Chain oil

dodge man · Dec 25, 2017

Can you use motor oil for bar and chain oil? I have got some leftover oil sae 30 and 10w-30 that is new oil but has been sitting around a few years. Ok or a bad idea?

Toyboy · Dec 25, 2017

Bad idea. Bar oil is thicker and has additive in it to help it cling to chain. Put your left over oil in a oil can instead

DieselnHooters · Dec 25, 2017

Are we talking about a couple of liters or some pails ?

A few thankful is allright although regular bar oil is preferable because it sticks to the bar better

motownbrowne · Dec 25, 2017

I don't think it'll hurt anything, especially if you mix it 50/50 with some bar oil. Personally, I don't like the smell of motor oil, so I wouldn't use, but I wouldn't worry about it causing any problems. Now used motor oil on the other hand is something I wouldn't even consider. I've met people that use it exclusively, but it really makes a mess of saws!

tjkubota93 · Dec 26, 2017

I have used it in the past, it doesn't work that well. Like they said, bar oil has some snot like properties that make it work well. I use the Wal mart kind. It doesn't work as well as good kind, but it works better than motor oil.

4570Man · Dec 26, 2017

I usually use the $8 a gallon bar oil at tractor supply that goes on sale for $6 a gallon. I've used hydraulic oil in a pinch. Bar oil is obviously better, but I don't think occasionally running a tank full of whatever new oil you have laying around is going to hurt anything.

Egon · Dec 26, 2017

Motor oil has additives that are not environmently friendly.

dodge man · Dec 26, 2017

I have about three quarts of oil laying around I want to get rid of. I have a conainer that is about a pint in size that a dump out of a gallon jug and use to fill the saw. I blended maybe 20% motor oil with bar oil and thought maybe it was a huge mistake. I did some reading on the internet and got some conflicting data. It doesn’t sound like a big deal. Thanks for the responses, I often trust this web site for answers more than other random web sites.

s219 · Dec 26, 2017

Bar oil has "tackifiers" that help it do the intended job, just like oils you'd use on various machinery where you want the oil to stick to a surface. Motor oil doesn't. I know a guy who used uses motor oil in his saws on occasion, because he's cheap and can't bear to not use/reuse/hoard materials, and even he says it's not nearly as good.