Chainsaw oil

[Lnewman]

I use my chainsaws only weekends to do minor cutting and for use with the Alaskan mini mill.   I have tried both regular and synthetic oil and also used the blend but haven't experienced much, f any ,difference in performance.   Would like to hear some comments from guys who have had more experience.

[bandmiller2]

I doubt you can tell which oil your using just running the saw unless it smells different.Really the only way is the longevity of the saw and that's debatable.For your useage it would make no difference whats more important is running dry when your done and adding something like marine stabil to your hopefull freash fuel.If you can find some of the premix without alcohol and can stand the price it would be ideal for your useage. Frank C.

[AdkStihl]

I just love me an oil thread. 

My $0.02.....
Milling and stumping are 2 of the hardest things on a saw. That being said, why not spend the extra few bucks on a quality fully synthetic mix. For the amount of time youre running your saw, why not give it the best?

Amsoil Saber (50:1)
STIHL HP Ultra
Motul 800 2T

[sawguy21]

I just love me an oil thread. 

Al should be along shortly. ;D

[AdkStihl]

Al should be along shortly. ;D

Yes, Al enjoys them too  ;)

[thecfarm]

The Oil War.  ;D

[Al_Smith]

Ladies and gentlemen .boys and girls .Now for your reading pleasure once again direct from the lower portion of Michigan Forestry Forum now presents the continuing saga of the great  oil debate .

We have the Stihl ultra crowd ,the Amsoil crowd and the old stubborn 32 to 1 petrolium  oil based crowd .I'm part of the later being a stubborn old coot myself .

Let the festivities begin and don't put a space before your periods ---put two   .  :D

[thecfarm]

Guess I'm not a stubborn old coot. I'm 40 to 1  .  :D    2 spaces for ya.

[ancjr]

Woodland Pro Full Synthetic 50:1 in everything!

[Al_Smith]

Well actually I reformed just a teeny weeny bit .I had some Stihl ultra recommended at 50 to 1 ratio .I just couldn't bring myself around to do it so I mixed it at 40 to 1 .

Fact I've got about 3 gallons mixed up and haven't blown anything up yet so maybe it's not so bad after all .

The Ultra came about because those rascals at TSC were trying to push that high priced Husqvarna stuff .They hid the house brand .Heck with them I drove a mile down the road to the Stihl dealer .I figured if I'm going to pay high dollar I'd go that route .

[HolmenTree]

Yeah and that Husky stuff is not even full synthetic.......not here in Canada anyways.

[barbender]

I just got some of the Bailey's synthetic Woodland Pro, I haven't tried it yet. When I do I will mix it 40:1. Otherwise I just run the Jonsered dino oil at 40:1, that works fine for me. I've never fouled a plug with it, but I have had bearings go when running 50:1. Maybe the ratio maybe not, I just remember the motocross bikes running 24:1,50:1 is too lean in my book. I tried the amsoil 100:1 stuff once, no way I would run that ratio, tried 50:1 which was fine but you'd go broke running that stuff, even at 100:1. It did smell nice though :

[1270d]

We always run husky oil. The stuff in the grey bottle.  50 to 1.  I run it in my 250sx MX bike also, much to the chagrin of fellow bike riders    have been doing so for 15 years with no issues.  Sorry can't seem to get two spaces before period.   Thanks android.  ;)

[bandmiller2]

I've used the Amsoil 100/1 but don't have the hangers to run it at 100/1 ran at 50/1.Theirs no real correct answer here everyone has there own ideas.Certinly with warranty considerations saw manufacturers are not going to recommend 50/1 if theirs a chance of failure due to oil. Frank C.

[sawguy21]

I have run my old Homeys, Husky 35, and Echo trimmer on 50:1 with no issues. Got less than a hunnert bucks in the lot so if I fry them no big deal. Actually I would get upset if I lost the Husky, it is a great little saw for pruning and camp work.

[Lnewman]

This may be a greenhorn question  but what is the difference between synthetic & regular oil and why is synthetic better?

Also someone once suggested to me that once you put synthetic in case so it wasn't good to go back to regular.   Is there any truth in that?

[bandmiller2]

Mr. Newman,good question,I'am no petro engineer but synthetic is modified oil, the structure of the lube molicules has been altered to make them all the same size.Its lubricity lasts longer than dino oil but it really shines by not thickening as much when cold,in a crankcase.Most of the time its propertys are not really needed.Its best in a situation where an engine is stressed,run hot or is started real cold.I like to use it in smaller air cooled engines that run hot and in my log splitter engine that's cranked when its cold,they use little oil so the expence is reasonable.I use synthetic in my 2 cyc.mix believing it reduces wear but I can't prove it. Frank C.

[CTYank]

No idea whether or not synth reduces wear. Never saw much engine wear anyhow, even after 1000s of hours on some saws. (Been using it in all my 2-strokes, 50:1, since ~1980. No internal engine probs, even in Poulan 3400 with unplated aluminum bore.)

My understanding is that the BIG advantage of synth is in lubing the rings, both in the piston grooves, and in the bore. Keeping the rings free in the grooves is their key to survival.

Engines are happy with it @ 50:1, I'm delighted with that.

[Al_Smith]

No internal engine probs, even in Poulan 3400 with unplated aluminum bore.)

I think if you research it it does have a chrome plated bore. I think Mike Acres has a typo concerning that saw on his site.
Now I might be wrong which does happen on rare occasions but I'm certain if those Poulan gurus come alone the answer will be forth coming.

I would think logically that running the rings of a piston over an aluminum cylinder would broach right through it in short order.

[Fifelaker]

Mike acres has it correct as I have seen them. Kind of strange but they work and quite well I might add.

[Al_Smith]

Well in that case I stand corrected with my misassumption .

Now why in the name of good sense would they do something like that?

[martyinmi]

Now why in the name of good sense would they do something like that?

I saved up all my chore money for 2 years and bought a brand new Rupp Roadster2 with a 4hp Tecumseh in 1972.
It had an aluminum bore, and in less than 2 years it would barely start, and when it did, it worked very well as a mosquito fogger.
Dad and I put a new set of rings in it, but the bore was so badly worn it didn't do much good.
Paid $272 for that thing back then. Today, they can sell for over 2k in good shape!

[Fifelaker]

 I have a poulan 2000 that has quite a few hours on it. I got it free not running a carb kit, new fuel lines now it is my little saw that sees a lot of work. In fact I pulled the muffler on it the other night just to look and every thing looks the same as I got it. Compression is still at 145 psi. has not changed at all. I have seen a few of these saws go a long time with proper care. In fact I am looking for a 3000 or 3400 for my main firewood saw as my MS 440 is getting too heavy for that job. I will still keep it but I want something a little lighter for a main saw.

[Al_Smith]

I did a little research on this aluminum cylinder stuff and much my amazement I found it's been used for some time .--copy/paste --Background

Alusil®, Lokasil®, Silitec®, DiASil, Mercosil, ALBOND® — it sounds like a foreign language, but these are all trade names or trademarks for what is generically known as hypereutectic aluminum, a new/old material for cylinder bore wear surfaces. Hypereutectic aluminum is both new and old. Its cousins, hypoeutectic and eutectic aluminum, have been used for pistons and connecting rods for a number of years. Hypereutectic aluminum saw one of its earliest applications as the wear surface in an unlined cylinder in some Porsche engines in the 1960's. The 1971 Chevrolet Vega was the first true production automotive engine with a liner-less hypereutectic aluminum cylinder bore as the wear surface. Despite the car's reputation, the cylinder concept was ahead of its time.

[CTYank]

No internal engine probs, even in Poulan 3400 with unplated aluminum bore.)

I think if you research it it does have a chrome plated bore. I think Mike Acres has a typo concerning that saw on his site.
Now I might be wrong which does happen on rare occasions but I'm certain if those Poulan gurus come alone the answer will be forth coming.

I would think logically that running the rings of a piston over an aluminum cylinder would broach right through it in short order.

All "logic" aside, it definitely has a (relatively) soft unplated aluminum bore. Didn't say I was thrilled when I found that out, and verified it. But it ran very well, for many hours, until the cheap fuel lines cracked, and a dealer rebuilt the carb. Big mistake.

Never ran right after that. Then I learned to overhaul carbs.

Our "projections" of fact sometimes need rework. "Sorry" for the lack of spaces before periods- just following rules.