Stihl MS280 --WHAT DOES THE DEALER KNOW ANYHOW?

walexander · February 17, 2007, 05:30:23 PM

I just got my 280 from a full blown dealer here in town. I started to use it and felt it wasn't putting out enough oil. I had to gun it to just see the faintest speckle on a white surface (neighbors car...mines grey). So I took it back and the dealer said it was fine, just a little oil is all you are supposed to see...not like my old McCullough that could fling a line of oil at idle. So I went out yesterday in about 20 degree temps and the bar seized while cutting a few hickories down. I took it all apart and the bar was dry as a bone. I am wondering...is it the temps or my saws oiler? The thing shoots oil out when I took it to the dealer and he ran it with the bar off. Was the stihl brand oil too thick that morning? Shall I mix in some diesel and try it some more, or go after the dealer with an axe (the only thing I got that still works)for giving me the green light.

sawguy21 · February 17, 2007, 08:33:07 PM

What do you mean by the bar seizing? Did the sprocket tip pile up? Normally, a thin stream of oil will fling off the bar, most should stay on. Also, what weight of oil are you using? At 20 degrees, I would suggest the light winter oil.

jokers · February 18, 2007, 09:41:27 AM

I would also use the winter weight oil at 20°F. The new saws don`t oil as copiously as the old timers so that is your first problem. The second problem is that ice and frozen wood seem to sap the oil from the chain in a big way. The third problem, one that I have seen firtshand, is that frozen hickory seems to make a zillion little toothpicks the width of the cutter that want to jam the sprocket and already dry chain. The potential fourth problem could be that you are running a dull chain producing a bunch of chain binding sawdust, not chips. It`s amazing how fast a chain will dull in ice, especially if there is even the slightest amount of grit present in the ice. You could also be experiencing a potential fifth problem, a crappy bar. A few years ago I had several of the Stihl laminated sprocket nose bars sieze and I knew of a bunch of others. I haven`t used one of the newer Stihl laminates since so I don`t know if this problem still exists but swapping to Oregon Pro Lites or Oregon, Stihl, and GB solids with sprockets rectified that problem.

walexander · February 18, 2007, 10:24:22 AM

It was the sprocket that siezed and I worked out the chips that had it stuck with a screwdriver. I will blow out all the junk, sharpen the chain (which was almost brand new anyway), and use a lighter oil if it is still cold. Hopefully that will fix me up. I don't have the opportunity to cut in that kind of weather very often and it seems that perhaps cutting in 20 deg. is a different ballgame than our usual 50 deg winter weather. I have never got a stream of oil off the bar, which is why I question the dealer. I have only ever gotten a sprinkle at high revs. He said that was normal so I'm still a bit skeptical.

Tom · February 18, 2007, 11:18:43 AM

As long as y'all are counting problems, I've got one to add.

A North Alabama boy's got no business out in 20° weather to begin with. Go back inside, light a fire and have a cup of coffee. It's warmer in there. :D

Kevin · February 18, 2007, 11:55:58 AM

Frozen tips are common with the right sawdust.
We get that here with red oak.
Just run the chain back and forth over a stump or log then run the saw to get the rest out.

beenthere · February 18, 2007, 12:52:01 PM

I think you can trust the dealer on this one........you don't have an oil problem.

jgoodhart · February 18, 2007, 12:59:42 PM

Had the tip sprocket freeze tight last Saturday morning. 046 just couldn't spin it anymore had to tear it apart and clean all the chips out and I oiled the sprocket good and put it back together. I thing the probem started with frozen material stuck in the bar were the oil comes out.

Ianab · February 18, 2007, 03:30:27 PM

How much oil does the saw use for a full tank of gas?

Generally 3/4 of the bar oil should be gone when you run out of gas. If this is the case then it's oiling normally, but the new saws throw a LOT les oil than the old ones. Getting sawdust stuck in the sprocket isn't an oling problem, although it seems to soak up what oil is there and make things appear dry. Happens to me sometimes when cutting dead wood, lots of fine fluffy crud jams up the bar / chain >:( Just got to stop, take things apart and clean it out properly.

Cheers

Ian

walexander · February 18, 2007, 11:19:03 PM

Kevin,

Interesting that you should say that about red oak. Turns out that I was cutting a red oak when it happened. Don't have many down here. In fact, it already had a full canopy due to a fooling it went through a month or so ago during a warm spell. Only tree in my 30 acres to have been tricked this year.

Seems like for every tank of gas it is about 2/4 empty.

Ian...I spent 3 months in New Zealand. North Island. Hamilton. Loved the country and the people and the libations. Cheers Indeed and good on you!