chainsaws leaking oil

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Wipe all oil off the bottom side of the saw and set it on a clean piece of cardboard or something similar. Should be able to see/track where it's leaking from...

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If mine leak I just turn them on there sides or on rags.
Can't remember the last saw that didn't leave a spot or 2 on the bench.
 
I've been trying to find a tank vent. Any idea where it's at? Right now, I'd think that the caps may be more at fault. I took the caps out, cleaned them up really good, took the o-rings off, and wiped them good, and wiped down the mating surfaces for the tanks. I added some bar oil to the tanks. Still seem to be leaking. Bad o-rings or bad caps??

I didn't fire the saws up after filling. I used med weight stihl oil.
Not sure where it is on those particular models, but if you look you should find it.
 
It is really strange to read that everyone has a saw thats leaking oil.I have a bunch of older Poulans(4200,306a,4000 etc) and a few of the plastic homeowners (2250,2775 etc),i recently bought two Echos,a 490 and a 590,all of them are sitting with oil in the tanks and i've never seen a single drop on the floor.My opinion is that a saw should not leak oil but i know nothing.
 
Store them on their side...........I have had hundreds of saws and all of them have external lub seeping out while setting. It is either coming from the vent, pump, rubber line , crack case, oil cap. It is usually an easy fix, but a new pump on some is the only way to go and they will leak, but usually not as bad as one worn.

I've fought the leaking oil thing on several different models of chainsaws. If they oil the bar/chain ok I just let em leak.
I store them on a catch pan or inside a case. Metal cookie pans or the large livestock molasses tub lids are good oil catch pans. I've even installed new pumps, lines, etc and about time I thought I had it cured, leak again.
 
ok, so, rather than looking at the easy part first, I took the side of the ms200 off to have a look at the oiler. The oiler and the connection into the tank were dry. Oh well, it could use a blowing out anyways.

Note to self, release the chain break when taking the side cover off that saw.

Took off the recoil cover, and the whole of that side was soaked in oil. Looked at the caps I was sure weren't the problem. Looks like the o-ring had debris on it.

Same with the MS241. I have to get them cleaned up now. I"ll report back if that worked.
It is the cap and O ring that makes a mess in there. Replace cap! All that dirt isnt good for the heat dissipation.
 
This is my take especially if you keep your saws outside since the temp swings are more pronounced .... When its cold at night the tank vent lets air into the oil reservoir... When it gets hot during the day it pressurizes it... So even if you fix all the leaks it can still push oil through the oiler if it builds up enough pressure....
 
I notice saws with longer bars do drip some oil. At the Jeep dealer my boss called it running seepage, the bottom of the cj5 was soaked with oil. That’s unacceptable but I kept my mouth shut.

They do that on purpose back east - best way to prevent the winter road salt from dissolving the undercarriage.
 
If the tank is pressurizing from a bad vent it's unlikely a new cap will fix your problems.
Most of the time I have found the tanks pressurized and forces oil through the pump and drains down off the tail of the bar.

I thought the vent was one way... Only supposed to let air in not pressure out...
 
If you want to prevent them from leaking when parked you'll have to empty the tank and close the lid loosely - no other way. An open system with a (functioning) 1-way IN valve will act like a pump when temperatures fluctuate.
 
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