Thoughts on a problem with a sprocket tip on my Stihl bar

[NH_Wood]

Hi everyone. Posted a question on my 039 seeming to bog and choke with chips in the cut yesterday, and asked about if a larger felling dawg might help. Well, after cleaning the saw this morning, I took the bar, cleaning the oiling hole and bar groove, and noticed that the spocked didn't spin when I hit it with air. Figured there was a little junk in the sprocket that might need to be blown out. Tried to turn the sprocket by hand had realized there was a problem. The sprocket will turn fairly freely for about 1/2 turn, and the second half of the turn is VERY tight. Almost too tight to turn by hand and needed to push with tool to make it turn the whole way. Also notice some bluing on the nose of the bar - two small sots on the rail, above and below the nose. So..........I'm guessing now that the reason my saw was bogging might have been related to the nose failing? Would that make sense? The bar is basically brand new - bought in August and only cut about 1/2 cord (it's a rollomatic e). I can't remember ever pitching this bar hard, etc., so not sure what happened. Is the bar repairable, or am I looking at having to buy a new bar? Thanks for any help!

Cheers!

 

[BobUrban]

My little Husky has done this from time to time and I think it was just dust and wood gunk in the tip. I just work the sprocket with a squench and oil it good until I get it spinning freely. I have placed my squench it the chain slot above and below the sprocket and given a slight twist to open it a little and get it moving more freely. As the bar is hardened steel I am pretty sure I am not actually bending the opening other than giving it a little more space to clear out the obstruction and letting it spring back to its original shape when I remove the tool. I am talking slight pressure and opening the gap just a few mils while I move the sprocket with my hand or a screw driver depending on the seriousness of the bind.

I hope that makes sense. My feeling is that it really cannot hurt because the bar is boogered up anyway with the sprocket sticking.

 

[NH_Wood]

Thanks Bob - I've been attempting the same fix - no luck yet

Cheers,

Jacques

 

[bogydave]

May soak the nose in some gas over night & see.
My guess some bend or crimp on the nose,
Might be new bar time.

 

[Jags]

Install bar/chain back on saw. Take a spray can of lube and hit the roller. Buzz the saw a few times and hit the roller with lube again. If it is gunk - you will work it out. If this doesn't correct it, you probably have a kink somewhere or the bearing is going out.

 

[NH_Wood]

Thanks Dave and Jags - I'll give these a shot - hoping for the best hate to toss a nearly new bar Cheers!

 

[punchy]

my ms362 does this sometimes. not sure why, i clean it out and it works fine. couldnt hepl but wonder if it has something to do with letting off the throttle too early on some cuts that allows dust/chips to get imbedded in sprocket. that is when i notice it. hmmmm.

 

[cnice_37]

Take the bare bar and jam the sprocket into some wood, and roll her along. This should free up the debris inside. Then lube her up good and go cut. I use my work bench as the "sprocket free-er", got a nice set of sprocket marks from all the times I've had to do this. Adds character.

 

[punchy]

i have got frustrated and tried to roll the chain across what i am cutting, with no help. then it is to the house, take chain off, lube, get screwdriver and try to nudge the sprocket teeth along and back and forth. i do get some gunk out and it spins free when i am done. not sure why.

 

[bogydave]

An observation,
Maybe the nose sprockets that have a lubrication hole have a good idea (Light bulb)

 

[NH_Wood]

Problem solved - did as Jags suggested - hit some lube, ran the saw, hit some lube again and ran the saw several time in short bursts - sprocket free and working fine!! A agree with you Dave - seems a real good idea to have a lube hole in all bars. Thanks everyone! Cheers!

 

[Jags]

I love it when a plan comes together.

 

[ScotO]

that is a severly overlooked area on the bar, even by some of the pros...
Every time I dress the bar, I grease the sprocket. Which in the cutting season is sometimes once every other week. And I also put a thicker oil in the sprocket every time I cut. Never have had a problem with the sprocket by doing this....

 

[thewoodlands]

Problem solved - did as Jags suggested - hit some lube, ran the saw, hit some lube again and ran the saw several time in short bursts - sprocket free and working fine!! A agree with you Dave - seems a real good idea to have a lube hole in all bars. Thanks everyone! Cheers!

If mine won't spin when I hit it with air after I clean it then I'll spray the nose with some PB Blaster, so far I only have done that once since I've been cutting.

 

[NH_Wood]

Thanks Jags! Scotty - I try to pay attention to the sprocket each time I clean the bar (after most days cutting), but I've been mainly spraying with WD-40 - no thinker oil or grease - perhaps in the futures I'll soak the tip in bar oil for a couple hours after cleaning to let some better oil seep into the spocket. I grease hole would be better!. Zap - yes, I've also rarely had a problem with the nose on my bars - this was the first major bind - something seemed pretty wrong - glad it turned on to be a simple issue! Damn bars aren't cheap! Cheers!

 

[bogydave]

WD can varnish when it gets hot. Good for cleaning but gets sticky when cooked or gets old.
Don't think your bar has a grease hole.
Maybe some bar oil down along the sprocket when done cleaning.

 

[NH_Wood]

Dave - thanks for that info - I'll avoid the WD from now on - this site is an endless source for learning! Cheers!