Stihl 390 oiling problem

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tfrugal

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A guy I work with offered me this saw, 150 bucks. Claims it worked perfectly, just in storage since he got divorced and lives in apartment. However it has no chain. Then he tells me to take it, buy a chain, check it out, and either buy it or he will buy the chain. Seems legit..... So I get the saw, not much wear on the power head, but the bar is worn, sharp rails. Clutch has been apart, put back together with a wrong washer, oily inside too. Luckily, I have a buddy with a 290 to compare. Clean the clutch, replace washer and wasted eclip. Slap a chain on and try it-- no oil getting on the bar. Turn the oiler up, try it again and it pours out between bar and oiling slot (plastic). Take it apart, there is a Nick in the plastic where the bar mates up to oil hole.
The 290 is metal not plastic in that area. So, here are my questions,
Can I JB weld the Nick, stone it back smooth for a fix? How hard to replace that part on this saw? Is the saw worth fixing for that price, or do I adjust the money I give him for it?
Thanks in advance!
 
$150. Could do some work and still have good deal. Ragged out 290s sell for $300 all the time on Craigslist. Don't understand it.

Sent from my SM-N900P using Tapatalk
 
HT, I will try to get pix tomorrow. I agree 290/390 similar. I wonder if I was comparing an older version. Or maybe an 029? The raised place in front of the clutch is plastic on this flip cap 390, it was aluminum on the comparing saw.
 
Yep, that looks like my saw. The slot over the right hand bar stud hole, if I run a fingernail around it, it feels like it catches a bit in one place . I swapped my buds bar and chain on, which oils fine on his saw. Same problem. I can't see it leak assembled, but where else should I be checking?
 
Lsq, not sure. I will put bar back on it and verify where it is coming out of. I know that sounds lame, I just got the saw. Someone else got to break it...... Non-oiling was where this started. I was trying to 'paint' (oil on the log coming off moving chain) to see it oil with no luck. When I turned to oiler all the way up and revved it, oil was visible from beside/under the bar. The clutch gets oil, not the bar.
 
I should also thank everyone in advance. This place is great for dummies like me to get adult supervision.
 
Some 1127 family saws (029, MS310 etc) seem to have an alignment problem between the oil pump outlet and the bar. The MS290 is apparently the worst culprit, but probably just because Stihl sold so many of them.
Usual cure is to very slightly enlarge the oil feed in the bar. It worked (and still works) on the 290 I modified that way, and has been the only way to cure its non-oil condition.

Another thing I've noticed on several 1127 saws is they sip oil, even when compared to smaller (around 40cc) clamshells. On paper it sounds great... until you start overheating the bar.
Honestly I've found no cure here but changing the oil pump. Changing oil tubes, cleaning the tank etc makes absolutely no difference.
Stihl has a new oil pump available as a spare for all 1127 saws, but it's pricey (€55 here: in the US is probably less than half of that even after taxes). I've found the Huztl 1127 oil pump to be an acceptable replacement to OE "problem pumps", albeit it still doesn't oil as much as I'd like even when set to maximum.
 
Here is the piece that is metal on the newer versions, it covers the chain brake hardware, it has noting to do with the bar or oiling. Note that it is plastic on my 029 004.JPG old 029.
 
Alignment problem?
Please give details. pics.

Happily so.
Pics are from an MS290 I am finishing tarting up to sell.

Here's a detail of the oil pump outlet:

IMG_0001_zpsbstcnqru.jpg


And here a view of the bar:

IMG_0003_zpsi19tdtnh.jpg


I don't want to know what this bar went through: all I know it's a Rollomatic I had to redress and it came with the saw. Notice how I had to slightly open up the oil passage on the bar to allow full flow.
The saw now oils decently for a 1127 and cuts well, albeit it will win no contest. I just need to clean it up a little and put it up for sale.
 
Interesting, c3. I wonder if my problem isn't that the bar hole is just a bit more to the right, allowing oil up and out rather than thru the bar.

I stoned the plastic around the slot and it made no difference.
 
Interesting, c3. I wonder if my problem isn't that the bar hole is just a bit more to the right, allowing oil up and out rather than thru the bar.

I stoned the plastic around the slot and it made no difference.

Try putting the bar on with no chain. Point the bar towards the ground and rev up the saw to see how the oil flows.
If the flow seems insufficient, remove the sprocket cover and use spacers to bolt the bar on (again with no chain). Pay attention to the sprocket: it's not as dangerous as a chain but can really ruin your day. You may reduce risks by wrapping it in tape.
This way you should be able to see if the oil is going where it should or escaping around the bar.

As said I am pretty stumped about this problem: I know there are millions of 1127 saws out there which have never had a problem apart from ordinary tear and wear, but I've observed it a few times already and heard about it from several people.
Any explanation is more than welcome.
 
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