Oil Delivery Concerns - Husky 390 & 372

[Jonny Quest]

There are 3 Husqvarna saws in the Jonny Quest stable: 353, 372XP & 390XP. The 372XP is fairly new and only 10 tanks of fuel through it. The 390XP has low hours on it with only 25 tanks of fuel through it. On the 372, I like to run 20" to 24" bars. The 390 wears 24" up through 32" bars. On both saws, I have the oiler adjustment screws set to "max". However, it seems that the amount of oil getting to the bar/chain is barely adequate. On my old Dol-Kita "Frankensaw" (6401 to 7900 conversion), I could readily see micro droplets of oil flinging off the tip of the saw when I revved the saw. I don't see that with the Huskys. It also seems that the Dol-Kita went through bar oil faster than the 2 Huskys. I haven't seen much unusual chain stretch, but the bar does get fairly warm.

The guide bars I run are either Husqvarna brand or Oregon Power Match replaceable sprocket tip bars. Some of the bars I have drilled out (enlarged) the oil hole and some of the bars have the stock smaller OEM hole that appears to be angled forward. I haven't been able to determine much difference in oil delivery between the drilled and the non-drilled bars. I have seen, however, that small wood debris can occasionally find its way into the drilled-out oil hole. I've often wondered if this debris is impeding the oil feeding. The drilled-out oil holes are perpendicular to the bar, and not angled like the OEM small holes. I'm wondering now if I should angle the drilled-out holes.

My bar oil is typically Husqvarna branded or off-the-shelf stuff from Wally-World.

Any suggestions on increasing oil flow? Am I worrying about nothing? I've got an infra-red laser thermometer gun and I will take a measurement of bar temperature to see if there is too much friction. Any idea on what the bar temps should be for normal operations?

JQ

 

[Bob Hedgecutter]

Compared to the oil pumps/delivery systems of old- they are stingy in my opinion- I own both oil pumps of those models- but mine are mounted in Red saws.
How much of the oil tank drains per tank of gas? Are you getting roughly 2/3 to 3/4 of the oil tank draining per tank of fuel?
Check the two rubber sealing pieces either end of the brass delivery tube past the pump to the bar mating gallery- they can fail and the oil leak before all of it gets to where you want it.
Check the system to see the oil is getting delivered fully with no restrictions- blocked filter, blocked lines, trash in pump, worn worm gear, full and proper contact of the worm gear wing (or wings) with the clutch bell.......
Run the saws without bars to see the oil is coming out of the brass tube end only and in sufficient quantity.

Fill a half tank of bar oil with kerosene or diesel to thin the oil, run it and "clean" the oil delivery system.
Debris in the bar groove will certainly restrict oil flow- worn bars, old chains, dead wood, allow debris to fill oil delivery holes pretty quickly- but first ensure oil is getting where it need to go- properly.

 

[Andyshine77]

I currently own all of those models. In my experience they're always among the better oilers when it come to modern saws, the Stihl models of that time period oiled so little they often had to be upgraded.

If the oilers are in proper order, something else is at play. Check the bars, I've used everything from, husqvarna bars, total, Stihl and have had no oiling issues whatsoever. Sometimes the lines may need to be flushed out, but that's usually on high hour saws.

 

[Jonny Quest]

With the bar off, and the saw running, both saws pump oil out through the oil "port". I like the idea of flushing the oil tanks with a thinned oil (diesel) and then re-filling. I may also look at the drilled/enlarged oil holes and see if there is something that is impeding the oil flow.

JQ

 

[Huskybill]

It’s recommended to wash the oil tank with clean fuel often. Clean the oil hose suction screen too.

 

[HumBurner]

The 372 and 390 oil great, imo. My 572 turned all the way up oils about as much as the other two not turned all the way up.

Edit: I've put 20-28" on the 572, 28-42" on the 390, and 24" only so far on the 372. Even the 20" 572 combo oils poorly, yet it pumps out of the slot fine. /End edit.

The holes on the newer OR Powermatch/mate clog very easily, I've noticed. I end up cleaning the bar and oiler holes almost every tank, especially if it's wet conditions or lots of dead/dry/rotting wood. Sometimes flipping the bar will get most of another tank, but then the oilers are clogged full.

 

[Huskybill]

How often do you clean the bar groove? I don’t like those slanted eye little oil holes.

Oregon needs some feed back it’s not functioning in the real world applications.

 

[cuttinupferalivin]

There are 3 Husqvarna saws in the Jonny Quest stable: 353, 372XP & 390XP. The 372XP is fairly new and only 10 tanks of fuel through it. The 390XP has low hours on it with only 25 tanks of fuel through it. On the 372, I like to run 20" to 24" bars. The 390 wears 24" up through 32" bars. On both saws, I have the oiler adjustment screws set to "max". However, it seems that the amount of oil getting to the bar/chain is barely adequate. On my old Dol-Kita "Frankensaw" (6401 to 7900 conversion), I could readily see micro droplets of oil flinging off the tip of the saw when I revved the saw. I don't see that with the Huskys. It also seems that the Dol-Kita went through bar oil faster than the 2 Huskys. I haven't seen much unusual chain stretch, but the bar does get fairly warm.

The guide bars I run are either Husqvarna brand or Oregon Power Match replaceable sprocket tip bars. Some of the bars I have drilled out (enlarged) the oil hole and some of the bars have the stock smaller OEM hole that appears to be angled forward. I haven't been able to determine much difference in oil delivery between the drilled and the non-drilled bars. I have seen, however, that small wood debris can occasionally find its way into the drilled-out oil hole. I've often wondered if this debris is impeding the oil feeding. The drilled-out oil holes are perpendicular to the bar, and not angled like the OEM small holes. I'm wondering now if I should angle the drilled-out holes.

My bar oil is typically Husqvarna branded or off-the-shelf stuff from Wally-World.

Any suggestions on increasing oil flow? Am I worrying about nothing? I've got an infra-red laser thermometer gun and I will take a measurement of bar temperature to see if there is too much friction. Any idea on what the bar temps should be for normal operations?

JQ

Hello. I just ran across your post. In my opinion you can’t get too much oil to the bar as long as it doesn’t exceed the tank for tank rule
I have many 2 series as well as 3s and 1 562(junk in my opinion)
Anyway I made it a practice to remove the rotating oil plunger from the oil pump and increase the slope on its flat end. This gives the pinion more travel and more oil to the bar. In the end more oil is more horsepower to the rear wheels… as well as torque.
I can take a stoke 372 or 262 and run with a professionally ported saw of each size respectively through large wood…28” and better…
Longer bar life and chain as well. This is what I don’t get … I been reading these forums for yrs and with all the brainstorming going on the most important part of the saw is never touched on unless it doesn’t oil at all… good luck in your endeavors and God bless!

 

[cuttinupferalivin]

How often do you clean the bar groove? I don’t like those slanted eye little oil holes.

Oregon needs some feed back it’s not functioning in the real world applications.

The oil pumps on Husqvarna saws in particular are not designed for optimal oil flow so it would not matter how big, slanted or anything else the bar holes are. There’s just not enough oil flow. Simple solution is to increase the oil flow by machining the pinion on pump. Even Po Bo’s can do it by simply sanding them to increase the slope on flat ends… and they do last, they do not wear out, and they make the saw act as if it had a shot of steroids pumped into it someway through means of expensive porting or larger cyl displacement..

 

[cookies]

The oil pumps on Husqvarna saws in particular are not designed for optimal oil flow so it would not matter how big, slanted or anything else the bar holes are. There’s just not enough oil flow. Simple solution is to increase the oil flow by machining the pinion on pump. Even Po Bo’s can do it by simply sanding them to increase the slope on flat ends… and they do last, they do not wear out, and they make the saw act as if it had a shot of steroids pumped into it someway through means of expensive porting or larger cyl displacement..

please provide a picture library write up Stihls need this modification badly as they barely use enough oil to lube the bar/chain

 

[Woodslasher]

The 372 and 390 oil great, imo. My 572 turned all the way up oils about as much as the other two not turned all the way up.

Edit: I've put 20-28" on the 572, 28-42" on the 390, and 24" only so far on the 372. Even the 20" 572 combo oils poorly, yet it pumps out of the slot fine. /End edit.

The holes on the newer OR Powermatch/mate clog very easily, I've noticed. I end up cleaning the bar and oiler holes almost every tank, especially if it's wet conditions or lots of dead/dry/rotting wood. Sometimes flipping the bar will get most of another tank, but then the oilers are clogged full.

I've started drilling out the holes on the new Oregon bars to match the old style. The 3-rivet tip bars had a ~1/8 hole instead of those tiny slits, so I use a 1/8 drill bit to turn the slits into holes.

 

[albert]

The 372's,, even the lastest xTorq oil profusely when right.

 

[cookies]

The 28" stihl light es bar I purchased this past november has tiny slant oil ports. The oregon chain im running on it kept stretching to the point it hung down showing the drive link tips. I checked the tip spray and it never spit much of any oil. Next I measured the bar oil port using a metric drill bit and a 2mm slid in tightly I then measured the oil port on a tsumura of the same width groove and it measured 4mm. I used a carbide burr in the dremel to make the 2mm into a 4mm oil port and it now slightly throws oil off the bar tip and the chain is barely stretching. That ms460 should be able to empty its oil tank or close to it every fuel tank burned. It may have damaged my oil pump :/

 

[esshup]

What ambient temp are you running the saws in? Here in Northern Indiana I use the winter thinner oil when the ambient temps are below freezing. But I don't have those model saws, I have Dolmar and Echo.

 

[cuttinupferalivin]

The 372's,, even the lastest xTorq oil profusely when right.

 

[cuttinupferalivin]

Out of the hundred or so odd saws I have used, new and used, in the last 21 years not a single one has ever used a tank of oil to a tank of gas. Not one. Run them through a 40” hard wood like Maple and the profuse suddenly becomes scarce oiling.

 

[cuttinupferalivin]

It seems as if this forum is geared towards saw performance than anything else. But then again, in this industry, tree service, I’ve seen the mentality ..
Guys that don’t even check the oil in a sixty thousand dollar truck they drive…

 

[cuttinupferalivin]

Just take the oil pump off and turn the pinion. Keep doing it until you understand the simple metrics of how these things work. It should come to you how to fix the problem. Sandpaper, or, as I do it, a 3” flap disk on diegrinder put to the flat end of the pinion to get a deeper slope on it. Finish it up with a fine piece of sandpaper - 400 grit should do it - and just run it across the paper until a smoother surface is found. I’ve never found that oops I did it too much.. Even on the worse ones I ve done I tried them to see what would happen. A failed pump would’ve been the worse case … Guess what ? They slump oil all over my boots. And cut like hell. And none ever failed. Work saws running all day long…

 

[huskihl]

please provide a picture library write up Stihls need this modification badly as they barely use enough oil to lube the bar/chain

Along with video proof of a stock saw running with a well ported one with the same chain

 

[cuttinupferalivin]

Along with video proof of a stock saw running with a well ported one with the same chain

Well all I run is 262 and 372. If you or someone you know has either, I’d be glad to take a days vacation to see how well my assertion stands. I live in Va and I’ve noticed most of the comments here are coming from within a 6 hr drive.
I’m not trying to knock a ported saw as I have extensive history with saws as well as fully built natural aspirated 800 hp small block chevys which of the later was my niche.
Ive watched the countless videos on n you tube of ported against stock and from what I saw a good oiling stock saw with a 28” bar will blow past the ported one in big wood It is what it is. Either take some good advice and use it or ignore it and keep the friction high between the bar and chain and you know who.