Chainsaw Bar Oil ??

[LD1]

I have used motor oil,auto trans oil in my stilh only when I was desperate for bar oil. I can buy a gallon of Stilh bar oil at local John Deere Dealer for $9.95. Really prefer official bar oil. Smokes less,keeps chain cooler, healthy for environment and healthy for me,cause I have to breath that smoke if the wind is coming from the wrong direction.

If your bar oil is creating smoke I wouldn't be worried about the health effects of breathig it, Rather I would be worried about the chain that is getting ready to fly off and take out my leg.

There is NO way that your bar/chain should ever get hot enough to "burn" the oil.

 

[Jay4200]

If your bar oil is creating smoke I wouldn't be worried about the health effects of breathig it, Rather I would be worried about the chain that is getting ready to fly off and take out my leg.

There is NO way that your bar/chain should ever get hot enough to "burn" the oil.

Amen. I've made smoke, but usually only after I stuffed my chain into a rock or something similar, and was just trying to finish that last cut before breaking down and changing chains.

I've run nothing but used motor oil for years, but I change oil in my dirtbikes after only 10 or less hours of use, so I have a lot of barely used oil around - the stuff I dump into saws is generally just about indistinguishable from new. Nothing but Rotella T will do for my saws . All the stuff is doing is lubing a chain and slotted guide - about the least demanding application there is. Short of clogging up the pump innards with debris (not an issue with my barely used oil), there is absolutely nothing bad that could happen using engine oil - I'm convinced of that. Well, there is one thing - engine oil generally comes out faster than bar oil, so you could run out early then burn your chain/bar.

That being said, I currently am finishing up a $10 gallon of Home Depot bar oil, and am about to open a TSC gallon that I got for $5.99 on sale (should've bought 5).

JayC

 

[LD1]

That being said, I currently am finishing up a $10 gallon of Home Depot bar oil, and am about to open a TSC gallon that I got for $5.99 on sale (should've bought 5).

JayC

Thats funny. Over the course of the summer with it being on sale, we have stocked up on about 4 or 5 cases

For $6 a gallon, and considering a gallon will last us through about 5-6 cords worth of cutting, I have never even considered trying to be a penny pincher when REAL bar oil does the job it was designed to do.

 

[Danno1]

I have never bought bar oil in my life. If you use good oil and change it when you should, can't think bar oil is any better............

Change bar oil????????

My old poulan uses exactly two tanks of gas to one of bar oil. Pretty easy to keep both filled.


.

 

[BXTotal]

It's not your chainsaw that you should be worried about.

All motor oil is mildly toxic and bad for the environment. Used motor has heavy metals and all sorts of other nasty stuff.

Running a chainsaw with used motor oil is not much different than changing the oil in your car by dumping it on the ground. Petroleum contamination is a serious problem and very expensive to fix. A chainsaw is also pretty good at creating a fine mist of oil which the operator will inhale. Not to mention the oil that ends up on you and you clothes.

For my health and for the sake of the land where I cut I use bio based bar oil. If the bio bar oil is too expensive, you can (as others have pointed out) run straight vegetable oil, although this may eventually cause problems with the oiler in your chainsaw.

 

[SpringHollow]

The stihl oil i have used is much tackier than the TSC etc brands i have used. I save it for hot weather and use the other brands during the winter to save a couple of bucks.

Ken

 

[PILOON]

Bar oil is essentially hydraulic oil which is the cheapest oil that they make.

I knew an engineer that worked for Shell that pointed that out to me.
He ran straight engine oil in his tractor hydraulics as he claimed better pump life would result.

A rental shop I knew would recycle/filter automatic tranny oil to provide to the rental clients in lieu of chain oil.
Cheap, I know, but they never had chain or bar issues.

I suspect that hydraulic oil with a simple additive to allow it to 'cling' to chain is what they sell as chain oil.

 

[bdeboer]

Not to hijack the thread, but where in central OH you located??

I don't need specifics but was just wondering how close to me you were. I am about 25 Miles east of marion. Near Mt. Gilead.

15 miles southwest of Marion

 

[LD1]

15 miles southwest of Marion

Richwood area???

Not really a neighbor then but oh well. Go Bucks:thumbsup:

 

[bdeboer]

Richwood area???

Not really a neighbor then but oh well. Go Bucks:thumbsup:

Yes, Richwood area.