diesel oil PPE additive to a gallon and the PPE really helped bar and chain wear over the Sthil Bar oil I was using. It was very noticeable (and no stink). It is now my default home wood blend.
 
It will be fine but messy as the oil has no tackiness and will fling off. I won't do it because I don't want oil all over myself.
 
While people will dispute what I've experienced, I've never found an oil that extends chain life. Possibly because I'm here in South Florida where some trees (like palms) are full of sand, but anything from conventional motor oil, to gear oil, to motor oil with or without STP and Husqvarna bar-n-chain oil seem to work just fine and equally well.
 
FWIW I use bar oil only. If you have ever talk to someone who had a chain break or come off I would only recommend bar oil. IMO, it's not worth the risk.

just my $0.02
 
Other than smell, I don't see why it wouldn't work. An old buddy of mine used to log a bit back in his younger days. He used just about everything one could put in the oil tank. It all worked. When a guy is in the middle of nowhere, you can't just pack up and leave for minor things, you adapt and overcome.
 
I like mixing bar lube with cheap new motor oil, or tractor hydraulic fluid, whatever is handy and oily. Thinner gear lube would be fine too I guess. Don't use used motor oil... smelly and bad for you.
 
hank2 said:
I need to get to some long-postponed chainsaw work. It seems that I'm nearly out of bar lube oil. While I was in a hardware store today, I passed on some store brand bar oil at $10 a qt. The brand name lubes were far more money. Although I have a couple of vehicles that use it, I somehow have far more auto gear oil than I will ever use. Everything from 75w90, 80w90 to 75w140.

Would auto gear oil be a passable substitute for chainsaw bar lube? I believe most bar oils are rated 30 weight but I've heard that the engine and gear oil weight ratings are not directly comparable. Perhaps cut it a bit with some ATF that I have no use for? I'm guessing that it will fling off more than the correct lube. Or should I just break out of my cheapskate suit and buy Supertech for $7 a qt.?
Click to expand...
I have used 15W40 Delvac many times …
 
Cujet said:
While people will dispute what I've experienced, I've never found an oil that extends chain life. Possibly because I'm here in South Florida where some trees (like palms) are full of sand, but anything from conventional motor oil, to gear oil, to motor oil with or without STP and Husqvarna bar-n-chain oil seem to work just fine and equally well.
Click to expand...
Yup - $15 and cutting like new again !
 
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