Stihl MS 280 Oil leaking from sprocket area during use

[nicklanigan]

Hi all, I have a Stihl MS280 that hasn't really been looked after all that much during it's life (and I'm fully to blame for that).

It has a strange problem - during use, oil drips from under the drive sprocket cover.

I seem have to have plenty of oil pumping, it's just not quite going to the right place.

I have cleaned the oil holes in the bar, and the "slot" in the guide bar.

Oil ends up all over the inside of the drive sprocket cover, and drips down.

I have removed the side plate and found no oil behind it - so the oil is making it correctly through the oil pipe and side plate.

It's a little hard to tell where the oil is going in the wrong place, however, it does appear going through the upper "guide bar tension hole", as this is not in use (the lower hole is used for tension) after having entered the bar correctly through the oil hole.

This is the first chainsaw I've owned, so I have nothing to compare against.

Both guide bar tension holes (this is the hole where the tension pin goes through the bar), are connected to the channel in the guide bar - just like the oil hole is. Ie, the bottom of the channel opens into the bar tension hole. Is this normal? Or has my guide bar worn badly and has worn right down to the tension holes?

Anything else I should be looking at?

Much appreciated,

Nick.

[Texas-Jim]

look at the chain first, the hook area on the drive link is supposed to carry the oil. If its badly worn it wone, second thing make sure the groove in the bar is clean. Third thing is the 280 has a oil hose that runs from pump to the bar, it could well be old and leaking. You  will have take clutch off to see the hose.

[DelawhereJoe]

When you put the bar on the last time how clean was the bar and the plate on the saw. Its there is crud on the surface faces the oil could be leaking out from the gap.