Thread: Ran out of bar/chain oil.....5w30 ok in a pinch?

If you ever run rear end (hypoid)oil don't put your saw in the cab of the truck. you will never get the smell out. ask me how I know.

I've run ATF, and motor oil in a pinch, and had a friend who ran it all the time. Frequent use will wear the chain and bar more quickly, but occaisional use won't hurt anything. Dealers don't carry the winter bar oil here, but when it gets really cold, I mix a little ATF in my summer blend to thin it so it will flow. There was an old timer that I knew who mixed diesel w/ his bar oil to thin it, he claimed it also kept things clean.

Works in a pinch sure. But did ya notice your pants or chaps got extra dirty.
I've also done it in a pinch and noticed the extra oil on my clothes.

anything works in a pinch. Some guys think way too deep into it. Just throw in what you got and get some work finished.

In the manuals for lots of (especially low-end) saws, you'll see that SAE 30W (or equivalent) oil is often listed as an acceptable substitute for bar and chain oil.

At this time of year, unless you're using the Winterized bar and chain oil, you're already probably needing to cut it with kerosene or gas anyway to improve viscosity in the cold weather. So dropping down from regular bar and chain oil to a 30W oil isn't a bad idea for really cold weather because you don't have to mess with cutting the bar and chain oil with fuel.

Obviously, that depends on the volume of cutting you have to do this time of year. If it's a little bit, you can get by with clean 30W oil; if it's a lot, you might as well do it right an mix your own fuel-cut bar and chain oil, or get the Winterized formula.

But for any "in-a-pinch" situation, any clean motor oil is OK to use as a substitute for bar and chain oil. You may not see it as easily as the dyed bar and chain oils, and you may use more (because it's less viscous), but your saw won't disintegrate in your hands either.