Bar oil SUBSTITUTES

[Lightning Performance]

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.

What he said ^

That is a tough sell but it's true. Coolaide drinkers say otherwise so I'll leave it there.
They do still use a package additive far below any FD rating in fact it won't make FC in an orange bottle. Remember now this is factory recommend over any other redarmour type oil from another place. It's really good for low carbon, no deposits and clean spark plugs

 

[camel2019]

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?

I’m talking blow by in the vehicle that the waste oil was ran in. And bearings wear quite a bit over the life of a vehicle Most haven’t a clue as people really don’t rebuild engines In their cars anymore they get new ones.

Why a manual oiler because then Theirs no pump to burn out and not a lot to worry about.

 

[bwalker]

Used motor oil is a known carcinogen. In addition its contains lead and other heavy metals. I'd rather not get the crap on me or inhale it.

 

[Squidward]

We run a small herd of cattle on pasture, and they also take shelter in what woods we have --maybe 5-7 acres. They eat mostly grass, may-October, grain thru winter, they may even eat the occasional acorns when they are in the woods. And they water themselves and cool themselves off in a pond just downslope from the biggest stand of woods. Not a total tree hugger, otherwise I would only own battery powered chainsaws (or no chainsaws), but it did get me thinking about flinging oil all over the edges of the pasture. My MS 290 and 460 always seemed stingy about throwing oil, but I guess they did because I'd have to refill it regularly. Haven't really had a pile of chips or sand where I could test the Echos yet.

I am now using Stihl's supposedly biodegradable stuff.

The dealer says me and the local university are the only ones who buy the stuff. They must buy enough to keep him ordering it. We'll see how it holds up in the winter. Always before I'd use the Stihl blue bottle in cold, orange rest of the year.

Guess I could always switch to olive oil, and market beef to Italian restaurants.

 

[Lightning Performance]

Used motor oil is a known carcinogen. In addition its contains lead and other heavy metals. I'd rather not get the crap on me or inhale it.

The main reason I switched to virgin canola oil.

 

[Bango Skank]

Save a buck or two by switching to extra slutty olive oil.

 

[FabianRW]

Being a woodworker I can say that most oils that are natural and therefore do not pollute in the way synthetic or petrochemical oils do simply will go rancid, set or smell awful.
Then there's the flammability and low temperature flashpoint of oils like parrafin oil, it just wouldn't be a good idea.

I've no idea but some vegetable oil with a thickener would make sense, maybe coconut oil as thickener, sunflower oil as the bulk of it. Pretty sure that's pretty much what chain bar oil is anyway!
Don't use anything with a flashpoint lower than regular bar oil!!!!!!!!!!! Your chainsaw could become a flamethrower.

So you're stuck with a very small number that will both work well because of consistency and shelf life and not be pollutant, hazardous or crap.

 

[OM617YOTA]

I didn't have anything blow up with just plain Wesson, or whatever was cheapest.

The issue is drying vs. non drying oils, or which ones harden. Canola will harden, the same way linseed or tung oil will. If the oil didn't harden, it'd be fine in a saw, right?

I forget what exactly the science mumbo jumbo was, free radicals vs stable oils or something, but the oils that wouldn't dry out and harden(like peanut oil) did freeze at high temps. It was like putting sticks of butter in your bar oil tank. They're also more expensive than just using bar oil.

If you're cutting in water temps, and want to try this out, peanut oil might be your thing. Or keep the oil in the cab of your truck. Once the saw gets running and warms up, it'll keep the oil liquid, no problem.

 

[bwalker]

I also think it's a mistake to believe all petroleum based or synthetic oils are terrible for the environment. They are not. They biodegrade just like anything else.
Esters in fact biodegrade very rapidly, which one reason they aren't the best for a two cycle storage lube.
Now, when you start to talk about motor oil which is fortified with heavy metals and assorted chemicals or used oil they definitely do hurt the environment to varying degrees. Straight bar oil not so much.

 

[thenne1713]

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?

Back in the 1970s and earlier, most all saw manuals called for 30w oil for bar oil.

 

[ladnar]

I didn't read all three pages of this thread, but I have a question WallyMart has BlackMax bar & chain oil for $10 gallon. Anybody use it? Does it work well? Some people say use the cheapest stuff you can get, is that OK? I usually use Durex (red) which used to cost around $11-12. anymore it's closer to $20. Thank you for any replies or advice. I bought some BlackMax, I haven't used it yet.

 

[The Shooters Apprentice]

Cheapest you will find is used engine oil. It’s all my dad used logging for his whole career and he’s dang near 70 now with no health issues.

I always have an abundance of used 5w40 from the ol 7.3 powerstroke so that’s what I use.

 

[camel2019]

I didn't read all three pages of this thread, but I have a question WallyMart has BlackMax bar & chain oil for $10 gallon. Anybody use it? Does it work well? Some people say use the cheapest stuff you can get, is that OK? I usually use Durex (red) which used to cost around $11-12. anymore it's closer to $20. Thank you for any replies or advice. I bought some BlackMax, I haven't used it yet.

I’d go ahead and use it

 

[HarleyT]

BAR OIL THREAD!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[jakethesnake]

Back when Covid took the world over I couldn’t buy bar oil locally. On another chainsaw forum pure canola oil was mentioned. I bought 5 gallons. I’ve left it set over the summer in my saws. No ill effects

Pure clean canola oil doesn’t rot inside the oil tank like some of the other crap vegetable oil I’ve tried in the past.

Works for me so far Super hot summer time sitting was my only concern but all is well

 

[Lozen]

I've used drain oil forever. I'm 64, heat with only wood. I used to use it in a pinch, then in late 80's became friends with guys in British Columbia that spent their working lives in logging camps. Several used it exclusively in their personal saws. One is a mechanic who's quite meticulous.

 

[OM617YOTA]

If he's running drain oil, he ain't that meticulous.

 

[sb47]

This thread........

 

[skeet88]

This thread........

 

[bwalker]

I didn't read all three pages of this thread, but I have a question WallyMart has BlackMax bar & chain oil for $10 gallon. Anybody use it? Does it work well? Some people say use the cheapest stuff you can get, is that OK? I usually use Durex (red) which used to cost around $11-12. anymore it's closer to $20. Thank you for any replies or advice. I bought some BlackMax, I haven't used it yet.

I recently seen Durex on sale for $13 per gallon.
Wilco has it for 14.99
I have been using Durex lately and it's thick snotty stuff for sure. I like it, but not sure it works any better than thinner El cheapo bar oil.