346XP leaking bar oil

[Bowtie]

Glad you like it! Was the cylinder in good shape? Your in trouble, you've caught the Husky disease. Don't keep your 346 in the same room as those Stihl's or it'll try to shoot oil on them.

Cylinder looked great David. Piston looked good too. I just scored a new Sugi Hara 3/8 .050 18" bar here on AS to bolt on it.

Thank you for hooking me up with this saw, it is everything I read a 346ne would be!

 

[Bowtie]

Bye the way, I'm keeping my 261. I absolutely love that saw too!

 

[dsell]

Let me know if the 3/8 chain makes a difference. That's what was on the 55 when I got it, 3/8-20. I didn't cut with it before I switched it to .325-18. I thought the 3/8 and 20" was a bit much for that saw, and awkward.

 

[Bowtie]

Let me know if the 3/8 chain makes a difference. That's what was on the 55 when I got it, 3/8-20. I didn't cut with it before I switched it to .325-18. I thought the 3/8 and 20" was a bit much for that saw, and awkward.

I will do that.

 

[c5rulz]

Glad you like it! Was the cylinder in good shape? Your in trouble, you've caught the Husky disease. Don't keep your 346 in the same room as those Stihl's or it'll try to shoot oil on them.

Actually the oil is just evidence the Husky did something else to the Stihl's.

 

[expy]

Got the word today that my dealer fixed it. Even though it looks like it was just a dirt issue (no warranty) he still didn't charge me. It's nice to have a good Husqvarna shop close to me. Plus he said my 562xp was in!

Brought it home, set it on the saw table (in the front room) and she oozed all night long. No big deal,I'm having fun trying to fix it myself and I'm learning a few things.

 

[Carl Anderson]

I haven't been on in a while so I'm due for a good rant. I admit I'm just a Joe homeowner but I burn wood as my primary source of heat and as a former landscaper I like good equipment which is why I bought my 346 rather than a box store saw. It annoys the crap out of me that my still new, expensive saw has begun puking oil all over the place, it wasn't that bad at first. I tried a few different storage methods and it didn't help, in fact it might be getting worse. I brought it to the dealer who said it might just need a cleaning which I have done myself but I figured maybe they can do it better. So they cleaned it and sharpened the chain and charged me $20 and the saw still leaks as bad as ever.

There has to be something wrong to be leaking this much. My J-Red and other saws never leaked this bad and they rarely got cleaned. If it were a cheap crap saw I'd chalk it up as you get what you pay for but when you buy the one of the best saws out there you expect a simple thing like keeping oil in the tank to work properly. I know all the pros are gonna just say if I were a real woodcutter having some oil spillage would not bother me but this is more than a little oil and it's the principle of it - I can live with some oil spillage, I expect a normal amount but for what I spent on "the best" I should not have to live with this much.

I know I sound like a big baby but it just rubs me the wrong way if I have to spend money on a repair for a hardly used saw. It has me wondering if I should have got the 261 instead. I'll try cleaning it out again, burping it again, etc. I will probably be cutting with it in the next few days so I will probably get over the oil issue once I'm reminded how much I love the saw otherwise. If I don't maybe I'll be posting a hardly used 346 for sale while I visit the Stihl dealer. No, I'm not brand loyal, I'm loyal to what works the best.

 

[sunfish]

Such a good saw with such a minor issue...

Pull the clutch off and the plate covering the oil pump and have a look. It is a very simple design. Your dealer must not ever work on these things...

 

[Zippy]

Annoying

I've got a mixture of Stihls and Huskies - mostly late 1990's vintage.

All are bone dry apart from my 1997 371xp. That leaks oil out the oiler hole even if the oil is put in with the saw stone cold.

I empty the tank now before leaving it but just my luck it's my biggest saw/longest bar - be easier on a small saw.

 

[Carl Anderson]

Such a good saw with such a minor issue...

Pull the clutch off and the plate covering the oil pump and have a look. It is a very simple design. Your dealer must not ever work on these things...

I know you are right, it's a great saw, just little things like this seem like a lack of attention to detail that you'd expect in a cheap saw, not a top of the line one. I'm just blowing off steam, it's hot and I'm cranky. I'm not going to take a huge hit selling an otherwise great saw to buy a more expensive Stihl over something so minor.

The dealer is also a John Deere dealer so it's probably a case of them not really wanting to take the time with a $500 customer when they have guys spending tens of thousands on tractors to worry about. I may end up trying a different dealer if I need more help but I'm sure he won't be bending over backwards since I didn't buy the saw there.

I'll pull it apart after my next outing and make sure it's 100% clean and see if there is anything else I notice.

 

[MtnHermit]

I'll pull it apart after my next outing and make sure it's 100% clean and see if there is anything else I notice.

Several photos in post #41 that may help.

I understand your rant. To me a saw should start, then not leak, everything else is up to me.

 

[sunfish]

I know you are right, it's a great saw, just little things like this seem like a lack of attention to detail that you'd expect in a cheap saw, not a top of the line one. I'm just blowing off steam, it's hot and I'm cranky. I'm not going to take a huge hit selling an otherwise great saw to buy a more expensive Stihl over something so minor.

The dealer is also a John Deere dealer so it's probably a case of them not really wanting to take the time with a $500 customer when they have guys spending tens of thousands on tractors to worry about. I may end up trying a different dealer if I need more help but I'm sure he won't be bending over backwards since I didn't buy the saw there.

I'll pull it apart after my next outing and make sure it's 100% clean and see if there is anything else I notice.

John Deere dealer kind of explains that issue.

There is a rubber hose that brings the oil from the pump up to the port where it enters the bar. It is held in place by the plate that covers the oil pump. It could be leaking there, if so a little gasket sealer is all that's needed to fix it.

It is much too hot! That's also why I'm on this site...

 

[Guran]

Maybe this is an old thread by now, but I have the same problem with a 346XPG and found this clip. Seems like good stuff:
Husqvarna chain oil leak repair 346 - YouTube
Will try this.

 

[dsell]

Maybe this is an old thread by now, but I have the same problem with a 346XPG and found this clip. Seems like good stuff:
Husqvarna chain oil leak repair 346 - YouTube
Will try this.

Has anyone used the Blue Hylomar? Would it be better than Dirko? Seems to be inexpensive in the UK, but high $ here. Not that Dirko is cheap!