DIY blend of Bar and Chain Oil

[davefr]

Sometimes I have open containers of assorted lubricants and use them to spike my bar and chain oil jug. It's usually clean unused fluids like ATF, motor oil, hydraulic fluids, gear oils, etc.

I usually try to "guesstimate" a concoction that won't be too far off the base viscosity and usually try and keep the "special" blend with a base of at least 50% factory bar and chain oil to maintain some "cling" additives.

Any harm in this practice??

 

[sedanman]

That's exactly how the refinery makes it. Bar oil is any junk left over that the refinery can't figure out any other use for. If a batch of Mobil 1 failed testing and it would be too difficult to fix, viola. synthetic bar oil. If they accidentally made too much atf, more bar oil.

 

[ShoerFast]

Davefr
Blueing on any of the components is a sure sign of extreme heat and wear, watching areas like the trailing side (driven side) of the drive links, drive sprockets and grove wear and compairing it to how its been wearing. Things like tranny fld's dont have a lot of cling, a Stihl rep once told me that a good bar oil wont sling off of the nose as much as the drive sprocket as its a lot tighter turn and more centrifical force. So if your concoction slings at the nose of the bar, there isant as much were you need it, the underside of the bar as the chain is doing the work! But the bottem line, are you robbing Peter to pay Paul? ,,,,or are you replacing parts with the money your oil saves?

 

[2Coilinveins]

You'll be fine with your mix. Do a search, lots of people use lots of different stuff for bar oil and don't have any problems. I use plain ole veggie oil from the grocery store, way thinner than bar oil and no tack, and I have no probs either. At least, none having to do with b&c wear.