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Author Topic: Chain saw question..  (Read 14749 times)

Offline A.O.

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Chain saw question..
« on: September 27, 2019, 06:46:49 AM »
So on my MS362 Stihl.. I cut up a bunch of big logs a couple weeks ago, saw worked great. Then the last couple cuts were labored and I just figured the chain was getting dull, even got some smoking out of it. (the chain not the saw itself). Took it back to the shop and sharpened it.. no change, labored to cut and a smoking bar AND it was cutting in an arc. Dressed the bar so the rails were even, cleaned everything up, made sure the oiler was working. Put it back together and same thing, seems to cut crooked, smokes , and labors to cut!!

IDEAS???

Offline Crusarius

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Re: Chain saw question..
« Reply #1 on: September 27, 2019, 07:08:00 AM »
Did you hand file? I did that and seemed I got one side sharper than the other. I put a new chain on and it was fine after that.

Offline A.O.

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Re: Chain saw question..
« Reply #2 on: September 27, 2019, 07:14:02 AM »
I did hand file, I always have with good results. I may try a new chain and see how it does..

The heat and smoking has thrown me off a bit.

Offline A.O.

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Re: Chain saw question..
« Reply #3 on: September 27, 2019, 10:08:38 AM »
Maybe I'm the Spaceman!  Maybe I just thought I resharpened the chain, memory is not as good as it once was although I am SURE I resharpened that chain! However.. I just resharpened that chain and it seems to work fine now. Granted I just cut some 8" diameter pine to test it and it seemed to work fine, we'll see how it does when I cut something a bit bigger.

Offline Kirk Allen

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Re: Chain saw question..
« Reply #4 on: September 27, 2019, 10:18:09 AM »
Curved cuts are typically a chain sharper on one side than the other.  As far as smoking, do you lube the bar sprocket?   I have seen a few sprockets fail from never getting any lube.  Most chain saw shops will have the device that pushes grease into the sprocket. 

https://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200675095_200675095?cm_mmc=Google-pla&utm_source=Google_PLA&utm_medium=Logging%20%3E%20Chainsaw%20Accessories%20%2B%20Maintenance&utm_campaign=Oregon&utm_content=55615&gclid=EAIaIQobChMInf3Slqbx5AIVE26GCh1ixwnLEAQYAiABEgLmSvD_BwE


I just last week had the same curve issue and I was perplexed because I sharpen on an electrical saw chain sharpener.  Turns out, I forgot to move the power switch to the other position so one side got sharpened with the file starting on the outside working in (proper) and the other side was inside working out (wrong). 

I resharpened correctly and it now cuts straight as can be. 
Integrity is doing the right thing when no one is watching!

Offline A.O.

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Re: Chain saw question..
« Reply #5 on: September 27, 2019, 11:12:59 AM »
Curved cuts are typically a chain sharper on one side than the other.  As far as smoking, do you lube the bar sprocket?   I have seen a few sprockets fail from never getting any lube.  Most chain saw shops will have the device that pushes grease into the sprocket. 

https://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200675095_200675095?cm_mmc=Google-pla&utm_source=Google_PLA&utm_medium=Logging%20%3E%20Chainsaw%20Accessories%20%2B%20Maintenance&utm_campaign=Oregon&utm_content=55615&gclid=EAIaIQobChMInf3Slqbx5AIVE26GCh1ixwnLEAQYAiABEgLmSvD_BwE


I just last week had the same curve issue and I was perplexed because I sharpen on an electrical saw chain sharpener.  Turns out, I forgot to move the power switch to the other position so one side got sharpened with the file starting on the outside working in (proper) and the other side was inside working out (wrong). 

I resharpened correctly and it now cuts straight as can be.

I do have one of those little grease guns for bar sprockets, but not all bars have the little hole for greasing anymore. Seems the newer ones (last 10-15years) do not have the hole in them. I normally use compressed air to spin that sprocket when I clean or flip the bar, since they removed the hole I don't normally lube that sprocket anymore. Also it didn't seem that the sprocket it self was smoking, just along the length of the bar.

Offline furu

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Re: Chain saw question..
« Reply #6 on: October 06, 2019, 03:36:55 PM »
Check that your oil level is going down as you cut.  There may be another problem preventing adequate oil getting to the bar.  Is the bar getting warm when it smokes?
Integrity is not just doing the right thing.
Integrity is not just doing the right thing when no one is looking.
Integrity is doing the right thing when no one else will ever even know.

Offline A.O.

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Re: Chain saw question..
« Reply #7 on: October 08, 2019, 08:42:26 AM »
Yes the oil is going down, and if I point that bar at a clean piece of wood or something and gas it , it definitely sprays oil in it.

I'm sure the bar is warm or it wouldn't smoke.. no, I haven't touched it to find out..

Offline Ox

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Re: Chain saw question..
« Reply #8 on: October 08, 2019, 03:00:06 PM »
If the smoking chain was right after a crooked cut, this explains itself.  It was binding, causing excess friction, causing the smoking. 

Or is it smoking while in midair with chain spinning high speed?
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Use it up, wear it out, make it do or do without
1989 GMC 3500 4x4 diesel dump and plow truck, 1964 Oliver 1600 Industrial with Parsons loader and backhoe, 1986 Zetor 5211, Cat's Claw sharpener, single tooth setter, homemade Linn Lumber 1900 style mill, old tools

Offline terracefarmer

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Re: Chain saw question..
« Reply #9 on: December 04, 2019, 08:51:22 PM »
Try a new chain, if the problem goes away, its in the chain, if it stays, its in the saw or bar.     Just keep narrowing it down till you figure it out, should only take a few minutes to get to the bottom of the issue, whatever it is.   

If its not the chain, its oiling good and the saw runs good, I'd guess a pinched rail somewhere to cause the drag on the engine.

Offline A.O.

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Re: Chain saw question..
« Reply #10 on: June 23, 2021, 09:22:02 AM »
Ha, this is old but I replaced bar and chain and all works well again...

I see I can post pics now, yay.. I talk best with pics!

I sold the Stihl MS362... getting to big for me, just bought an Echo CS 501P, we'll see how it does..

Here it is.. Shiny!!


Offline Ox

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Re: Chain saw question..
« Reply #11 on: June 23, 2021, 01:25:09 PM »
Nice!  Heard good things about the Echo machinery.
K.I.S.S. - Keep It Simple Stupid
Use it up, wear it out, make it do or do without
1989 GMC 3500 4x4 diesel dump and plow truck, 1964 Oliver 1600 Industrial with Parsons loader and backhoe, 1986 Zetor 5211, Cat's Claw sharpener, single tooth setter, homemade Linn Lumber 1900 style mill, old tools

Offline A.O.

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Re: Chain saw question..
« Reply #12 on: June 23, 2021, 02:33:40 PM »
I do have a smaller top handle Echo I've had for 20 ish years and still going strong..

Been a while, how ya doing?

Offline Ox

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Re: Chain saw question..
« Reply #13 on: June 24, 2021, 07:26:14 AM »
Busy busy here.  Second cutting coming up quicker than I can get through the equipment for maintenance and repairs, but healthy as I can expect.  How you been?
K.I.S.S. - Keep It Simple Stupid
Use it up, wear it out, make it do or do without
1989 GMC 3500 4x4 diesel dump and plow truck, 1964 Oliver 1600 Industrial with Parsons loader and backhoe, 1986 Zetor 5211, Cat's Claw sharpener, single tooth setter, homemade Linn Lumber 1900 style mill, old tools

Offline A.O.

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Re: Chain saw question..
« Reply #14 on: June 24, 2021, 07:46:53 AM »
Doing good, busy here as well.. I think I survived all this covid crap and its time to get on with life! I've had that saw for I think 4 days now and havent even put fuel in it yet!! Too much to do, maybe today..