Stihl 362 won’t take yellow bar?

[leverem]

I’m looking to buy a Stihl 362 cm. They come with a green bar and chain (safety). I’m trying to put a yellow bar and chain on it, but no combo seems to fit right. Dealer has no idea what to tell me/recommend. I know Stihl recommends a green bar for the 362, but I also know people put yellow bars on them. If I really work at it I can get the yellow bar and chain to line up but then when I turn the chain, it binds up every fifth or sixth turn on the bar. If I back it up and try turning it after that it seems like the sprocket makes a big click sound and then lets it turn again(five or six full turns, and then. It binds up again).
Did stihl start designing these green bar chainsaws to only accept green bars???

 

[ballisticdoughnut]

That saw has 12mm shoulder on the bar studs which is a D025 mount. It will absolutely take a ES bar. Also make sure your using the same gauge and pitch bar as it came with from the factory. Should be 3/8” pitch .050 gauge.

 

[PV Hiker]

@leverem show us a picture of your green bar writings stamped near the mount. Or tell us the information that is stamped on it. Then we can know what you have been using.

Also tell us the yellow bar information and what specs the chain is.

Sometimes the dealer sells you a improper set up.

 

[PV Hiker]

Here is a catalog you can use for guidance. 362 on page 133.
.

 

[PV Hiker]

 

[Bubster]

I am surprised your 362 came with a green bar and chain. Gauge and pitch will be the same between green and yellow bars, so any 3/8 pitch .050 with the right mount pattern will work.

 

[PV Hiker]

Some came with .063. The way the chain is not spinning suspect mis-match.

Edit
On the sprocket size!

 

[leverem]

Went back to dealer today. Tried this yellow bar with correct chain on 362. Pic of the green bar it comes with is included. Would turn by hand but again, get hung up every fourth or fifth turn. Seems like sprocket keeps getting hung up. Here is a pic of the sprocket. Everything is 3/8 and .050.
Funny thing, I separately tried hand turning a green bar/ chain combo on a 400 model and it started doing the same thing. Sprocket would stop turning freely and get hung up. Is this common?? I was taught that you should be able to hand turn a chain and it should freely turn.
Bottom line is, something is making the 7 tooth sprocket quit turning. Only if you back it up a few inches and try again, it will start turning again.Cover plate was attached correctly, etc.

 

[leverem]

Thanks for the chart Pvhiker. I used it to double check the dealer.

 

[ElevatorGuy]

Yellow setups only! However a 25” is a little much for a 60cc saw.

 

[PV Hiker]

Went back to dealer today. Tried this yellow bar with correct chain on 362. Pic of the green bar it comes with is included. Would turn by hand but again, get hung up every fourth or fifth turn. Seems like sprocket keeps getting hung up. Here is a pic of the sprocket. Everything is 3/8 and .050.
Funny thing, I separately tried hand turning a green bar/ chain combo on a 400 model and it started doing the same thing. Sprocket would stop turning freely and get hung up. Is this common?? I was taught that you should be able to hand turn a chain and it should freely turn.
Bottom line is, something is making the 7 tooth sprocket quit turning. Only if you back it up a few inches and try again, it will start turning again.Cover plate was attached correctly, etc.

@leverem glad you made it back and posted your results. Your bar and sprocket appears to be accurate. It is to note that new bars and chains can be ruff to spin around by hand when new. They have not been run to smooth out the ruff edges. The drive links need to wear with the sprocket and bar grove to get that smooth hand pulling of the chain around the bar.

Your saw looks very clean showing the sprocket side. So I would suspect the sprocket is not worn as the picture does not show the running surface of the sprocket. Make sure you remover the sprocket every now and then and clean and lube the needle cage. Lots of YouTube on that.

Next question is what chain are you running??? Please give the specs for it. Want to make sure you have proper size chain to go with what you bought. If your chain is a "Green" then there is no real reason to get a" Yellow" bar.

Green bars have a smaller nose diameter that will help show proud the green chain safety nubs to help prevent kick back around the radius of the nose. Very tough time if you are needing to plunge / bore cut into wood. Yellow set up has none of this and a larger diameter nose that makes smoother and easier to plunge / bore cut into wood. If you are not experienced with using a chainsaw it would be suggested to stick with "Green" to protect you from yourself!!!

Stihl 362 with a 25" bar it will work, but it is at the limit of Stihls spec recommended. In our area with soft wood that is all we run, But we are mostly using a Stihl 33RSF chain. A 33RS if that all we got. Others that cut eastern hard wood can advise for your information.

Make very sure you flip over the saw and adjust the oiler all the way up to maximize oil for the bar! Keep sharp cutters and right depth gauge heights on your chain.

Patrick

 

[Maintenance supervisor]

Low pro chain? Or sprocket.
Its 3/8ths

 

[leverem]

@leverem glad you made it back and posted your results. Your bar and sprocket appears to be accurate. It is to note that new bars and chains can be ruff to spin around by hand when new. They have not been run to smooth out the ruff edges. The drive links need to wear with the sprocket and bar grove to get that smooth hand pulling of the chain around the bar.

Your saw looks very clean showing the sprocket side. So I would suspect the sprocket is not worn as the picture does not show the running surface of the sprocket. Make sure you remover the sprocket every now and then and clean and lube the needle cage. Lots of YouTube on that.

Next question is what chain are you running??? Please give the specs for it. Want to make sure you have proper size chain to go with what you bought. If your chain is a "Green" then there is no real reason to get a" Yellow" bar.

Green bars have a smaller nose diameter that will help show proud the green chain safety nubs to help prevent kick back around the radius of the nose. Very tough time if you are needing to plunge / bore cut into wood. Yellow set up has none of this and a larger diameter nose that makes smoother and easier to plunge / bore cut into wood. If you are not experienced with using a chainsaw it would be suggested to stick with "Green" to protect you from yourself!!!

Stihl 362 with a 25" bar it will work, but it is at the limit of Stihls spec recommended. In our area with soft wood that is all we run, But we are mostly using a Stihl 33RSF chain. A 33RS if that all we got. Others that cut eastern hard wood can advise for your information.

Make very sure you flip over the saw and adjust the oiler all the way up to maximize oil for the bar! Keep sharp cutters and right depth gauge heights on your chain.

Patrick

It’s what goes with that yellow bar, the 33 rs84 chain. I notice some other guys on here talking about new bar/chain combos not turning by hand on new saws/sprockets. Is this a thing??

 

[Duane(Pa)]

Is it any better if you slack the chain tensioner a little?

 

[PV Hiker]

It’s what goes with that yellow bar, the 33 rs84 chain. I notice some other guys on here talking about new bar/chain combos not turning by hand on new saws/sprockets. Is this a thing??

@leverem It can be a thing if the sprocket is worn out. Is your sprocket worn out???

The 33RS - 84 match's the yellow bar you bought. As far as the sprocket... If that IS the "Green" bar in the picture you have been using, it shows the number "3" for the pitch 3/8" and "3" for drive link gauge 0.050". So the sprocket is a match.

So all three components are a match. You can mount the bar and chain to proper tension. If you are worried you can dribble some bar oil on the chain to go into the bar grove. Start the saw and warm it up and put it into some wood. Make a cut and shut it off and check chain tension. Pull the chain around by hand and see if it is not smooth.

 

[rwoods]

Just a guess that the new bar has paint in the groove which will quickly wear off.

FWIW a 362 will handle a 25" bar in eastern hardwood with proper handling. IMO a 20" or less suits it's powerband better.

Ron

 

[cookies]

The sprocket walks back and forth on the drum hub, when you roll it by hand it will walk to the edge and feel like it is bound up. run the saw, it will be fine.