Question on 025 Stihl

[M_Trim]

I've had this saw for 6 years, but just gave it its first real workout in the last few weeks.  The saw has an 18" bar and I have both the green coded chain RM, and a yellow coded (I think RS) chain.  I noticed that with the yellow coded chain, in wet cherry of good size, the saw just bogs down sometimes, and needs to be moved around to provide relief in order to maintain RPMs.  I'm now wondering if I have too much bar for this saw, or too much chain, or both?  Any comments are welcome.

The saw runs wonderfully and I am very satified overall.  The only other issue I had was the chain binding up...to the point where the engine could just not turn it.  In these cases, I had to take the bar and chain off and free up the sproket tip, which seemed to be jammed with wet chips.  Any remedy for this?  

[Engineer]

I use an 025 as my firewood/sawmill cleanup saw.  Probably cut 100 cord of wood with it in the past five years.  I have noticed that the 18" bar bogs down the saw a lot, and that switching to a 16" bar greatly improves the operation.  I wound up mounting a Log Wizard debarker permanently to the 18" bar and leaving the 16" bar on the saw all the time.

The green chain is a lot less aggressive chain due to its so-called 'safety' features.  The yellow chain takes a much bigger 'bite' per tooth and so will have a greater tendency to bog the saw.  One thing I do is take easy cuts, basically let the saw do the work, and at the first sign of slowing down, pull the saw up to let it get up to full no-load speed.  

As for the wet chips in the sprocket, never had that happen so I can't help you.  Your chain may be too loose.  Check your owner's manual for the proper adjustment.  A longer bar is much more difficult to tension the chain properly than a short bar.

[Kevin]

You want to be sure the pitch is the same on the chain, bar and drive sprocket.
The nose sprocket shouldn't be seizing up, the nose sprocket could also be bad but you should feel it by turning it by hand without the chain on.
Chain tension could be another problem.

[Stephen_Wiley]

M_Trim,

Not to much more to add, other than check to make sure your bar is not bent.

Mostly noticed this is your first post...........so welcome to the forum  8)

Make certain to read a lot as many answers you may be seeking will be found in conversations from the archives still on here   :P