Stihl 044 Oiler relief valve operation (?)

[trouts2]

How does the relief valve work? What does it relieve/do?

The 044 was leaking a lot of oil at the bottom. I had a new engine installed and I think the guy bent the oiler line from the pump outlet to the housing. When I got it back and ran it oil gushed out from the bottom of the case.

I took the oiler out to inspect and clean and on install had big problems getting it back in, that is, the line part with the O ring at the top. Since the oiler may be iffy I put in a new one which went in with a little difficulty but the line end with the O ring sat in the oiler hole well. On firing it up the oil gush of oil from the bottom was gone. Oil came out the oiler hole by the chain like it should. The flow was heavy so I adjusted with a screwdriver under the bottom. The oil lessened. After a few minutes the oil stopped coming out.

I took it apart again. The sprocket cover oiler drive arm seems ok. It's threads are fine. The oiler gear can be pushed and rotated ok. The oiler outlet arm seems to be seated properly. On poking around the net I found there is an oiler relief valve. Possibly that may be a cause of the oil flow stopping. I'm not sure as I did not know about this valve and don't know how it works.

BTW: I prodded the oiler outlet hole several times with a fine wire and it seems to go down as to the oiler outlet arm. I think that route is clear. Should a wire prod make it all the way into the oiler outlet arm? I can't get it to go that far. Given the length I can get in through the oiler outlet I think the prod is making it to the oiler arm tip. I thought it may be hitting the metal tip of the oiler arm and not able to go further in but not sure. Anyway I suspect the oiler relief valve.

 

[Ozhoo]

What you're referring to as a relief valve is actually called a "Valve" in Stihl lingo. It allows air INTO the tank when oil is drawn out. If you suspect it as faulty, open the oil cap briefly and retest.

Here's the actual valve, it's behind the bar plate.

 

[trouts2]

OK on letting air in so probably to stop a vacuum from happening in the oil tank. How is it reset? I did not notice it when taking off the inner plate. BTW: it's a pain to get in there. I can't pry up the plate. I have to take out the bar studs.
I guess there must be a prodable hole in the valve.

 

[trouts2]

I can get a wire prod in about a half inch into the valve hole. I did open up the oil tank cover when oil would not come out. If the valve was plugged would opening the tank cover relieve any vacuum? I'm not sure but I would think so even with the valve plugged. So if that is correct then I have a different problem.

It does not move. I tried pushing on it but it did not move. I have a fine tip pick and tried to move it up from the side but could not.

 

[trouts2]

As a side question. Can the inner plate cover be removed if the bar tightening screw is backed out? I'm not sure if it will even back out to come out.

 

[trouts2]

I poked the relief valve some more and being lost for ideas put it back to together to see if oil would come out. It did. So the vent hole may have been pluged. But again if the vent hole vents the oil tank I opened the cover when it was not oiling so should have relieved a vacuum if there was one. The valve is a long way from the tank so maybe it does not relieve a tank vacuum but does something else. ?? Whatever, it's working for now and I run it several times during the day to see if it keeps oiling. Thanks