Bar oil cap came off, How best to clean the oil tank?

   / Bar oil cap came off, How best to clean the oil tank? #1  

Samandothers

Platinum Member
Joined
Dec 2, 2007
Messages
511
Location
Charlotte NC
Tractor
Kubota L4240
It seems I have problems getting the oil cap on my Stihl saw correctly. On ocasion I have had it come off and I usually know it pretty quick by the oil on my hands or running down my leg. :rolleyes:

However yesterday I was cutting some fire wood and then deviated into cutting some green briars and brush and after a bit of cutting noticed the cap dangling by the cord that at least kept me from loosing it.

I cut the saw off however by that time the dangling cap was covered with saw dust and the opening to the tank too. I assume the tank has saw dust in it.

My question is what is the best method to clean this mess? I thought about using a solvent like gas and rinsing out the tank. I thought this may wash out the tank and saw dust by breaking down the sticky bar oil. I could let this evaporate and then add bar oil.

Another issue I have noticed prior to my most recent de-capitation was that if I leave bar oil in the saw and place it in the saw case the oil runs out. I will reopen the case next use, in my situation could be weeks or months, and there is a puddle of bar oil in the bottom. While this really helps to keep my spare chains (I keep in Crown Royal bags i found :rolleyes:) and file from rusting it is really messy. Thoughts on why it happens, and possible cures?

Thanks for the help.
 
   / Bar oil cap came off, How best to clean the oil tank? #2  
I would use Mineral Spirits to clean out the tank. Taking the cap off of the bar oil tank to vent it when the saw is warm seems to help the leaking in the case for me. The oil tank builds a little pressure when it gets hot.
 
   / Bar oil cap came off, How best to clean the oil tank? #3  
I agree - rinse it out with fuel oil or mineral spirits. Maybe the vent is not working on the oil cap?
 
   / Bar oil cap came off, How best to clean the oil tank?
  • Thread Starter
#4  
Thanks Whistlepig and Travelover, I'll try the mineral spirits instead of gas. Does sound safer!

I will try cracking the oil cap some before storing to see if that stops the leaking of the bar oil into the case.
 
   / Bar oil cap came off, How best to clean the oil tank? #5  
I have one tempermental oil cap also and I used brake cleaner.
 
   / Bar oil cap came off, How best to clean the oil tank? #6  
I bought a new Stihl a couple of years ago and had trouble with it leaking a lot of bar oil oil into the case. When I asked the dealer about this he said to crack the cap on the bar oil tank on the hot saw to relieve the pressure. After I started doing this I didn't have any more problems with oil in the case. Or on the floor either.
 
   / Bar oil cap came off, How best to clean the oil tank? #7  
This happened to my father once on his stihl. He used a airhose from bar side. He took oil cap off and covered with rag holding it. Then he blew air thru vent on bar side and got it cleaned out. he flushed the oil tank and refilled. No problems since.
 
   / Bar oil cap came off, How best to clean the oil tank?
  • Thread Starter
#8  
Used mineral spirits and rinsed out the tank. It worked great. Cleaned off the cap and realized it was broken. Not sure how that happened, but I got a new one and installed. Seems to be working well now. Thanks for the info. folks...:thumbsup:
 
 
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