How do you maintain your saws?

[bruiser 1]

Sounds easy enough how often is it recommended to grease it? Do you just use regular wheel bearing grease?

Grease mine after everydays use!I use that OREGON grease thats at WallyWorld

 

[PA Plumber]

Isnt the roller bearing kind of a pain to get too? I guess you dont grease it too often?

Takes less than 2 minutes to get to the needle bearing under the clutch drum.

When the bar cover is off, it takes less than a minute.

About once every 10 to 30 tanks (give or take) of fuel I do pull off the drum and give it a very good wipe down. Then take a teeny bit of grease (a little dab'll do ya!) and lube the needle bearings. Reassembly and it's good for another few loads of logs/firewood/etc.

Wouldn't hurt to clean out the bar rails with every fresh chain and/or when flipping the bar.

When doing air compressor cleaning, I do try to get every nook and cranny. Even go over the recoil housing and cylinder fins. Only takes a jiffy.

 

[A.E. Metal Werx]

every day that i use the saws i pull the top cover, side cover, bar, chain and filter off and blow all the saw dust out (filter last) and then take a rag and wipe the hole saw down and then grease (bell ray) the clutch bearing and also use it in the bar. also take the blow gun down the bar rails. check plug to make sure its running right and bolt it all back togeather and im ready for a different day. i also run klotz oil. run that oil in my race bike and also my sled. tore the P.C. down and had a nice film of oil on the cylinder.

 

[funky sawman]

I let my saws sleep next to me when I go to bed, but lately my wife does not like the smell of them. Now they sleep in the living room. They get cleaned in the bathtub!!!

 

[True Blue Sam]

Ditto

Ditto on Alderman's daily regimen. I like to use moly grease on the nose and clutch bearing, and I swap chains to keep even wear on the ones in my kit. I like my Husky's because the clutch bearing is easy to grease through the end of the crankshaft.

 

[JJay03]

Thanks guys all this info together is helping me plan a maintenance routine . Ive used chainsaws before of course but never got into taking them apart much yet. Now cars I know very well so its just a bit of a learning curve for me. I want to get these down tho so I can build my own from spare parts eventually looks fun.

 

[bruiser 1]

Don't forget to "FLIP" your bar

 

[JJay03]

I let my saws sleep next to me when I go to bed, but lately my wife does not like the smell of them. Now they sleep in the living room. They get cleaned in the bathtub!!!

I was thinking about replacing my pistol with my saw next to the night stand for home defense. Also I actually like the smell of gas and 2-stroke exhaust on my clothes after im done for the day. Too bad the ladys dont find it very appealing.

 

[Raymond]

Every once in a while, say 50 tanks, wait till its empty and then fill up the oil tank half way with gas. Shake it up and dump it out. Also, check all the bolts and screws, they tend to rattle loose on new saws.

I even run the saw with out a bar (because of a chance of a spark for one thing) with gas in the oil tank. Running it through, seeing gas coming out of the oiler. Then dump it out.
I usually don't do that though till I find it isn't oiling properly.

 

[Raymond]

Isnt the roller bearing kind of a pain to get too? I guess you dont grease it too often?

Did they give you a little STIHL screwdriver?
I've found that popping that clip off with it works best on the clutch. With the break off, pull the clutch off and you'll see the bearing then.
I wouldn't worry about that till like mid summer though.

Watch that clip, it likes to take off.

 

[ms310]

car wash

I take mine to the car wash, i put a zip lock baggy over the air filer, tun the choke on and give her a high pressure washing, spotless rinse and hot wax treatment, u would be amazed how well this works. Only do this about 4 times a year tho

 

[GASoline71]

Grease mine after everydays use!I use that OREGON grease thats at WallyWorld

Really? I have never greased the clutch bearing... unless I'm changin' out a sprocket.

Then again... it's your saw...

Gary

 

[BobL]

Here is my protocol, I keep a laminated check list in my top pocket protector!

 

[whitedogone]

I even run the saw with out a bar (because of a chance of a spark for one thing) with gas in the oil tank. Running it through, seeing gas coming out of the oiler. Then dump it out.
I usually don't do that though till I find it isn't oiling properly.

I thinks solvent would be a better choice thn GAS. :bang:

 

[bruiser 1]

Really? I have never greased the clutch bearing... unless I'm changin' out a sprocket.

Then again... it's your saw...

Gary

Yeah I know Gary but, it seems that at the end of the day when I cleanerup that Needle ,Roller bearing looks and feels DRY. I'm not sure if it's the high R.P.M's of the saw. I know a guy who never greased the bearing and it was one of those all metal one's and when he went to replace sprocket it was like WELDED to the crank shaft, No **** MANG. I usually LET-R- RUN and GET-R- DUN.

 

[Mike PA]

"showing respect for your saw" LMAO

You guys are making me feel bad - I don't give my saw enough love.

I bring it home and put it away in the shed. Thought I was doing good to keep it out of the weather. :biggrinbounce2:

I clean the filter regularly and generally wipe the crap off when it builds up, but that's about it. When I clean the filter, I usually blow air around the carb to clean that area up, but that's it. Saws are made to be dirty. I take better care of it by not tossing it around, letting it bounce around the bed of my truck, or letting a tree fall on it than by cleaning it. I gotta think more saws die because of this than because they are dirty. Bearing gets greased when there's a reason. Grease should last more than a day?!? I also try not to run my saw out of gas. I figure that the gas is the only thing lubing the cylinder, so when there isn't enough gas to run, there isn't enough there to lube it.

 

[Raymond]

"showing respect for your saw" LMAO

You guys are making me feel bad - I don't give my saw enough love.

I bring it home and put it away in the shed. Thought I was doing good to keep it out of the weather. :biggrinbounce2:

I clean the filter regularly and generally wipe the crap off when it builds up, but that's about it. When I clean the filter, I usually blow air around the carb to clean that area up, but that's it. Saws are made to be dirty. I take better care of it by not tossing it around, letting it bounce around the bed of my truck, or letting a tree fall on it than by cleaning it. I gotta think more saws die because of this than because they are dirty. Bearing gets greased when there's a reason. Grease should last more than a day?!? I also try not to run my saw out of gas. I figure that the gas is the only thing lubing the cylinder, so when there isn't enough gas to run, there isn't enough there to lube it.

:hmm3grin2orange: I hear what you're smokin'
Don't get me wrong, I smack'em around some too.

 

[True Blue Sam]

(I also try not to run my saw out of gas. I figure that the gas is the only thing lubing the cylinder, so when there isn't enough gas to run, there isn't enough there to lube it. MikePA)

It's ok to let your saw run out once in a while, because it is a good way to check your carb setting. If the saw revs up, you are not set over-lean, which is good. If the engine sags when it begins to run out, you are probably set a bit too lean, and you could be damaging the rings, piston, and jug. You can also make this check on the bench by having a helper momentarily pinch your fuel line with the saw revved. I like to have my settings checked by someone with a tach so I can get the performance without scoring the insides.

 

[Raymond]

(I also try not to run my saw out of gas. I figure that the gas is the only thing lubing the cylinder, so when there isn't enough gas to run, there isn't enough there to lube it. MikePA)

It's ok to let your saw run out once in a while, because it is a good way to check your carb setting. If the saw revs up, you are not set over-lean, which is good. If the engine sags when it begins to run out, you are probably set a bit too lean, and you could be damaging the rings, piston, and jug. You can also make this check on the bench by having a helper momentarily pinch your fuel line with the saw revved. I like to have my settings checked by someone with a tach so I can get the performance without scoring the insides.

REALLY!...See, I learned something new today.

 

[alpinecrick]

Compressed air. Engine degreaser. Judicous use of the garden hose.


When things get really dirty, break down to the sub-assemblies and wash them in the parts cleaner........



Casey