Husqvarna 55 oil leak

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Cliff R

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One of my Husqvarna 55 C/P saws has always had a slightly oil leak. After shut down it will have some oil under the saw if it sits for any length of time. Never gave it much thought until it drained most of the oil out of it the other day. So I removed the bar, pump cover, oil pump and both seals and really don't see anything wrong anyplace with those parts. I pushed the vent tube out and noticed it was in the down position toward the bottom of the oil tank. I re-installed it and located the end of the tube to the upper part of the tank.

It appears to have stopped leaking. Are the vent tubes supposed to be straight thru without any sort of check-valve? I owned and worked on a lot of 55's but never had any issues in this area before. Just trying to save myself searching thru the IPL's and other threads trying to find out if the vent tube is open and should be located toward the top of the oil tank?.....tks.....Cliff
 
they all leak whats the big deal??? sit them on a folded up news paper if it bothers you!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
I don't think that it should leak out most of the contents tank, a little sure. I keep a puppy pad under my saws in case they leak.

Edit: I am sorry op, I do not know but I don't see any reason that you couldn't install a duckbill if you like.
 
It's just an open tube, no checks or filters. The tube is very stiff and should not droop into the oil unless the tank is completely full. Some of these saws leak like a sieve and others don't. Maybe you need a new oil pump (plunger and cylinder), or perhaps the rubber that surrounds the cylinder (pick up line and grommet). The pump is self lubricating, so it's worn out perhaps oil is leaking between the plunger and cylinder.

husky 55.jpg
 
I have a 51 that does the same thing. May be my fault though. I ran it dry to the point the saw was smoking one time. Another time I ran motor oil for chain lube. That was in my younger dumber days.
 
Sorry for the delayed response, been busy over at my moms farm house trying to keep it from being burglarized again. She passed recently and the Meth-heads have targeted the place. NEVER run an obituary in the paper, I'm learning the hard way about that deal. Next step is to start staying over their with a loaded shot gun so they will leave her place alone until we get thru the Estate sale.

Anyhow, the saw hasn't leaked a drop of oil since I moved the vent tube. If it's supposed to be a straight tube, well, mine had a significant bend in it which placed the opening at the bottom of the oil tank when I first took it apart.

When I re-installed the vent I rotated it 180 degrees so the tube is now at the top of the tank, and it hasn't lost a drop of oil after shut down the last two times I used it.

I also don't believe that "they all leak oil", my other 55 and 50 special don't leak after shut down, neither does my 262XP, 268XP or 480CD.

This particular 55 has leaked after shut-down from day one, but only got really bad in the last year or so. I'm suspecting now that the plastic vent tube ended up clear on the bottom of the tank, and tank pressure after shut down was pushing a LOT of oil out of it......Cliff
 
You can always turn the saw over and loosen the cap to relieve the pressure. You'll have to leave it loose until it cools. I wonder if some of the saws don't syphon the oil from the tank after it's turned off and the oil flow is already going. I usually drain the gas and oil when I get done with them, makes things a lot less messy.
 
Took the 55 on an outing today and finished up 3 acres I was clearing for a friend of mine. As mentioned it the first post it has always leaked some after shut down, but only recently leaking like Niagra Falls and leaving a BIG puddle of oil under it.

Well, it now doesn't leak a drop, so moving the end of the plastic vent hose to the top of tank seems to have done the trick. I think that the plastic vent hose has always been bent some and low in the oil tank, and only recently heated/bent enough that it ended on the bottom of the tank where I found it during the tear-down/inspection. Instead of trying to straighten it, I simply removed it and rotated it 180 degrees to the top of the tank, so far so good with that move......Cliff
IMG_1001.JPG
 
Those tubes are stiff as a board and go on tough. I don't understand how it bent down unless it was a factory mistake or something in the oil attacked it. Keep us up to date, I'm curious if it falls down again.
 
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