Bar Oil Substitute??

[555JM]

Hi,
I've got about 15 gallons of hydraulic oil that I recently drained from my tractor transmission at its 50 hour service. I believe it is Kubota Super UDT semi-synthetic, although could be plain UDT dino-juice.

It's nice light clean looking stuff that I drained into new containers and it only has 50 hours on it. Do you think I'd get into trouble using this stuff as bar oil?

I'm a recovering used crankcase oil-aholic. Have nearly broken myself of using that as bar oil, but the saws do get a little nip of it now and then :taped:.
Bob

 

[Haywire Haywood]

It appears that you already know that it's a bad idea... go with what you know..

Ian

 

[Chainsaw Master]

15 gal. times $4.00 per gal = $60........ about the cost of a new bar and chain, I'd use the oil, then buy a new bar and chain with the savings.

 

[eyolf]

Used oil is bad for saws for two reasons: mechanically and chemically destructive contaminants. I never use old crankcase oil (anymore...I used to, too). Acids in used oil can destroy a saw quickly. Especially diesel drainings.

the transhydraul-type stuff should be fine, esp at 50 hrs. Most units use excellent filtration. and there should be no chemical agents to attack the insides of your saw. Those 15 gallons should last you quite a while.

Why are you changing out the tranny oil so soon?

 

[555JM]

New tractor, eyolf. Kubota recommends complete fluid change at 50 hrs. You're right, the system is filtered and the stuff looks like new.

For the refill, a fresh five gallon pail of SUDT cost me $75.00 :jawdrop: as I recall....something I try not to remember.
Bob

 

[Haywire Haywood]

Wouldn't it sling off at the bar tip and so underlube the bottom of the bar where the most wear occurs? I thought that was the reason that bar oil was so ropy.

 

[Justsaws]

Hi,
I've got about 15 gallons of hydraulic oil that I recently drained from my tractor transmission at its 50 hour service. I believe it is Kubota Super UDT semi-synthetic, although could be plain UDT dino-juice.

Having done that myself I can say it worked okay on slow saws with short bars. I do not know how much you use your saws or what kind you are using but it worked okay when I did it. My use happened in the dead of winter and seemed to be the same a cheaper(less than $9.00 per gallon) winter weight bar oil.

 

[Urbicide]

I have heard of guys dumping the drained hydro fluid into the fuel tank on their (diesel) tractors.

 

[John464]

we use new motor oil, not used. it works just as welll. it is my opinion that bar oil is just regular oil w/ different packaging and a bigger price tag.

 

[Stumper]

Haywire, The tack additives are in there to keep the oil from slinging off the bar tip....and how do we check the oiler's function? Hold the tip of the bar away from a clean surface and watch for oil splatter. Hmmm. If the tacking agents kept the oil on the bar and chain why do we need to pump a whole tank of oil with a tank of fuel--- about 25 drops should suffice. The tack additives probably do help the oil make a full trip around the bar better but obviously there is no magic way to actually keep the oil on the bar and chain. Experience has shown that no-tack oils get carried to the underside of the bar. Since all that is needed is an oil film to prevent steel on steel from wearing excessively the tacking agents are more hype than anything else.

 

[RaisedByWolves]

Most hydro oils are about 10wt.


You would probably do better mixing it with your diesel than using it as bar oil.



Better yet, dump it in your heating oil tank.

 

[GPH85]

I'm sure I'll get some sort of "yelling at" for this, but in all honesty, I don't personally like the bar and chain oil... Yes we use it, but when I've got some, I try to use cheap gear oil... Bar and chain oil just always flings off of the end of the bar, no matter what brand it may be. The gear oil or automatic tranny fluid "yeah tried that one too" would carry all the way around the bar. This is with a 36 inch bar too, not a "particularly" short one. In fact when you pump the manual oiler "on the old saws" you can watch it go to the end of the bar and continue on around it. With our Husky "higher rpm saw", we haven't had any problems either... Besides, the auto or hydraulic fluid is formulized for how high of a pressure system? Don't think you need to worry about lubing properties there...

I've never used "used" fluids and don't plan on it, but if you can't see metal shavings or can run a clean magnet through it and not pick up any shavings and aren't worried about the fluid too much, then I say, what could it hurt?

Don't know, just my own personal opinion on the matter I guess...

If you burn the oil in your tractor, you will notice a whole lot more smoke and I don't necessarily recommend it...

Greg

 

[Marc1]

Why not use it as bar oil with the addition of a can of Winn, Nulon or similar to increase viscosity?

As for re-use the oil. If you could find someone with an Emmie alfa laval centrifuge, you could re use the oil for it's intended purpose again and again.

 

[555JM]

'real' bar oil a mixed bag IMHO

I've only used two actual "bar oils". The Poulan stuff I get at Wally World and Dolmar that I get from the local shop. The Poulan oil turned the saws into a gooey mess with dust and shavings clinging to everything. Not only that, but the chains seemed to need tightening all the time. Even crankcase oil performed better...saws were cleaner and the chains stayed tight.

The Dolmar oil is much lighter and cleaner. Maybe it's a winter blend. I've kept my Husky 359 on that since new. Funny thing is that there never seems to be much oil on the Husky's chain. It'll fling a little off the end and the reservoir will need refilling when I run out of gas but, other than that, I've often wondered whether the Husky's oiler is working. Still the chain stays tight and doesn't get hot.

My Dolmar 401 seems to use lots of oil. The chain is always wet with it and it flings a lot off the end. It's the same no matter what oil I use. But the Poulan oil really makes a mess of that saw.
Bob

P.S. I've put over a quart of tranny/hyd. oil through the Dolmar so far. Chain stays tight and no problems yet.

 

[manual]

I have used all types of oils in my saws.
I used up 3 gallons of trans fluid. Yea the chain streached more. But never broke one. I find it a cost savings. I have used 30 wt oil in the winter not a problem. I have 2 gallons of bar lube and mixed one gallon of turbine
engine oil with it. I pull the chain down after a cut and see fluid on the bar.

Call me cheap I don't care.

 

[Marc1]

If only the bar manufacturers had a bit of imagination and made a bar with a channel inside that takes the oil from the pump straight to the tip, all this super duper tacky ultra viscous oils would not be needed, any oil would do.
How hard can that be?

 

[manual]

Marc1
Thats a thought, I'm wondering about all the oil getting slung back on the operator.

 

[Marc1]

Well the oiler could have a way to increase or decrease the flow, a little tap with 2 positions would probably do. Also when the saw is at high revs, the chain is supposed to be in a cut so any oil fling would happen inside the saw at the sprockets. Clearly some modifications may be necessary but I always found the oiler at the top of the bar a bit of a lazy/cheap solution. Could have a catcher/collector can for the oil behind the clutch....could then re/use it ... he he

 

[hamradio]

Acutally, I converted a home heating oil burner to run on used motor oil. I'd drop the oil on the four wheeler, pour it into the burner, and heat the shop with it. I used a reddy heater nozzle for the nozzle. The best burning thing I found (besides fuel oil) was hydro fluid from my Kubota. And used ATF.

 

[Diesel JD]

Haha, flame time. I use canola oil. I have used regular bar oil, biodiesel, and fresh motor oil 15W-40 Rotella, and el Cheapo 10W-30. The biodiesel was a bad idea, because it might damage the oiler's plastic parts. It was on a tired B&C but it didn't seem to make them any worse. All bar oils and the virgin motor oils have performed fine...no problems here. Corn oil sucks, it really sticks if you leave your saw any length of time without running..it lubes well if you run it every day though. canola seems ok for my level of use. As Stumper said, it is preventing that metal metal contact and excessive heating/burning that a bar oil is for, therefore I will take my chances with the canola. If I screw something up I'll let you all know, if you play ball there are risks. That being said, that hydraulic fluid should be very low risk as bar lube. It would be acceptable diesel fuel....in an old diesel, but with these newer, high performance low emisions diesels I would think you might be setting yourself up for some things you would not like. But if you have a pre computerized diesel, especially an IDI, pour it in the tank and mix it about D80 and HF 20 and call it good. My 2 bits