Poulan 2175 Chainsaw Leaks Chain Oil

[lothian]

yup... yet another post about a problematic Poulan chainsaw...

My Poulan 2175 "50th Anniversary" chainsaw leaks chain oil at a prodigious rate. Clearly this is a symptom of a worn seal, gasket, o-ring, hose, or similar. I confirmed the o-ring on the oil filler cap--a notorious culprit--is NOT the source of this leak. it appears to come from the chain clutch area. I cannot tell from the parts diagram nor after removing the chain and chainbar where the leak originates.

What specific part do I need to replace?

 

[scottr]

Hey lothian , it could be the oil tank vent . If you'll empty the oil tank then look to see if it has a plastic tube that runs from the bar mount area over to the top left corner of the tank .
My PP220 has that type and if the tube drops out of the corner it will drain the oil .

 

[dougand3]

Check tank vent like Scott says. If not that, you could replace all pickup and pump parts - it'd probably still leak. When done, loosen oil cap and re-tighten. Set on a towel.

 

[lothian]

Interesting diagnosis in this video:

 

[scottr]

That is not the same oil pump that your poulan 2175 uses .

 

[lothian]

I don't believe (...yet) the problem with the 2175 that I'm working on is the oil pump.
The hack demonstrated in the video focuses on the oil pickup elbow (p/n: 530049477).
The theory behind the hack is in the video comments.

 

[dougand3]

Maybe wrapping teflon tape around that elbow will lessen leakage - esp if the pickup hose and/or the pump hose are wallowed out some.

 

[lothian]

I believe I found the general source of the oil leak, though not the exact source of it.

I scoped the inside of the tank and determining all appeared well within (There is no vent tube inside the oil tank on this model). Then I filled the oil compartment and added a few drops of oil-compatible fluorescent dye, and let the thing sit clutch-side down without starting it. Sure enough, a puddle materialized after just a few minutes.

Here's the result under the blacklight with UV filter on camera. It's pretty obvious the oil--which glows white in the image below--is pooling around the seal block (oem p/n: 530019206). There is zero oil seepage around the oil pickup elbow or the oil pump (beneath the clutch).



I'll swap this part and evaluate the result. ...to eBay!

 

[OM617YOTA]

That UV dye is pretty slick. I have some for automotive AC leaks, never would have thought to use it for bar oil. Nicely done.

 

[scottr]

I believe I found the general source of the oil leak, though not the exact source of it.

After I scoped the inside of the tank and determining all appeared well, I added a few drops of oil-compatible fluorescent dye and let the thing sit in the sun for 15mins... which is than enough time for this prodigious leak to materialize.

Here's the result under the blacklight with UV filter on camera. It's pretty obvious the oil--which glows white in the image below--is pooling around the seal block (oem p/n: 530019206). There is zero oil seepage around the oil pickup elbow or the oil pump (beneath the clutch).

View attachment 837632

I'll swap this part and evaluate the result. ...to eBay!

The oil that is glowing white has been pumped through the oil pump and this is the channel that goes to the 1/4" oiler hole in the bar .

I have run my brother in laws poulan 2025 and watched oil splashing up through the bar and chain at idle .
After the saw is turned off if you pull the chain around the bar it will lessen the mess (puddle) below the tail of the bar .

 

[scottr]

Lothian , are you running a A041 bar on your poulan 2175 that has the 1/4" diameter oil supply hole ?

 

[lothian]

Are you running an A041 bar on your Poulan 2175 that has the 1/4" diameter oil supply hole?

I'm using an 18" bar from a Poulan "Wild Thing" chainsaw (p/n: 530044653). There is no oil supply hole.
Honestly, I've never seen such a thing on any Husqvarna/Poulan bar--though admittedly my survey sample is pretty minuscule.

 

[scottr]

Does your bar have a small (about .100" diameter) oiler hole up in the bar rail area ?

 

[scottr]

The 18" bar I'm using is (from) a Poulan "Wild Thing" chainsaw (p/n: 530044653). There is no oil supply hole.
Honestly, I've never seen such a thing on any Husqvarna/Poulan bar--though admittedly my survey sample is pretty minuscule.

Ok , the wild thing used a A041 bar . If you look between the bar rails there is a channel through the center lamination that goes to the 1/4" oil supply hole .

 

[lothian]

Ah... gotcha. The bar groove accesses the two 0.25" holes on the mount end of the bar, neither of which is blocked with dead tree.
Their presence--or purpose--never occurred to me. And yes, there is a diminutive hole on either side of the bar at the cutting turn.

 

[lothian]

Healed!

UV dye was correct: 'twas the $5 seal block (oem p/n: 530019206) that were leakin'.


The Poulan 2175 chainsaw leaks oil no more. Yay.

 

[Clifford NC]

Great diagnosis! One thing about the homeowner line of Poulans is that they are driven from the shaft, not the clutch. Even at idle, they are pumping oil.

 

[lothian]

"One thing about the homeowner line of Poulans is that...even at idle, they are pumping oil."

From the drench at the bottom of the case, it seems even when not running, they are pumping oil...

 

[JRM]

I think this must be a Poulan trait.
I have seen brand new saws sitting in a puddle of their own excrement.