MS180 oiling intermittantly

[aesmith]

Hi,

MS180 oiling problems seem to come up a lot, but I can't see anything quite like what I'm finding. If I run the saw with the bar and chain removed plenty of oil comes out of the slot. Fit the bar without chain, run the saw again and once more I can see plenty of oil filling up the top of the bar. Finally fit the chain and run it for a bit and there's a little bit of oil appearing on the drive links, not quite enough to fly off from the tip of the bar. If I then cut some wood, within a couple of cuts the chain will be bone dry, and no amount of running puts any oil on it. Back to the workshop, whip the bar and chain off and run the saw - out comes plenty of oil. I've repeated that sequence half a dozen times today, each time I've left the workshop thinking this time it's working, but of course I've not fixed anything. Each time it's been apart I've thoroughly cleaned out the bar.

One thing I haven't yet checked is the oil tank vent. How do I get to that? But that wouldn't explain why the oiler starts working when I remove the bar and chain. Any other ideas?

Thanks, Tony S

 

[o8f150]

that is normal,,, if you can see oil on the links then it is fine,, problem is when the links are dry

 

[aesmith]

Sorry, maybe I wasn't clear. It's only straight after I've reassembled it that I see oil getting onto the drive links. After a few cuts the links are bone dry, and don't get any more oil until I do the disassembly/reassembly bit all over again.

I've just been into the other side of the saw, checked the vent which seems perfectly OK but I checked by pushing a thin plastic strip through to double check. So now the chain's oiling, just like it always does when the saw's just been reassembled. The light's going so too late to try more cutting today, we'll see tomorrow.

 

[Fishnuts2]

I finally ended up drilling another small hole by the vent and installing a duckbill vent in it. Fixed for less than a dollar after about 6 times tearing it all apart. Also, make sure there is no saw cake built up in the area around the vent.

 

[aesmith]

I finally ended up drilling another small hole by the vent and installing a duckbill vent in it. Fixed for less than a dollar after about 6 times tearing it all apart. Also, make sure there is no saw cake built up in the area around the vent.

Cheers. What were the symptoms before you made that modification? I'd be really surprised if the vent on mine is an issue, it looked clean enough when I got to it, it's certainly clear now and I've cleaned all the area around it. I guess I'll just have to have another go. Presumably if the vent was an issue then it should start oiling again if I remove the filler cap? I thought the standard vent was a "duckbill"?

 

[Fishnuts2]

I just used the same part from Stihl. Oil would run out of it if ran on its side with the cap off the tank. Also, the original duckbill was cut wrong on the tip and never really opened up properly if squeezed from the sides. I had stuck a wire through it originally to make sure it was clear But found out later I had just made a hole in the side of it!
I'll post a picture if I still have one.

 

[Fishnuts2]

Dual vents on MS180 oil tank

 

[o8f150]

drill the oiling hole in the bar bigger

 

[aesmith]

OK, tried again today and once more after a few cuts the chain is dry. No more oil getting to it, although on the bench after reassembly it had been oiling fine. I tried removing the filler cap in case there's a vacuum build up, although I'm pretty sure the vent is OK. This time back on the bench I kept the saw upright when removing the bar and chain, then started it running. Oil delivery, but also bubble after bubble of air. The oil tank's just about full and oil had been pumping OK earlier so everything should have been fully purged by then.

So I think I must have an air leak on the intake side of the pump somewhere.

I guess if I'm going to strip down the oil system I might as well replace the oil pipe while I'm in there, but is there any other possible places where air could leak in? Might as well give it all a proper check.

 

[AKDoug]

The air bubbles are your clue.,You have a oil supply hose that is allowing air into the pump, but not loose enough to leak. It's really common. You have to take the handlebar/handle off the saw to get to the hose where it plugs into the base of the pump. It takes a bit of effort to get down to it. I like to replace the hose with a new one and with a light coating of Dirko sealant around it where it plugs into the bottom of the pump. Routing the oil hose into the tank properly can be fun too.

 

[Fishnuts2]

Take the handlebar off and make sure the oil line is properly seated in the oil tank on the bottom of the saw.
Taking the bucking spike off before the handles will save your knuckles at some point!

 

[aesmith]

Thanks, I'm just back from the shed after taking the thing to bits. I have the old pipe removed. Couldn't see anything much wrong with it except a bit hard, but I'll replace it with new. They certainly don't make it easy get this saw apart! I was going to take the oil tank out, but it looks like you have to pull the flywheel so I'll try with the tank left in place.

While it's in pieces waiting for the new pipe, anything else I should check? I can't see how you get at the oil pump even now. I dribbled a bit of 3 in 1 oil into the oil intake where I'd taken the pipe off, then spun the clutch a bit until that was flowing through, so I'm hoping the pump's OK. There was some comment about making sure the pump's properly lined up, but no information about how to check that.

Thanks everyone, Tony S

 

[AKDoug]

The pump comes out with a special tool that is a removal and installation tool. You can redneck it out with the proper sized bolt screwed into the bottom of it if you carefully measure the depth it needs to go back in. It is pulled straight out of the saw towards the bottom.

The pumps are really durable, though, and I rarely have seen one go bad. I wouldn't try and remove it. When you install the oil hose, look inside the oil cap hole and make sure you can see the filter. If you can't see the end of the hose in the filter, you have it in wrong. There is a small channel that it can fold up into when you try to install the hose , and that isn't where you want it.

 

[aesmith]

Thanks everyone. New pipe fitted now. I see what you mean about getting the pickup into the main bit of the tank. What I ended up doing was threading a bit of wire down the pipe so I could pre-bend it before pushing into the tank, then once the pipe was in the right place I just pulled the wire back out. I ended up not putting any sealant because everything was slimy with oil and no chance of anything sticking. We'll see how it goes. So far it seems to be working.