How leaky?

[Tex68w]

I pulled my MS261 C-M out of it's case this afternoon to cut up a large branch that fell some 40ft from my neighbors tree onto our driveway just narrowly missing our SUV. It tagged the rock slider leaving it with a shiner but hey, that's what sliders are for.

Much to my surprise, when I pulled it from its case it had lost most of its bar oil. Is this normal for them to leak out probably 70-80% of the tank over time? I thought I had drained the oil along with the fuel upon using it last prior to putting it away (I guess I didn't), that was some time back. I wiped it down and topped off the fuel and in five pulls she fired right up and ran like a top, as expected.

So is this normal or should I be looking for a cracked tank or faulty outlet?

 

[lone wolf]

I pulled my MS261 C-M out of it's case this afternoon to cut up a large branch that fell some 40ft from my neighbors tree onto our driveway just narrowly missing our SUV. It tagged the rock slider leaving it with a shiner but hey, that's what sliders are for.

Much to my surprise, when I pulled it from its case it had lost most of its bar oil. Is this normal for them to leak out probably 70-80% of the tank over time? I thought I had drained the oil along with the fuel upon using it last prior to putting it away (I guess I didn't), that was some time back. I wiped it down and topped off the fuel and in five pulls she fired right up and ran like a top, as expected.

So is this normal or should I be looking for a cracked tank or faulty outlet?

They all leak.

 

[catbuster]

I have a 441 with 10 hours on it that leaks as much as my 22 year old 046. They leak. It is what it is.

How long did your saw sit?

 

[Tex68w]

I have a 441 with 10 hours on it that leaks as much as my 22 year old 046. They leak. It is what it is.

How long did your saw sit?

To be honest with you I don't really recall, probably 8-10 months, but I am really just guessing here. I haven't run it much since we moved.

Glad to hear that this is normal. I've never let the saw sit this long with bar oil in it so it was surprising.

 

[Wood Doctor]

They all leak.

Not all, but most. I have about 10 chain saws that leak no bar oil at all, but several leak and there is no easy fix. Some have leaked since I bought them new. The dealer says, "That's the way it is."

 

[lone wolf]

Not all, but most. I have about 10 chain saws that leak no bar oil at all, but several leak and there is no easy fix. Some have leaked since I bought them new. The dealer says, "That's the way it is."

Well all mine do anyway.

 

[Tex68w]

Good enough for me.

 

[clemsonfor]

None of my 3 or so stihls leak. I have a Husky 372 that doesn't either. But the husky 555 that work bought me new has since day one. Leaves a mess in my tool box I had bought for the side of the truck for it. I wipe it out every so often and throw in wadds of gas station shop paper towels when I think about it to help soak it up

Sent from my moto g(7) using Tapatalk

 

[ammoaddict]

None of my saws leak 70-80% of the bar oil out.

Sent from my Moto G (4) using Tapatalk

 

[catbuster]

80% in 8 months is ~.3% per day. I would say that’s just fine. I have a place I put my saws and it gets a blast of Brakleen and a wipe every once in a while.

 

[s sidewall]

Glad my Echo and old Poulans don't leak. Now my Mac will over time.

Steve Sidwell

 

[Okie294life]

I pulled my MS261 C-M out of it's case this afternoon to cut up a large branch that fell some 40ft from my neighbors tree onto our driveway just narrowly missing our SUV. It tagged the rock slider leaving it with a shiner but hey, that's what sliders are for.

Much to my surprise, when I pulled it from its case it had lost most of its bar oil. Is this normal for them to leak out probably 70-80% of the tank over time? I thought I had drained the oil along with the fuel upon using it last prior to putting it away (I guess I didn't), that was some time back. I wiped it down and topped off the fuel and in five pulls she fired right up and ran like a top, as expected.

So is this normal or should I be looking for a cracked tank or faulty outlet?

My 261 doesn’t leak, but it’s new, I would take it back if it did. I had a 340 and a 455 rancher that both leaked, in both cases the fix was to clear or replace the feeder tube for the bar oiler. I don’t stihl has a tube but it still may not hurt to check to make sure everything is clean. If you do that and bleed the pressure off the oil tank before you store it, it shouldn’t leak unless you have a cracked tank.

 

[clemsonfor]

My 261 doesn’t leak, but it’s new, I would take it back if it did. I had a 340 and a 455 rancher that both leaked, in both cases the fix was to clear or replace the feeder tube for the bar oiler. I don’t stihl has a tube but it still may not hurt to check to make sure everything is clean. If you do that and bleed the pressure off the oil tank before you store it, it shouldn’t leak unless you have a cracked tank.

I know that saw I have that leaks bad. When it gets hot, as it's stored in a black tool box as the oil expands it just pushed out more.

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[champion221elite]

I have a Husky 435 that leaks pretty bad. I even tried storing it on its side to see if the leaking would stop or at least slow down. All it does is fill the clutch cover with oil and it dumps out the first time you sit it on its bottom. This saw I just run as low as possible on oil before storing it for any length of time. I should paint over some of the orange with black and call it my Harley Davidson saw since it leaks oil just like and HD.

 

[Tex68w]

I know that saw I have that leaks bad. When it gets hot, as it's stored in a black tool box as the oil expands it just pushed out more.

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Well it is stored in a hard case in the garage in South Texas where it has been quite hot for the past few months, I guess it's possible that it is doing the same thing as yours due to the heat.

 

[dallasak]

My year old 261 c-m leaks, my 40 year old Jonsereds 49sp does not.

 

[Ax-man]

I have to put diapers (old rags) under some of mine to soak up the oil . I would be more concerned about the saw starting than I would bar oil.

 

[SteveSr]

Well it is stored in a hard case in the garage in South Texas where it has been quite hot for the past few months, I guess it's possible that it is doing the same thing as yours due to the heat.

My experience is with 026/260s. I don't know how much Stihl changed the oiling system in the 261s.

The oil tank has a one-way vent valve in it that will let air in (as oil is consumed) but not let oil out. The vent is high on the tank near the bar studs. Its that 1/4" round thingy with the teeny-tiny hole in it. If this valve is dirty AND the oil level in the tank is HIGH you can leak some oil from there. This should be easy to spot. Just clean the area and come back in a day.

If the vent valve is working properly the oil tank can be slightly pressurized due to changes in ambient temperature if stored in an unheated garage or attic. If the oil pump is clean there should be no direct path through it. However, I have seen pumps collect trash (sawdust & shavings) that get into the tank (there is NO filter just a screen). When this happens the oil can be forced through the trash in the pump and out the regular oiler tube. Agasin, this should be easy to spot.

I fixed an 026/260 that wasn't oiling enough and was leaking by disassembling the pump and cleaning it out.

Good luck!

 

[buttercup]

I don't know about the newer high performance saws like the 261 but if you look at the traditional design, the oil pump is lubricated by the bar oil and it is made so that some oil leaks out to lubricate and cool off the oil pump plastic gears and axles.
The result is that it seems like bar oil is leaking in to the clutch house, only it's not leaking - it's deliberately meant to be like that by design.

Arrest me if I'm wrong.

 

[SteveSr]

I don't know about the newer high performance saws like the 261 but if you look at the traditional design, the oil pump is lubricated by the bar oil and it is made so that some oil leaks out to lubricate and cool off the oil pump plastic gears and axles.
The result is that it seems like bar oil is leaking in to the clutch house, only it's not leaking - it's deliberately meant to be like that by design.

Arrest me if I'm wrong.

I don't think this is by design. True, you may get a VERY small amount along the pump plunger shaft but I don't see puddles of oil under my saws when I leave them sit for several months. The leakage the OP described is excessive from my experience.