Chainsaw Problems

[illini81]

I have a year old 42cc Craftsman. I bought it secondhand, but unused, and have used it for the past year, about twice a month. I don’t ask it to do too much – I scrounge for stuff that is mostly cut to the right length, and so I use the saw to make grooves in large rounds to help me split them with wedges, and also to cut small stuff down to size. After I had the saw for a few months, it stopped running well. It became very hard to start, and also would die pretty quickly. I bought a tool to adjust the carburetor, but after messing with it for a while, I decided to just take it into a shop. I’m still working on “getting ahead” with my wood supply, and so I didn’t want to spend too much time messing with the saw.

The shop adjusted the carb for me (that was about 3 months ago), and it ran really well after that, until now. I had it running and cutting pretty well both yesterday and on Thursday. However, I noticed that the oil wasn’t shooting off the top of the bar when I revved the saw. It used to do that, and I’ve read that it’s supposed to. I did some reading about it, and realized that I’ve never cleaned the bar grooves (I know, that’s terrible… - it’s one of the reasons I bought a cheap saw… so I could abuse it and not feel bad). I took off the bar, cleaned out the gunk, made sure the oil hole wasn’t plugged, and put the bar back on.

The oil still doesn’t shoot off the top of the bar. There is oil coming out though, because I can see some of it coming off of the chain and onto the bar. Also, when I have tried to cut wood after cleaning the bar, the chainsaw smokes, and the chain stops moving once it’s about an inch into the wood.

The chain is sharp! That much I know. Any thoughts on what is going on?

Thanks for the help.

Andrew

 

[Sodbuster]

I have a year old 42cc Craftsman. I bought it secondhand, but unused, and have used it for the past year, about twice a month. I don’t ask it to do too much – I scrounge for stuff that is mostly cut to the right length, and so I use the saw to make grooves in large rounds to help me split them with wedges, and also to cut small stuff down to size. After I had the saw for a few months, it stopped running well. It became very hard to start, and also would die pretty quickly. I bought a tool to adjust the carburetor, but after messing with it for a while, I decided to just take it into a shop. I’m still working on “getting ahead” with my wood supply, and so I didn’t want to spend too much time messing with the saw.

The shop adjusted the carb for me (that was about 3 months ago), and it ran really well after that, until now. I had it running and cutting pretty well both yesterday and on Thursday. However, I noticed that the oil wasn’t shooting off the top of the bar when I revved the saw. It used to do that, and I’ve read that it’s supposed to. I did some reading about it, and realized that I’ve never cleaned the bar grooves (I know, that’s terrible… - it’s one of the reasons I bought a cheap saw… so I could abuse it and not feel bad). I took off the bar, cleaned out the gunk, made sure the oil hole wasn’t plugged, and put the bar back on.

The oil still doesn’t shoot off the top of the bar. There is oil coming out though, because I can see some of it coming off of the chain and onto the bar. Also, when I have tried to cut wood after cleaning the bar, the chainsaw smokes, and the chain stops moving once it’s about an inch into the wood.

The chain is sharp! That much I know. Any thoughts on what is going on?

Thanks for the help.

Andrew

By not maintaining your saw, your bar is probably worn to the point it won't carry oil anymore. Wiggle the chain back an forth on the bar and see how much free play there is. You probably also have an extremely worn chain and sprocket, check them.

 

[greg13]

Pop the bar & chain off and make sure it is pumping oil. Check to see it there is any adjustment for the oilier, if there is it may have gotten turned down and make sure the hole in the side of the bar is open. As for the running, some saws are very sensitive to the fuel mix, this could be one.

 

[maple1]

Also, when I have tried to cut wood after cleaning the bar, the chainsaw smokes, and the chain stops moving once it’s about an inch into the wood.

Can you elaborate? Exactly what part of the saw smokes?

 

[VirginiaIron]

... Can you elaborate? Exactly what part of the saw smokes?

I think your saw is way to young to start smoking.

 

[BenTN]

Also, when I have tried to cut wood after cleaning the bar, the chainsaw smokes, and the chain stops moving once it’s about an inch into the wood.

Can you elaborate? Exactly what part of the saw smokes?

this^^^. We need more details to start guessing the issue here. A smoking saw when the chain stops moving? Does the saw still rev when this happens? Locked brake? Burnt clutch? Correct chain for the bar (guage)? Lots of things could be at play here so details help

I cant say that i have ever seen oil shoot off the top of the chain of any of my saws. Even with the oiler adjusted wide open on my 2172 with the 20" bar. I only see oil if i rev the saw with the tip near a log.

 

[firefighterjake]

Never have seen oil come off the bar of any of the saws I have owned or operated.

Stupid question: How tight do you have the chain? One possibility is that the chain is on too tight . . . any load (i.e. going into the wood) and it could cause it to bind up.

 

[VirginiaIron]

My Chraftsman 46/18 slung oil off the tip of the chain.

 

[Tar12]

My Chraftsman 46/18 slung oil off the tip of the chain.

All of my saws do...

 

[Sodbuster]

Never have seen oil come off the bar of any of the saws I have owned or operated.

Stupid question: How tight do you have the chain? One possibility is that the chain is on too tight . . . any load (i.e. going into the wood) and it could cause it to bind up.

I believe they are actually supposed to a little bit to ensure proper oiling. or at least make sure your chain is wet with oil.

 

[illini81]

You guys are awesome. I’ve been busy and haven’t been able to check back in. I get on here just now and see nine replies. That is the awesomeness of the hearth.com community.

I probably won’t have the time to diagnose this until this weekend (prob Sat). It gets dark so darn early now. When I get the chance, I will get a video of me trying to cut wood with the saw. That will probably be the easiest way to communicate what is going on.

 

[illini81]

Also, when I have tried to cut wood after cleaning the bar, the chainsaw smokes, and the chain stops moving once it’s about an inch into the wood.

Can you elaborate? Exactly what part of the saw smokes?

The smoke seemed to be coming from the motor... I'm not positive though. It should be clear with a video.

 

[illini81]

By not maintaining your saw, your bar is probably worn to the point it won't carry oil anymore. Wiggle the chain back an forth on the bar and see how much free play there is. You probably also have an extremely worn chain and sprocket, check them.

I will check this. Hopefully the bar is not so worn that it needs replacing. It certainly doesn't look that worn, to my untrained eye.

 

[illini81]

Never have seen oil come off the bar of any of the saws I have owned or operated.

Stupid question: How tight do you have the chain? One possibility is that the chain is on too tight . . . any load (i.e. going into the wood) and it could cause it to bind up.

Not a stupid question at all. I am completely new to this, and very susceptible to an ID10T error... I try to maintain the tightness of the chain according to some pictures in my manual. I will double-check it though.

Also, it's nice to know that it's not necessarily a requirement for oil to come off the tip of the chain.

 

[VirginiaIron]

One thing I have noticed with theses saws is the accumulation of oily contaminants around the clutch sprocket and the brake area.

 

[maple1]

The smoke seemed to be coming from the motor... I'm not positive though. It should be clear with a video.

Nothing about that sounds very good. Chain should go much further than 1" without problems, it shouldn't stop, and it shouldn't smoke. From anywhere - especially the engine. Sometimes it's hard to tell unless you're right there though - which we aren't.

 

[illini81]

Just took a video:

To view this content we will need your consent to set third party cookies.
For more detailed information, see our cookies page.

Accept third party cookies

 

[illini81]

Just figured it out. Turns out it was stupidity on my part... I just took off the clutch cover again, and realized the chain wasn't on the sprocket.

 

[illini81]

Still not sure why it was smoking. But it's cutting fine now...

 

[saewoody]

Glad you figured it out. When I read your initial post I considered that a possibility, but figured I would wait to see the video you said you might post. Sometimes we make stupid mistakes in it. It’s the fact that you went back and double checked your work that makes all the difference


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Jags]

If the chain was not on the sprocket properly it could have caused the clutch to bind causing it to smoke. Hopefully all is back to normal and the clutch wasn’t hurt too badly.

 

[VirginiaIron]

Is there a washer

If the chain was not on the sprocket properly it could have caused the clutch to bind causing it to smoke. Hopefully all is back to normal and the clutch wasn’t hurt too badly.

Maybe it was the plastic framing that was smoking. Either way, I am glad you got that figured out. Don't feel too dumb, at least you had your chain on correctly.

 

[Sodbuster]

Just took a video:

To view this content we will need your consent to set third party cookies.
For more detailed information, see our cookies page.

Accept third party cookies

Looks like you have it figured out Illini, just one minor point, I know you were just making a video to show what was going on with your saw, but if that's your normal cutting setup, I would strongly encourage ear protection.

 

[maple1]

And feet. And legs. And eyes.

 

[D8Chumley]

And feet. And legs. And eyes.

I was going to say the same thing. Good start with eye protection but chaps, steel toe boots, and a good set of gloves would be my suggestion. Chainsaws have 0.0 feelings and won’t give a crap if it tears through your leg