Chain won't spin after tightening the nut

[livemusic]

Husqvarna 346... got the chain sharpened after hitting some barbwire in a tree, lol... put it back on and I can't figure this out but the chain will not move in the guide bar after tightening the front nut. Everything looks fine and dandy... chain seated around rim sprocket well and in the guidebar groove. I can tighten the back nut with some torque and I can tighten the front nut by hand and the chain still spins like I want it, but if I torque the front nut with the scrench, the chain won't move. As I always say... I know enough to be dangerous, lol... but I cannot figure this out.

It has a Husky Techlite bar. One thing I don't like, the slotted screw that you turn to adjust chain tension... it is all the way to the left from the getgo. I guess it doesn't matter long as the chain snugs correctly. What could be wrong?

 

[Mad Professor]

Chain brake on?

 

[grack]

Check for burrs on the bottom of the drive links.

 

[livemusic]

Chain brake on?

Nope.

 

[mathewsdxt75]

Sounds like the bar is bent or the rail has a bend causing a pinch.
Or...
Try a different chain and see what it does.
That would eliminate the chain.

 

[user 122190]

Find something that just fills the bars slot, then slowly trace the slot. You've likely a small burr to find then file or sand smooth.

 

[livemusic]

These suggestions being made... why does this non-movement occur upon torquing the front nut? The chain spins fine and dandy until torque is applied. Thanks.

 

[J. Talley]

You're absolutely positive the chain is lined up right and you're not pinching a link with the clutch cover? Does that model have that little plastic piece in the cover that sits next to the chain?

 

[user 122190]

You'll have to tell us. You'll know once you figure it out exactly what is going on.

These suggestions being made... why does this non-movement occur upon torquing the front nut? The chain spins fine and dandy until torque is applied. Thanks.

 

[lone wolf]

Tighten a little at a time while moving the chain and try to pinpoint what jamming.

 

[HarleyT]

Loosen your chain adjustment, and rotate the chain a bit, then torque the nuts to see if it still does it. That will help you figure out your problem. Don't run the saw with
a loose chain, just try this to help isolate the problem.

 

[livemusic]

You're absolutely positive the chain is lined up right and you're not pinching a link with the clutch cover? Does that model have that little plastic piece in the cover that sits next to the chain?

That is the only thing that makes sense to me -- that tightening the nut is causing the cover to pinch the chain somehow. Going to take a look again.

UPDATE: It's hard to tell for sure, and I did put it on some glass and that was inconclusive... but sighting down the guide bar groove, this bar looks slightly bent to me. Maybe it was this way when I got it. The bar appeared to be new or certainly near new when I got it. I was somewhat disappointed that it's a 14" bar. The saw is ported and really strong, I would rather have at least a 16" bar on it, but that's more money and for limbing, I guess the 14" will be ok. I have not run this saw more than one hour. Hitting that barbed wire in a cut, I can't see how that would bend the bar, seems to me it would just dull the chain. Which it did.

 

[Chainsaw Jim]

Can you take a few pics of the cover and saw with the chain off?

 

[livemusic]

Loosen your chain adjustment, and rotate the chain a bit, then torque the nuts to see if it still does it. That will help you figure out your problem. Don't run the saw with
a loose chain, just try this to help isolate the problem.

OK, I loosened it up alot and when I tightened the nuts, I could rotate the chain. Not totally freely, but somewhat. As opposed to doing it the 'right way,' meaning I adjust the chain tension like I want it, and then tighten the nuts, and it totally locks up the chain.

What does this indicate? Thanks.

 

[lone wolf]

OK, I loosened it up alot and when I tightened the nuts, I could rotate the chain. Not totally freely, but somewhat. As opposed to doing it the 'right way,' meaning I adjust the chain tension like I want it, and then tighten the nuts, and it totally locks up the chain.

What does this indicate? Thanks.

Chainbrake could be jamming ,look for marks or something bent. do you have another clutch cover you can swap?

 

[a. palmer jr.]

I assume that's the right bar and chain for that saw..

 

[rob066]

Check clutch drum bearing. The bearing holds the drum and rim in alignment to the bar and brake

 

[rob066]

Also check for bent crankshaft. probably not so but who knows

 

[J.Walker]

I assume that's the right bar and chain for that saw..

I was thinking the same thing.
If he is running a Husky Teclite bar on a 346xp the bar must be a 3/8's LP bar, 50 ga chain. This comb should work but the amount of drive links required may be off by one drive link. He said that the chain adjusted is at one of it's limits.

 

[HarleyT]

put up some pics