Oil Problem with lightweight bar on MS500i

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juanroberts

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There is a video on Youtube entitled: “Problem with Stihl lightweight bar on MS500i”. It claims the oiling hole on the lightweight bar is too small and it leads to lack of lubrication problems. The recommendation is to drill the hole larger with a 9/64 drill bit. Has anyone tried this or have any thoughts?​


 
All of my bars ES and ES Light have the smaller lube jets for the oil, I have no issues with the lubrication up to 28", but I have not put the 32" bar in wood yet.
Yes all of my lubricators' are wide open running 1 tank of fuel to 3/4 ~ 1 tank of oil depending on the saw / bar length they all lube different and I am going to punch in the lube setting restrictor roll pin for the 500.
 
While we are on the subject and since my 500i is still new and unused, instead of driving the roll pin I am thinking about getting the HO oiler for it. This would give me a spare oiler just encase something happens to any saw 362 and up does anyone have the HO part number?
Standard oiler is: 1142 640 3200
 
Hi. Im new here.. Have worked as a Stihl Fitter for about 10 years. And in other engineering jobs for about 30. Very Recently retired.
I own a new 500i , Im breaking it in at the moment ,
I found the oil delivery lacking, on std max setting, even with a short 18 inch bar. While doing a bit of light cutting. I'm seeing a few sparks coming from the bar /chain interface from time to time. Im thinking..thats not good... Better investigate.
The chain was not bone dry when i examined it. Neither was it ...well oiled... There was oily residue in the bar groove. But the chain was stretching/wearing more quickly than i would expect.
I just punched the roll pin in ,and wound the olier up to about 80% of its unlimited max. Since then I have not seen any more sparks. The chain wear has settled. The saw is happier in the cut.
I am wondering however, how it will be ..when i put a 32 or 36 inch bar on it, I will find out in a few months i guess.
Advice.. the 500i manual states that the fuel filter should be replaced every 3 months ! regardless of use !!. We had 1 in the shop a few weeks ago, with about 100 hours on it. The injector was leaking back on itself. the fuel tank was dirty. The fuel filter looked o.k. A new injector was listed at around $300AU..plus labor... expensive lesson... a part so aparantly prone to fail, and so simple and cheap to to make, so expensive to replace... The air filter, although by no means clogged , had been alowing dirt to bypass it and go through the motor. The inlet tract had a lot of gunk in it.I left work ,before, it got repaired, so cant tell you the outcome. It was ...partly dusted...a lot of ishues for a 100 hour old pro saw.
So, check to see that dirt is not beating your air filter seals, and getting into the motor. I have a feeling that this is a burgoning problem with the 500i. keep the sealing faces clean. Use a little rubber grease. Keep a check on it. Theses motors dont like dirt. Not at all.
Cheers.
 
Given the fact that lots of people make money off YouTube these days I'm not totally sold on half the BS I see on there.
Stihl has always been stingy with the oil, but given that old saws used to gush oil buy routing it through an adjustment slot with a tiny slot in the bar with an impulse oiler ,I doubt that modifications to the bar is the answer.
 

There is a video on Youtube entitled: “Problem with Stihl lightweight bar on MS500i”. It claims the oiling hole on the lightweight bar is too small and it leads to lack of lubrication problems. The recommendation is to drill the hole larger with a 9/64 drill bit. Has anyone tried this or have any thoughts?​



The old, "thinking the chain has to be visibly oily to be oiled properly trick" it doesn't, the only things that has to have a microscopic amount of oil on it is inside & top of the groove, around the chain pins, you can't see inside the link, if there is a fine line of oil being thrown from the chain & it doesn't stretch from wear of the pins being under oiled , all is good & in that case , less is more
 
I would consider that part myself, even with the detent punched and maxed out it's still a little drier than I would like.
CC I went to my dealer this morning, we looked at the IPL for the 500i-R which showed same oiler, then we called Stihl tech he said same thing. I told tech there is no way, the R models are supposed to come with HO oiler, wrap handle, taller clutch cover.
Stihl tech is researching and going to call my dealer if any parts can be upgraded or HO oiler is available, will keep you and anyone else interested in this updated once I hear something back from them.
 
CC I went to my dealer this morning, we looked at the IPL for the 500i-R which showed same oiler, then we called Stihl tech he said same thing. I told tech there is no way, the R models are supposed to come with HO oiler, wrap handle, taller clutch cover.
Stihl tech is researching and going to call my dealer if any parts can be upgraded or HO oiler is available, will keep you and anyone else interested in this updated once I hear something back from them.
Pretty certain your dealer is spot on. The 462 and 500i have the same oiler. The 462 regular and R have the same oiler as well. I am not sure on the 500i vs 500i-R but I haven’t heard of any different oiler. If you find one please report back. I know the R always had a HO oiler but it seems that distinction went away.
 
That lite bar has been the lite bar choice of the coast for over a decade up in BC at 36" Nobody drills oil holes
out. The ported 372 & 390 stock oiler CAN run the tank volume out in 16-17 min at max adjustment & max power speed. The 390 will dump 24 ml a min. (could fill the capacity of 24cc ,for better ref.) That is 1.5 ci. (1.250 ci for 372.) Unless some of the shorter bars are designed different then that's not the problem.. if there is one?

 
Pretty certain your dealer is spot on. The 462 and 500i have the same oiler. The 462 regular and R have the same oiler as well. I am not sure on the 500i vs 500i-R but I haven’t heard of any different oiler. If you find one please report back. I know the R always had a HO oiler but it seems that distinction went away.
Yes you are correct, most pro-saws share the same oiler. The 261, 362, 462, 500, and 661 all share the same oil pump according the IPL's I am cross referencing.
Stihl does not make a HO nor any upgraded parts for this oil pump. I personally spoke to the Stihl tech and verified this information.
 
Thanks for everyone’s insights.

The first time I used my new MS500I I was literally pouring oil on the chain it was so dry. I do not know if that was because the oil pump was not primed at first?

I then pushed the pin in and adjusted the oil to the max setting. I took the saw out again and this time the oiling was great. It almost went through its oil tank which had been filled with all-weather Husqvarna bar oil. I never did drill out the bar and am happy with how its working now.
 
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