Ripping Chain Won't Run Correctly, Smokes

[Backwoods]

Hi all, this is my first post here.

I think there is a lot of knowledge and wisdom here, and I plan to stick around, but right now I have a question for the chainsawing experts.

I recently got an Alaskan Saw Mill and a ripping chain for my chainsaw. I have a Poulan Pro, in case it matters. It is 42CC, so I know that is not as beefy as it should be, but I think it should be enough to at least turn the chain and do some small projects (which is all I need it for right now)

The saw works great for felling trees and I have a reasonable amount of hours into it, with no problems. However, the ripping chain simply will not run.

When I put it in and fire up the saw, it revs up fine, but the chain will only go a few times around before stalling, and it goes kind of slowly. After a few minutes of revving it, the chain will start smoking and the bar and chain get very hot. If I tighten or loosen the chain, it makes no difference. When I have it running (rough and slow as it is) it will stall out as soon as I put it against any kind of resistance, even a 1//2 inch stick, and will only slightly tear into the outer bark.

When I switch back to my regular chain, it runs smoothly.

It is not the brake, and the chain is facing the right direction.

Any ideas?

thanks

[Caloren]

Is your chain and bar the same gauge?

[Backwoods]

How do I check the gauge?

I recall having to find out gauge and other things when ordering the chain, but I threw away the packaging from the chain and have no idea how to tell from looking at it.

I know the gauge is marked on the saw itself, and I can check that easily enough, but don't know what I am looking for on the chain.

[Texas-Jim]

A lot of chains have no markings as per gauge, just get calipers and measure the drive link. It should be 50 or 63 as a rule.

[mad murdock]

It sounds like you have a mis match of chain vs your bar/drive sprocket on the saw. Some chains have a gauge number stamped on the drive links. Your saw is probably a .050" but could be the smaller .043" on a lot of smallish consumer grade saws. Save yourself a lot to headache and look for a larger saw. Even an old homelite XL  a McCulloch 10-10 would be far superior to what you are doing now. Either could be had for less that 50 bucks on CL

[Caloren]

If the chain IS the right gauge, make sure the chain pitch is what is listed on the bar, i.e.: 3/8th, 325, 3/8 low profile, etc. The pitch must match the drive sprocket AND the bar sprocket nose.

[sawguy21]

I suspect you are trying to run standard ripping chain on a saw set up for picco (lo-pro). Try ripping with the original, it should work(if you are real patient) but will leave a slightly rougher finish. You can also file the cutters to rip a bit better but that takes experience you may not have.

[cbla]

 sounds like your bar and chain don't match.

[Backwoods]

These are some good responses, thank you all for your $.02. I will be getting out my calipers and looking into gauge and pitch to make sure it matches the bar. I hope this is the issue and its not that my bar is just incompatible with a ripping chain outright.

I suppose I could get a new bar if so. I would hate to buy a whole new saw.

Actually, no, I would LOVE to buy a whole new saw, a big monster with 70CCs or something, but right now that is not in the budget.

[old2stroke]

Sounds like you have a 0.058ga chain running on a 0.050ga bar.  That's about the only way you will get the bar and chain smoking hot.  Remember if you are running the saw at full throttle and the chain is barely moving, the poor clutch is absorbing all the power of the saw and it will show up as heat and destroy the clutch.  You don't have to do any measuring to find out what is wrong with the chain.  Take the bar off the saw and make sure the bar grove is clean of all crud and the tip sprocket is free to turn, then mount the bar horizontally in a vise and place the chain on the bar, if the gauge is right the drive links should fall easily into the grove and the chain should move freely.  Next, mount the bar vertically in the vise and wrap the chain around the sprocket in the tip, the drive links should fit exactly into the sprocket if the pitch is right and should travel smoothly around the tip without bunching up.  Every time you adjust the chain tension, you should check it by doing this: with engine and chain brake off, grab the chain with a gloved hand and make sure it spools freely along the bar with not much drag.  An over tight chain is just as bad one too loose.   Cheers and good luck.

[CTYank]

PP4218 comes stock with 3/8" LP b&c. Most ripping chain I've seen is full-aize 3/8" pitch. (much taller cutters) They don't match- I've heard that the drive links from 3/8" full size chain just don't work with that saw's sprockets.

The chain is the odd-man-out. You can use a grinder or file guide to convert a normal 3/8" LP chain for ripping. Instead of grinding angles of 60 deg/ 30 deg, a good choice would be 50/10. If you don't know what I'm talking about, maybe local assistance would help best.

Or, just use the crosscutting chain geometry for ripping, in the spirit of K.I.S.S. At least that'll keep the smoke down. Good Luck.

[CR888]

Are the cutters much bigger on this ripping chain compared to your old chain? If they are and the drive tangs are too, you running full size 3/8 in a lo pro / picco bar. The nose sprocket won't match and cause heat. I say this as another member says this saw is factory fitted with lo pro baby 3/8 chain. If not your gauge like others have said is not correct. A pic of the 2 chain and bar lying down would get you a quick accurate diagnosis.

[Backwoods]

Thank you all very much for your feedback. The issue was that my saw is meant for a low profile chain, and I was using a standard. A few of you pointed to this specifically, and helped me figure it out, so thanks mucho! I gained a lot of knowledge and also understanding of how the saws run from the responses here. I ordered a new chain from Granberg and have fitted and tested it. Works exactly as it should.

I do have a beef with Poulan, because I could not find anywhere in their manual that it needs a lowpro chain, except for one mention of using "safety profile chains," or something to that effect. I would never have figured out what that meant without you all.

Now I just need a bigger and better saw, but this one is working for small stuff.

[CR888]

Cool bananas! You can just use regular chain to rip if you have too and each sharpening adjust the top  plate angle toward 10°. Or just use it the way it is. No rules as such, just different methods to get different results.