Rollomatic E bar jam

[Jensent]

Have a new Stihl 261c-m with 18" Rollomatic E bar. Chain is 26 RM 74. .325 pitch .063 gauge. On the 3rd tank of fuel. Have yet to burn a tank of fuel without having the nose sprocket jam with fine shreds of wood fiber. This happens everytime I cut at any angle but 90 degrees to the grain. I cut firewood, standing dead green ash. I noodle some pieces that are too heavy to lift. I don't have this problem with Stihl 021 or 360. Our Dolmar 420 and Husky 350 are not a problem. Dealer confirmed saw is oiling and claims the sprockets are just tight. The sprocket will not move until driven with a drift and hammer then the wood fiber can be removed from behind the sprocket with a small sharpened ice pick. This take nearly an hour. Dealer also said warranty covers engine internals only. I searched and see that others have had this problem. Many fixes were offered. No one confirmed that some solution did actually work! I am thinking a different bar and chain might work. I have run 20NK with the NK bar with good luck. This saw cross cuts like an angry beaver! If I could just keep the nose sprocket turning.
Thanks
Tom

 

[mels]

How hot is that nose when it locks up?
I ask because I wonder if it's a combination of wood fiber as you say, plus excessive heat?

 

[Bwildered]

Take a video of it, so we can see where you're going astray.
Fangst

 

[Jensent]

Mels
I cleaned and oiled the sprocket today and ran the saw under no load at mid speed for about 5 minutes. The sprocket was warm to the touch but not hot. The center of the bar was not warm. This sprocket turns harder than the ones on the other saws.
Fangst
Sorry but I dont have the equipment for video. ( I was in high school when we still had party lines.)
Tom

 

[ChoppyChoppy]

Heck, where I grew up party lines existed until the mid 90s.

 

[Terry Syd]

I had this problem on a 20" Husky NK bar fairly regularly. Sometimes on a shorter 18"bar. Then I discovered the 'grease hole' on the nose sprocket.

There was a short discussion some years back about what the 'grease hole' was for, after all many bars didn't have them and the bars didn't need to be lubed. There was a comment about greasing the sprocket and creating a 'dam' with the grease to prevent chips from getting under the sprocket.

I bought a small grease gun for lubing the sprocket, used it - and never had a problem with wood chips jamming the sprockets again.

 

[fearofpavement]

If you have the fiber cleaned out of the sprocket, can you turn it around easily with your fingers? If not, it's still plugged up with something. Using it may free it up so I would try just making cross cuts with it for a while, otherwise the only solution is going to be removing the nose sprocket, cleaning it up and replacing it with new rivets. (there's lots of parts in there so do it on a towel or something so you don't lose anything.)
Also, turn the bar over before you use it again.

 

[Bwildered]

Mels
I cleaned and oiled the sprocket today and ran the saw under no load at mid speed for about 5 minutes. The sprocket was warm to the touch but not hot. The center of the bar was not warm. This sprocket turns harder than the ones on the other saws.
Fangst
Sorry but I dont have the equipment for video. ( I was in high school when we still had party lines.)
Tom

a couple of pictures would do then.
fanks

 

[Nine6Teen]

simple question; is the bar, specifically the sprocket, the same pitch, as the chain ? the same gauge ?
I would have thought a 261 would come with a 3/8 system.

you might think about going to a skip tooth chain, give the fibers more chance to get out of the kerf

 

[Whiskers]

certain trees combined with a loose chain seem to jam the sprocket pretty fast. Last time I had this happen repeatedly I was being lazy and didn't stop to snug the chain when it needed it.

 

[CR888]

Make sure your oiler adjuster is turned up to max. l have had the exact issue with same saw and b/c. You may cut another timber species and not get these issues. l find 'some' green sappy wood can bind up your nose sprocket. Don't worry before long this will be a faint memory. As far as changing bars and chains, you could try it but the 063 gauge you have is best for not gettin bound up.

 

[Full Chisel]

I have had this issue at times with the laminated bar on my 350. It usually just takes a rocking motion on top of a log to free it up. I've found that piss revving the saw between cuts helps to keep the sprocket clean and oiled.

 

[SawTroll]

simple question; is the bar, specifically the sprocket, the same pitch, as the chain ? the same gauge ?
I would have thought a 261 would come with a 3/8 system.

....

As far as I know, they usually come with .325 - but it really is up to the costumer and the dealer.

 

[SawTroll]

certain trees combined with a loose chain seem to jam the sprocket pretty fast. Last time I had this happen repeatedly I was being lazy and didn't stop to snug the chain when it needed it.

I'm not sure about loose chain, but wood species certainly has something to do with it. Manufacturing tolerances and wear likely are factors as well...

 

[Whiskers]

Maybe the loose chain was just a coincidence, but it seemed to stop when I snugged the chain back to where it was supposed to be. Trying to clear a really jammed bar tip pretty much stinks.

 

[Philbert]

No grease hole on a STHIL bar (exceptions aside). If it is a species / situational thing you might want to use a hard nose bar for that wood.

Might have to disassemble the sprocket to be sure that you got all of the wood fibers out.

http://www.arboristsite.com/community/threads/nose-sprocket-rescue-illustrated.256640/

Philbert

 

[Full Chisel]

I've noticed that wet, green wood tends to be what binds the sprocket up the worst...

 

[Jensent]

Have had the problem several times. Each time it has been wood fibers between the nose sprocket and the bar. Turning the oiler full on helped some. The sprocket jambs so tight that it cant be moved until the fiber has been removed with a nail or stiff wire! This only happens now when the cut is not a true crosscut.
Tried an Oregon Pro-Lite plus bar and 95VPX in 0.325x.050 (narrow kerf) with no problem after 2hrs use. Stihl bar has no hole for greasing and Oregon does. Stihl has no NK chain but Oregon, Husky,etc, are available. I have used Woodland Pro 20NK on the old 350 Husky with good luck in the past. May have the answer. Thanks for the help.
Tom

 

[blsnelling]

Fixing this issue is usually as simple as putting the chain on a log and pushing/pulling until it moves.

 

[Trx250r180]

Run the chain a little looser ,so can see some daylight under the bar between the chain when sitting on the ground .