camel2019
ArboristSite Guru
Most of my pioneer bars(620’s)had a good amount of wear most likely because the operator forgot to get the oil pump lever.
Bar oil SUBSTITUTES
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I've yet to find an oil which didn't work as bar oil. In order of preference:
1.) Actual bar oil, as it's cheap and readily available.
2.) New/clean engine oil, ATF, hydraulic oil, etc. I've used all of this in the past, they all work just fine. If bar oil isn't available, I wouldn't hesitate to use any of these.
3.) Vegetable oil. Have used this in the past, worked fine other than making a mess. Not preferred.
4.) Used motor oil. Last resort. Only if nothing else was available or reasonably obtainable, combined with a serious need to be cutting. I'd drive into town or go ask the neighbors before I'd go this route.
1.) Actual bar oil, as it's cheap and readily available.
2.) New/clean engine oil, ATF, hydraulic oil, etc. I've used all of this in the past, they all work just fine. If bar oil isn't available, I wouldn't hesitate to use any of these.
3.) Vegetable oil. Have used this in the past, worked fine other than making a mess. Not preferred.
4.) Used motor oil. Last resort. Only if nothing else was available or reasonably obtainable, combined with a serious need to be cutting. I'd drive into town or go ask the neighbors before I'd go this route.
I have been using, used motor oil for over a decade with no issues what so ever. I never use, used diesel oil because it is to contaminated. I don't use supper black used motor oil. If you are changing motor oil every 3K miles it is plenty clean enough to use as bar oil. I don't filter used motor oil, but I do let it sit for a few months to let all the heavy contaminates fall to the bottom.
A new bar cost about 50 bucks, give or take. Bar oil on average is 10 bucks a gallon. That means if you use just 5 gallons of bar oil, it is the same as a new bar.
I have gotten at least 100 gallons of bar oil before the bar is worn out. If you buy 10 dollar a gallon bar oil that equals $1,000 in bar oil. At 50 bucks a bar that equals 20 new bars.
Even if you only get pre mature wear it's still cheaper to use, used motor oil.
Just crank the oil'er up to full blast and get after it.
A new bar cost about 50 bucks, give or take. Bar oil on average is 10 bucks a gallon. That means if you use just 5 gallons of bar oil, it is the same as a new bar.
I have gotten at least 100 gallons of bar oil before the bar is worn out. If you buy 10 dollar a gallon bar oil that equals $1,000 in bar oil. At 50 bucks a bar that equals 20 new bars.
Even if you only get pre mature wear it's still cheaper to use, used motor oil.
Just crank the oil'er up to full blast and get after it.
camel2019
ArboristSite Guru
Some bars are expensive and or you need to track down I would definitely not use it myself all the time.
Used motor oil will lube a bar and chain just fine. The idea that there's enough metal particles in drain oil to damage a chain doesn't hold water. If the oil didn't boat anchor the motor it was drained from, then the oil is plenty good enough for a bar and chain.
I won't do it for health reasons. Been over it ad nauseum on the forum already. You do you, but my reasons for not using drain oil have nothing to do with the life of the bar and chain.
This.
camel2019
ArboristSite Guru
Motor oil doesn’t lose its lubricity and doesn’t actually break down and get thinner over time like a lot think.
The biggest problem is the heavy metal contaminants like lead and zinc ect most cars/trucks still use a lead based Babbitt on their bearings it’s a thin layer but it’s on there.
As well as all the carbon from the engine running and or blow by.
I have used it would I want it all over constantly nope if I were to use it I would use it in a saw with a manual oiler.
The biggest problem is the heavy metal contaminants like lead and zinc ect most cars/trucks still use a lead based Babbitt on their bearings it’s a thin layer but it’s on there.
As well as all the carbon from the engine running and or blow by.
I have used it would I want it all over constantly nope if I were to use it I would use it in a saw with a manual oiler.
Yes, motor oil does oxidize over time and will lose viscosity as well.
Wombat Ranger
ArboristSite Operative
Regular bar oil is too cheap. I use imported olive oil, exclusively.
camel2019
ArboristSite Guru
I’m paying $17 ish a gallon for the “cheap” stuff
It was only "extra virgin" until you got a hold of it!
Back in the day, I worked at a car dealership so new oil was free. 10w 30 in my Poulan saw. Worked great, had that saw forever, (wish I still did actually).
I figured with the load on main, rod bearings and same with the camshaft and lifters, why not .
So here's a twist...has anyone ever blended new motor oil with bar oil, say 50 /50 ratio?
Off topic a bit...picked up a new Stihl, which dealer filled with Stihl bar oil. So I poured some Stihl oil on a bench and generic bar oil from Lowes to compare. Couldn't tell the difference....Same color, smell, and stickiness (sp). I'm not saying it's any better, but probably half priced.
Any thoughts?
I figured with the load on main, rod bearings and same with the camshaft and lifters, why not .
So here's a twist...has anyone ever blended new motor oil with bar oil, say 50 /50 ratio?
Off topic a bit...picked up a new Stihl, which dealer filled with Stihl bar oil. So I poured some Stihl oil on a bench and generic bar oil from Lowes to compare. Couldn't tell the difference....Same color, smell, and stickiness (sp). I'm not saying it's any better, but probably half priced.
Any thoughts?
camel2019
ArboristSite Guru
Call me what you want but when I have a splash left in my sae 30 oil bottles or if I pick up yard sale motor oil that’s an odd weight it goes in the bar oil jug. Any empty oil sae 30 oil/hydraulic oil or bar oil jugs get flipped in a big funnel and drain the last of their contents into the bar oil jug I do the same with a 10w 30 oil jugs but that goes into a emptied 10w 30 5 gallon pail.
I do mix 50/50 but it’s for oil spraying the underside of my trucks stays on pretty good and keeps the road salt from eating away at them.
Go ahead and pay double for Stihl oil if you want. I've always run the cheapest bar oil I could find, and as far as I can tell it all works fine.
Stihl two stroke oil is Jaso FB garbage too, don't run that either. It's not just overpriced, it's objectively much worse oil than others on the market.
quahog
ArboristSite Member
I do the same with the odd lot of oil. I just yesterday dumped a few leftover ounces of synthetic high mileage Castrol 5W-20 into my Countyline bar oil jug. Beats wasting the oil and it wasn't enough to thin out what I had in the jug.
Last winter while cutting in the snow I added some ATF as a diagnostic. Showed up nice and red in the snow. I used to keep a spray bottle of ATF on hand to quiet the squeaks in leaf springs. I since got rid of my last leaf spring truck and have a half ton Ram.
RE, spraying under the trucks, I used to use drain oil many years ago. I've switched to Woolwax and haven't looked back. They run sales quite often and I'm stocked up for another couple years. I'm sure shipping makes it price prohibitive north of the border, but I'm sure there is a similar Canadian product.
They make a great kit with a gun and two wands which works with my cheapy 6 gallon compressor. https://www.woolwaxusa.com/Woolwax®-Undercoat-Kit-4-Quarts-PRO-GUN-with-2-Extension-wands_p_42.html
Downside is your truck smells like a flock of sheep for a couple days.
I used to dump the odd dregs of oils into the Yota fuel tank, that 617 will burn nearly anything. Buy a half gallon partial tin of paint thinner at a yard sale for a quarter and dump it in the fuel tank, got plenty of odd looks.
camel2019
ArboristSite Guru
I use waste oil and bar and chain mix works well this year I’m adding grease to it. The product that gets sprayed on at the shops that do it here is a linseed oil base.I do the same with the odd lot of oil. I just yesterday dumped a few leftover ounces of synthetic high mileage Castrol 5W-20 into my Countyline bar oil jug. Beats wasting the oil and it wasn't enough to thin out what I had in the jug.
Last winter while cutting in the snow I added some ATF as a diagnostic. Showed up nice and red in the snow. I used to keep a spray bottle of ATF on hand to quiet the squeaks in leaf springs. I since got rid of my last leaf spring truck and have a half ton Ram.
RE, spraying under the trucks, I used to use drain oil many years ago. I've switched to Woolwax and haven't looked back. They run sales quite often and I'm stocked up for another couple years. I'm sure shipping makes it price prohibitive north of the border, but I'm sure there is a similar Canadian product.
They make a great kit with a gun and two wands which works with my cheapy 6 gallon compressor. https://www.woolwaxusa.com/Woolwax®-Undercoat-Kit-4-Quarts-PRO-GUN-with-2-Extension-wands_p_42.html
Downside is your truck smells like a flock of sheep for a couple days.
quahog
ArboristSite Member
Oh yeah, there is no doubting that waste oil and bar oil is good for the undercarriage. I assume you'll find a way to heat the grease to make it mix in.
The linseed oil base from the pro shops sounds good. Hard to go wrong there, but I'm not sure if I see it seeping into cracks like oil or lanolin products. I like the DIY methods myself.
That^
but it makes a better fuel for many reasons besides yours.
Worrying about bearing material that never comes off unless the motor was run dry and roached is of no concern to anyone, seriously. Lead is an issue in your exhaust gasses if you run LL or low lead aviation blends of fuel. Carbon is just carbon so no worries there. Blow by on a good running two stroke is very very minimal so fuel deposits tend to be recirculated out the exhaust and burned up in the muffler. Zink could be an issue.
Why the manual oiler usage only?
