Bar, heat effected zone.

[Sawset]

Bar oil in the past has been husqvarna or some others like Echo. Never paid much attention to it. Price, by the gallon, real sticky stuff that lubes. Good to go. No issues. As long as the tank is empty at the same rate I know I'm getting oil to the chain.

I see some Johnsred oil lately on the shelves. I know Johnsred has been around, forever. Good products, have a following, will give it a try. But wait, - it seems thin, - not tacky - uhmm, I'll give it a try- - brand name, following - -

Heat effected zone on the bar. Why? I do know why, in that off colors mean heat, in this case too much heat. But why now. Is this stuff crap. It fried my bar (the entire length of the bar). White oak, dead, dry, large rounds. Been doing it, there are lots of oaks dead and down. First time I've seen this to this extent. What's up. I know it got oil, and plenty of it.
Another thing I would ask:
Is there a difference between summer blends and winter? New bar and oil was purchased in March, and used then, and in Sept. September temps here have been a little warmer than March, 70s vs 40s. If this were true, and store shelves are stocked accordingly, then I'll be buying in August, and thinning as needed.

 

[JimBear]

In my experience most places around here except the Stihl dealers don’t know there is a Winter blend. Stihl winter blend is blue jugs. I had to specifically ask @ NAPA about a winter blend & after some research they found it, it’s in the same jug just a different number, Itasca has a winter blend.. I am sure that other brands have both blends but I don’t have any experience with them. I would doubt that the place you bought it changed oil types seasonally but I have been wrong before.
I ran some diesel/ATF thru my 260 & 261 oilers just to clean them out, the 260 seemed a bit lax, the diesel blend seemed to help it out. Also mixing different brands of oil may not get a true mix/blend of oils. I inquired about it on a different site & my suspicions were confirmed about the mix/blend, some additives don’t blend & become sludgy. It could of also been a dull chain. There are others that are more knowledgeable than me. These were just my experiences. Also Menards has bar oil for $4.99 gallon, several people have said they get along good with it. I prefer Itasca & NAPA but @ $4.99gal. I will give the Menards oil a try. I have an email into them about summer/winter blends

 

[TreePointer]

Bar length?
Ensure bar tip spraying oil before cutting?
Cleaning your bar groove and oil holes regularly?
Cutting with a dull chain often?
Leaning on saw (pressing down into the cut) much?

With the bar and clutch cover off, can you see oil coming out when revving the engine?

 

[Sawset]

Bar length?
18"
Ensure bar tip spraying oil before cutting?
Every so often. That and monitoring how much oil is used relative to gas. That hasn't seemed to change. The bar seems to be getting oil.
Cleaning your bar groove and oil holes regularly?
That I could check more often. I've been sharpening without removing, so something to look at. One thing is, stuff doesn't seem to accumulate nearly as much with thinner less tacky oil. When I do check, the ports and grooves are clean.
Cutting with a dull chain often?
Sharpen every tank on harder stuff like this was going through.
Leaning on saw (pressing down into the cut) much?
Not at all. It draws chips with little effort. It wants to cut.

With the bar and clutch cover off, can you see oil coming out when revving the engine? Never looked. I'll try that. Meanwhile though, the oil reservoir does empty, so it's going somewhere.

Another question -
I thought I saw somewhere about doing some kind of viscosity test, something about dipping and drawing up a string of oil, and the length of string is an indicator of how tacky it is. The previous oils I've had would leave a web of stringyness when I pull the bottle away when filling. This stuff there is none. The bottles of oil are not labelled summer/winter, this stuff is super thin, others not, needs to be a benchmark to determine whats right.

 

[peakbagger]

Is there a difference between summer blends and winter? New bar and oil was purchased in March, and used then, and in Sept. September temps here have been a little warmer than March, 70s vs 40s. If this were true, and store shelves are stocked accordingly, then I'll be buying in August, and thinning as needed.

Yes on the difference between summer and winter grade bar oil at least up North. Running winter viscosity in warm conditions will "cook" a bar if its being worked hard and your sharpening technique is poor or you are nto sharpening enough to match the condition of the wood. I tend to run summer grade until its fairly cold out (snow on the ground) as a saw is going to heat up the bar oil pretty quickly and once its heated up its going to have lower effective viscosity.

A minor detail is if you have a air flap inside the air cleaner box, make sure its closed during warm conditions as it can heat up a saw with it open. Yes its a plus in winter to pull warm air around the cylinder jug but the saw will still run okay but pulling air around the jug in hot weather can make the saw run poorly as the mixture gets lean.

 

[Sawset]

I've been searching around for more information, and coming up with less than what I had hoped.
One quote from a site comparing brands:
" So observe the oils you use. The one that keeps sticky even in the hot weather should henceforth become your go-to chainsaw bar and chain lubricant. "
Hmm. I can do that. But no SAE requirements etc for bar oil it seems. And I've got this 1/2 bottle of thin oil now, one that isn't labeled winter or summer etc. One solution is to just stick with what has worked. Husqvarna oil has worked here, is very tacky, thick and seems to lube very well, flows through the saw ok, overall hasn't caused issues. I see comments about TSC oil being very tacky also.
Makes sense that oils are a blend and can be made to different properties. Seems odd that they aren't labeled to indicate what those are.

 

[salecker]

The "heat marks" were there when you bought the bar new,Stihl bars they all have them.Yours is still good so long as you maintain it.
Winter bar oil is thinner !

 

[tadmaz]

Ignorance is bliss. I just buy the cheap menards bar oil, and I rarely clear out my bar or oil holes even when I am changing a chain.

 

[Zack R]

Can't go wrong with this stuff, plus the price is good at Lowes.

 

[Sawset]

The "heat marks" were there when you bought the bar new,Stihl bars they all have them.

Are you ****ting me. I'm getting all worked up for nothing? Anyone else able to confirm this? The bar was just recently new, but not now, so have nothing to compare too.

Ignorance is bliss. I just buy the cheap menards bar oil,

That's where I got the Johnsred oil. I'm thinking I'm done nickle and diming some of this stuff. Amortize a jug of oil over how much wood it gets used on and the cost goes close to zero for most of what's available out there. This last jug was kind of a stinger for what I'm using if for.

Can't go wrong with this stuff,

I thought the Husqvarna oil was tacky like it should be. Very satisfied with it.

 

[Sawset]

The "heat marks" were there when you bought the bar new,Stihl bars they all have them.

Stihl bars all have them. Hmmm.

 

[jaoneill]

FWIW, winter oil is substantially thinner. I keep a jug around to use when temps get down below ten degrees or so (fahrenheit) but even then one has to adjust the flow somewhat.

 

[JimBear]

I got a reply from Menards that their FVP bar oil is all-season.

 

[Sawset]

I got a reply from Menards that their FVP bar oil is all-season.

The more I look around, the more bar oil is for sure a moving target, and opinions are everywhere. And it seems, from what I can tell by most opinions, is that it's tough to ruin a bar from lack of lube, as long as it's getting oil, whatever oil. It's the getting oil part that seems to be a limit, cold thick, warm thin, oilers and pumps, need to get it to flow (and stick for the spit second it's on the bar). As far as the heat effected zone - I've kept an eye out over the years for mention of that too, and haven't seen reference to it yet. Either it's common knowledge, or not a concern, or what. I've seen the marks over the years and assumed the bar had gotten hot in that spot or two, and if the paint chips along the entire bar, it's easy to assume the entire bar got it. Nope, apparently not, it was there all along. So how to tell if a bar has gotten too hot? Don't know now. Maybe you can't.

 

[Highbeam]

So how to tell if a bar has gotten too hot? Don't know now. Maybe you can't.

I'm obviously not a pro but even if you could tell if a bar had gotten hot, who cares? Fix the oiling problem so that your chain moves freely and the links don't stretch. I buy the cheap supertech walmart bar oil and adjust the oiler to nearly the max.

 

[Sawset]

I'm obviously not a pro but even if you could tell if a bar had gotten hot, who cares?

Because usually on cutting tools blue means the temper is shot, and the tool itself is not far behind. That's all. If it were on the cutting teeth or cylinder walls, rings or anything else rubbing and turning blue it would mean it's soon junk. It looks like these bars are induction hardened, which is good, but catches a guy off guard if not accustomed to seeing it for what it is.

 

[Highbeam]

Because usually on cutting tools blue means the temper is shot, and the tool itself is not far behind. That's all. If it were on the cutting teeth or cylinder walls, rings or anything else rubbing and turning blue it would mean it's soon junk. It looks like these bars are induction hardened, which is good, but catches a guy off guard if not accustomed to seeing it for what it is.

The bar isn't a cutting tool, the bar just guides the teeth. You definitely don't want to blue the cutting teeth which would ruin their temper and the chain would quickly dull and soon be junk.

I suppose, the the overheated bar has lost its temper will wear quicker and you will notice this when the chain starts falling out of the groove.