Stihl 290 Chainsaw Chain/Bar is Binding after 30 min Operation - Oregon Brand of Bar

[etbrown4]

Installed a new 20" Forester brand bar and chain (not Oregon) on this saw and the bar and or chain get hot and will bind up the saw after about 30 minutes of moderate sawing. I.E. at idle you cannot slide the chain with your hand, even though it's properly adjusted when cool.

Curious if others have encountered a problem like this.

There is plenty of lube on the bar and chain. When cool it cuts like butter! And it was properly adjusted when cool.

 

[sefh3]

Do you have the right guage chain and clutch on the saw?

 

[etbrown4]

Do you have the right guage chain and clutch on the saw?

Yep, We're certain we have the right chain and the right bar. The clutch seems unlikely to be a factor as the chain gets so tight you absolutely can't budge it with your hand!

What would cause a chain and bar to tighten up with 30 min use (and heat) ?

In the past we've experienced chains which loosen with use and heat. Getting tight is something new to us! A mystery.

 

[sodbreaker]

Oiler on the saw??? What brand of bar oil are you using? Just a shot in the dark...

 

[sefh3]

Is your oiler working?

 

[zogger]

Even if you *think* you have everything right, triple check that the sprocket tip, drive sprocket and chain are compatible.

Also, the clutch cover and bar oiler plate surfaces must be clean, maybe it slides a little even if you scrench it tight.

 

[KenJax Tree]

Pull the chain off and check the bar it might be packed with chips or maybe its the clutch not the bar and chain.

 

[Somesawguy]

Turn the oiler all the way up. Make sure you use the winter grade oil or something thinner than the summer grade stuff from Stihl. The chains on these tend to tighten up when hot.

The oiler on the MS290 sucks because of some EPA regulations on the amount of oil. I stopped using Stihl oil years ago because it was too thick for the oiler unless it was 95F outside.

Best of luck.

 

[Fish]

What is the part/model number off of the bar?

 

[etbrown4]

What is the part/model number off of the bar?

Forester S20 63 81 E11

 

[Fish]

Oregon S20 63 81 E11

Is that the only numbers on the bar, there is not one that starts with a 203?

Can you put up a pic of the bar and the bottom side of the chain?

 

[etbrown4]

Is that the only numbers on the bar, there is not one that starts with a 203?

Can you put up a pic of the bar and the bottom side of the chain?

I go you one better. I still have the package the bar and chain came in...packaged together.

It's Forester part # s206381-x Ahlborn Equipment | Under Construction (mfg site temp down)

also at STIHL 026, 20" BAR & CHAIN FOR STIHL CHAINSAWS .325" 81

says fits stihl 029 and others....

.325p,

.063

81

 

[etbrown4]

I am using Stihl bar oil.

I see that some others like lighter oils.

Curious if anyone is using more generic oil like 30w motor oil etc.

 

[Fish]

So the bar is a Forester, or Oregon?

 

[etbrown4]

So the bar is a Forester, or Oregon?

OP's mistake. I bought it 6 months ago. Sure enough it's a Forester.

 

[Fish]

My bad, if I had read closely, I would have figured it out.

 

[fearofpavement]

If you have excessive slippage at the clutch it can transfer heat to the chain and bar. Also, a chain brake band that is rubbing or binding slightly on the clutch drum can cause similar heat issues.

I think that it is clear that the chain is binding in the bar because it's getting too hot. The question that needs to be resolved is "why is it hot?"

What I would check in a list:

1. Ensure compatibility of the chain, bar and sprocket.
2. Clean the bar groove thoroughly.
3. Ensure that the nose sprocket is turning freely
4. Verify adequate oil is getting on the chain (test by holding bar tip near surface while revving and verifying oil spray) Also, oil consumption is a good measure of oiler output.
5. Make sure the chain is sharp. A dull one can overheat.
6. Verify that the brake band is not rubbing on the clutch drum.
7. Be observant for clutch slippage (chain stops but engine revving)

In that list is most likely "the culprit".

 

[TreePointer]

Also ensure that the manufacturer finished the bar properly. It has happened that the paint/coatings partially clog or limit the diameter of the bar oil holes. The solution for this can be as simple as scraping the paint/coatings from in and around the holes.

Also check to see if the bar oil holes meet the saws oiler. Although I don't think this is very common, I do recall this in a discuccion--the bar maker goofed and had the holes in the wrong place.

 

[Denis Gionet]

I've been hand-milling with a Husky 435 lately and have found the same thing, chain getting ultra-tight. I've had to adjust it 2 or 3 times once the bar was hot, to get the tension right. It cuts just fine, once tension is ok. Regardless of how the tension was when cold, it had to be adjusted hot. I mean, HOT, like you couldn't hold your hand on it for more than a second.

Oil isn't an issue, I believe the bar itself lengthens when it gets hot and tightens the chain, creating the binding. Try adjusting it once the bar is hot, and run it like that for a bit. The saw running at 100 % for 20 minutes straight gets things hotter than say, cutting up firewood, where you're on and off the throttle. It gets a bit of a break between bucking cuts.