361 Oiler?

[madrone]

Hey y'all,
For starters, this is NOT another Oil Thread. Ok, that said:

Cutting maple today with my 361 it seemed a little sluggish. It's a used saw and I've only had it for 3 months so I'm not sure what normal is for it. Chain was super sharp so thats not the problem. I looked at the chain and it seemed dry, it's showing a little darkening on the side plates and the top plates have small amounts of wood residue on them. There was no smoke when cutting.
Holding the saw near a piece of wood I could see some oil stains from spray but I really don't know if it's as much as there should be. Took the bar off and ran the powerhead half throttle, oil was coming out cleanly.
Oiler is turned up all the way and I'm running a 20" bar, RSC chain.
Question is: how do I know if enough oil is coming out?
Thx

 

[Bowtie]

From your description it should be oiling right. Is the bar getting burnt close to the chain anywhere? Is the bar showing bluing from being hot?

 

[madrone]

I figured a photo would help but putting down the beer took alot out of me. Hope you can make it out. Doesn't seem to be bluing but lots of residue accumulating on the chain seems strange.
thx

http://www.flickr.com/photos/hamamelis/2290375742/

 

[Bowtie]

Is the area where the bar mounts to the saw clean when you put the bar on? Is the hole in the bar for the oil to access the bar and chain clean? Newer saws dont put out oil like the older ones, there may not be a problem.

 

[madrone]

When I finished cutting and went to clean the saw, the oil hole in the bar was filled with sawdust but that seems normal after a days cutting. I think the dry-ish chain happens even when the hole is clear. My old 025 seems to always have a wet chain, even after coming out of the cut. Maybe it's what you say about new saws. I just thought that with on 20" bar and the oiler all the way up there would be more. No bar discolouring i suppose means no problem, huh?

 

[COLD_IRON]

Hey y'all,
For starters, this is NOT another Oil Thread. Ok, that said:

Cutting maple today with my 361 it seemed a little sluggish. It's a used saw and I've only had it for 3 months so I'm not sure what normal is for it. Chain was super sharp so thats not the problem. I looked at the chain and it seemed dry, it's showing a little darkening on the side plates and the top plates have small amounts of wood residue on them. There was no smoke when cutting.
Holding the saw near a piece of wood I could see some oil stains from spray but I really don't know if it's as much as there should be. Took the bar off and ran the powerhead half throttle, oil was coming out cleanly.
Oiler is turned up all the way and I'm running a 20" bar, RSC chain.
Question is: how do I know if enough oil is coming out?
Thx

I just cut down a big maple and stumped another one last week/weekend.

Sounds about right to me. I was running RSF and 30SC on my 361 with oiler maxed and I did get some build up. Chain felt dry but was using 60-75% of a tank of oil per fill up.

Stihl bars and chains don't use as much oil - the SC used more oil.

 

[doc874]

When I finished cutting and went to clean the saw, the oil hole in the bar was filled with sawdust but that seems normal after a days cutting. I think the dry-ish chain happens even when the hole is clear. My old 025 seems to always have a wet chain, even after coming out of the cut. Maybe it's what you say about new saws. I just thought that with on 20" bar and the oiler all the way up there would be more. No bar discolouring i suppose means no problem, huh?

What are you using for bar oil?? The cold will have an affect on thicker bar oil.

 

[madrone]

I'm using some pretty cheap bar oil actually because it runs so well in the cold. usually i use the ol orange jug. Maybe thats the problem?

 

[madrone]

Just checked, cheap red stuff is brand name Cenex. Black jug from bimart, $4.99.

 

[Bowtie]

I always use stihl bar oil in my saws, and when its cold I warm it up in the truck floorboard before using it. The engine running keeps it warm during use, but thats how I do it.

 

[forestryworks]

since you got a stihl, run only stihl bar oil and stihl mix - preferably ultra... don't run anything else

 

[madrone]

I do use stihl ultra, but really thought bar oil was ok to skimp on. I guess 4 year old 10-30W is out of the question! damn

 

[Bowtie]

I do use stihl ultra, but really thought bar oil was ok to skimp on. I guess 4 year old 10-30W is out of the question! damn

If thats what you are using no wonder. Quality bar oil has an added tackifier that helps it stick to the chain and bar and not fly off at high rpm.

 

[volks-man]

what about lakes' oiler mod?
the oiler is a little weak on my ms361. there be a thread round here somewhere on how to swap in the parts from a 046 ho (i think) pump. i ordered them for my saw saturday, and hope to be dripping oil from the bar soon!

here be a quote from lakeside about the numbers and 'how-to' link:


Confirmed!

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

You can just order the 460 FULL WRAP piston and adjuster screw. Not much point in getting the standard 460 parts. This upgrade applies equally to the 361 and 441 pumps.

I was going to post pics of the process, but it's exactly the same as the 066/660 upgrade I posted previously. http://www.arboristsite.com/showthread.php?t=31559

Took me all of 10 minutes including stripping down an old 460 pump with a broken casing.

Like with the 660, the piston is modified in the end cup and shoulder, and the control bolt has a greater eccentricty.

Give your dealer the following part numbers:

Entire HO 460R pump - 1128 640 3250 - $84.50


OR

Upgrade parts:

piston - 1128 647 0602 - $26.20
Control bolt - 1128 647 4803 - $3.90

 

[Knotdodger]

Wow 84 bucks for a oiler... What ever it takes I guess. But my 361 goes thru 3/4 of a tank to a full tank of feul. With a 20in bar. Lift up the chain , and It is always wet in the bar where it counts.. My oiler is also turned all the way up. It works just fine . It just dont gush out the oil all over the bar like some others do. Save your 84 bucks and get some goodies.....

 

[Big Neb]

I think I'd rather save the money and put it towards another saw!

 

[volks-man]

keep reading

Wow 84 bucks for a oiler... What ever it takes I guess. But my 361 goes thru 3/4 of a tank to a full tank of feul. With a 20in bar. Lift up the chain , and It is always wet in the bar where it counts.. My oiler is also turned all the way up. It works just fine . It just dont gush out the oil all over the bar like some others do. Save your 84 bucks and get some goodies.....

look below the oiler price and you will see the upgrade parts prices. total, about $35.00 after tax.
read the thread i linked. it doesn't look hard either.

as for useage. if i used 3/4 oil to fuel i would probably not have a problem.
saw is nearly new. it oils, just not much. i cut a huge dead oak the other day. around 30 inch across. the bar was hot. it actually steamed a little in the cut. the chain was sharp!!!

 

[Log Splitter]

I think your oiler is fine. The 361 just doesn't flood the chain with oil the way we're all used to from running older saws. Mine uses between 1/2 and 2/3 of a tank of oil with a full tank of mix. I've had no problems with a lack of lube on the bar/chain, and I've had a 20" bar buried in hickory more than once this year.

 

[Canyon Angler]

My 361's oiler was lame from the day I got it. Took it back to the dealer, he said it wasn't oiling enough and they put a new oiler in under warranty. I'm still in the same boat. I use maybe 1/4 of a tank of oil for every tank of premix. Dunno what the answer is.

 

[Knotdodger]

look below the oiler price and you will see the upgrade parts prices. total, about $35.00 after tax.
read the thread i linked. it doesn't look hard either.

Opps , I better get new glasses... sorry man........