Bar Oil

[Pete S]

I have a 359 Husqvarna chain saw. I am nearing the end of yet another jug of OEM bar oil. Our local farm supply store sell several different types, and nopne have the same "snotty" anti-fly-off (to me) that this OEM stuff does. Cost is a factor here.

It's always about money, so I'm looking to find a good working replacement, and am considering some 80-90 gear lube as a replacement for SUMMER use.

Thoughts?

[farmall h]

PeteS, huh? Only use bar & chain oil. There are quite a few good brands out there. Always use the correct weight for the time of the year. The oil comes in 10w, 20w and 30w. If you use winter weight in the summer time you will go through more of it. Don't be cheap on oil...you will have to replace your bar sooner.:)

[802maple]

Ditto to Farmall H, I have also seen chains fly apart when the right oil was not used. That is not a good place to try to save money, you could save a dollar and loose a hand.

[vtmaplemaker]

you guys forgot the vegtable oil on the list with all the other weights.. (used only for midnight meat processing)

[BarrelBoiler]

Bar oil is the thing find it on sale or check wally world etc for price it don't spoil don't use 8090 the oil pump won't take it and that is a lot more than a bar and chain

[xyz5150]

I am a Husqvarna dealer in Michigan you get what you pay for. I sell a lot of bars and chains thanks to wally world and tsc oil. we replace a lot of oil pumps thanks to 90w and used motor oil. quality bar oil is cheep. two dollars now will cost you 30-50 down the road.

[KenWP]

If your doing lat night meat processing you don't need bar oil. The fat lubes the chain just right.
I was useing the all weather oil and then since it was hot and I needed a lot of oil anyways got summer weight and cut down on the oil use a lot. I had a jug of winter weight and it just pour through the saw.

[Haynes Forest Products]

Plus gear oil stinks. And keep the bar grove cleaned out so the oil can get pulled up to the sprocket tip. I see alot of the experts that dont take there chains off till they are shot because the do all there sharpening on the saw. Its a good idea to grease the sprocket if it has the grease hole.

[red maples]

yes veg oil ...I do use that on my electric chainsaw that I use for Ice carvings...

ha ha food grade chainsaw!!:lol: :lol:

but yeah don't skimp on the oil it will save on chains and bars in the long run. when your not using the right oil those chains over heat and stretch and can pop off the bar real easy!!!

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

I get the green 1 gallon jugs at Wally World and it works as good as Stihl or other OEM brands I have used and they are cheaper and I think it is Polan brand. It is bar oil for a reason and the reason is that is what is designed to be used in chain saws. I have a 310 Stihl and it is on the same bar as it was when I bought it new 8 or 9 years ago and bar is still about as good as new. Remember when I was a kid my dad and others using used motor oil or new motor oil and it would smoke. Definitely wasn't the best for a chain saw.

[sapmaple]

I remember when saws had a manual oiler button then they went to the auto type sometimes still with the manual push button My saw now just did not put out enough oil even with it set to max. on the setting so I tried a snythetic bar & chain oil its a little pricey $8 a gal. by the case but it works great!! still say they should have that push button for a little extra when needed

[Rhino]

Guys, now don't hang me for what i'm about to write.... My partner and i log in the winter, we usually get out around 120 cords per winter (nothing big time), all we use for chain bar oil is waste oil, yes i said it waste oil, and we never ever had a problem. I even use it in fall when the temps are higher. We run Johnsered and huskies for saws. We just plain got sick of spending all that $ on bar oil, and a buddy told us thats all he ever used so we made the switch.

[Haynes Forest Products]

Next thing your going to tell us is you send your chains out for sharpening after you hit a RR spike;)

[KenWP]

I have allways wondered how to sharpen a chain off of a saw. I tried used motor oil once when I couldn't get to town. I filtered it through some coffee filters first to clean it a bit. Seemed to work but it dosn't stick very well. I bought real oil after that.

[Haynes Forest Products]

I run it thru my filter press:lol: If anything throw a magnet into it and mix in some STP and call it good Im with ya Rhino

[wanting to get into it]

I have Stihl saws, and only use and have ever used Stihl bar oil and 2 stroke oil. I am not an expert on oil by any means, however it is my thinking that these machines are engineered for that particular oil. Can you honestly say that bar oil is bar oil? Or 2 stroke oil is 2 stroke oil? Are they all really the same? I only use motorcraft oil and filters in my truck, Honda oil and filters in the fourwheelers, yamalube 2 stroke in the sleds. These companys spend big $$$ in engineering for the specific application. That is what I use. Sure they are plugging their product. But I highly doubt Stihl is putting tsc oil in their saw when they are testing it. I doubt Ford puts coastal in the trucks for testing either. GM probably does though:lol: That may be the problem?

[KenWP]

Me and Ford do not get along. $17 bucks for a $2 oil filter is pretty bad. I use better ones for less money. I would hate to tell you just who makes the oil for Stihl and such. They just repackage another companys oil. You can tell buy the tops who packaged it by the way. Some people seem to think that if it's more money it's better and then try to make people who can think for them selves to think the same way.
But when it comes to oil for motors the cheapest oil does suck big time compared to some of the good brands. I tend to pay to much for the oil for my Ranger due to wanting it to run for a few years.

[wanting to get into it]

Ken, I figure that is the case with the oil being manufactured by other companies. However not all manufactures have the same specs. And these oil manufactures more than likely make the oil for several different equipment manufacturers based on manufactures specs. As for your Ranger, I can get motorcraft oil filters for my Ranger for less than $5. And my wifes Mercury Milan takes the same filter. So it is beneficial for me to buy them by the case as well as the oil. I have an 02 with 176,000 on it with no engine problems whatsoever. Have always ran Ford oil and filters with success. Not saying there aren't better products out there, just personal preference. I don't do it because it is more expensive, trust me. It is a joke to friends and family always telling me that I am so tight with $$$ that I squeak when I walk:)

[3rdgen.maple]

My dad is a certified stihl saw tech. and he says that stihls bar and chain oil is actually made out of a vegetable oil base. Now my dad is the cheapest guy I know and he tells me not to mix brands. And yes the oils are probably manufactured from the same darn place but they follow the specs the saw manufacturer requires. I think if you are cutting a few cords of wood a year who cares and if you got a bar that is almost 10 years old and it looks brand new it probably has the original chain on it as well. As far as the ford thing you guys got going I have a dodge with 278,000 on the original motor and run nothing but valvoline synthetic blend and wicks oil filter. By the way I don't own a stihl for a few reasons. The attachment below is off from oregons website for your viewing pleasure. Oh and the best advice i got for you guys that are trying to save a dollar a gallon of oil go get a 55 gallon drum of the oil specked for your saw and it will end up being cheaper than the junk they sell in walmart per gallon. Mine is almost empty.

Keep your saw's chain-oiling system filled with clean bar-and-chain oil. Never put used oil or old motor oil in your saw or on your chain. Be sure your chain, bar, and sprocket are always receiving oil from the saw during operation. Fill your oil reservoir each time you fill your gas tank.

[Ausable]

My dad is a certified stihl saw tech. and he says that stihls bar and chain oil is actually made out of a vegetable oil base. Now my dad is the cheapest guy I know and he tells me not to mix brands. And yes the oils are probably manufactured from the same darn place but they follow the specs the saw manufacturer requires. I think if you are cutting a few cords of wood a year who cares and if you got a bar that is almost 10 years old and it looks brand new it probably has the original chain on it as well. As far as the ford thing you guys got going I have a dodge with 278,000 on the original motor and run nothing but valvoline synthetic blend and wicks oil filter. By the way I don't own a stihl for a few reasons. The attachment below is off from oregons website for your viewing pleasure. Oh and the best advice i got for you guys that are trying to save a dollar a gallon of oil go get a 55 gallon drum of the oil specked for your saw and it will end up being cheaper than the junk they sell in walmart per gallon. Mine is almost empty.

Keep your saw's chain-oiling system filled with clean bar-and-chain oil. Never put used oil or old motor oil in your saw or on your chain. Be sure your chain, bar, and sprocket are always receiving oil from the saw during operation. Fill your oil reservoir each time you fill your gas tank.

Hey 3rdgen.maple - Lots of good advice - Only thing I might add is to keep the cutting chain adjusted right. I'm always amazed - by the number of Guys who run their saws with the cutting chain hanging loose from the bar when it is so easy to check and adjust the tension. -- Mike

[Flat47]

I use either Cling-Tuff or Irving brands for summer bar oil. Husky makes some good winter weight bar oil.

[lmathews]

I have used several brands of oil.I run stihl saws and always have.I agree with the 2 stroke oil. I use stihl.As for bar oil the best oil I use to use was noco brand made from a local oil company.They sold and doors closed.Now I have found that brad penn oil is the best for the money,$8.00 a gal.This is an all season oil and if you do the string check for tackiness it out performs any oil I can get at my local stores or dealers.I cut anywhere from 80 to 120 cord a year using 3 saws and I can get 2-3 years on the bars but usually only 1 on each chain.We sharpen them on the saw as well.I cut a lot of wood in the summer time and it is important to have good oil on 80-90 degree days.However this is still my choice as being the best oil.Good luck.Also if you have a saw 8-9 years old and the bar is original as well as the chain, it can not be used very much!

[Farmboy]

I buy it by the five gallon bucket. Sometimes we run some amsoil synthesic oil in the bigger saws. I now someone that cuts trees for a living and he only uses waste oil in his saws. He runs sthils and huskys. He doesn't go through bars and chains like crazy either. If you want to spend money on bars oil buy synthedic amsoil. It is the best out there but it's pricey. The worst bar oil is none so as long as you have oil getting to the bar and chain you should be good.

[beehappy1950]

I run an 066 stihl. Been dumping used oil from the station in town. Never had any problem. And its cheap. I seem to wear out my chains from the top not the bottom. I live in the woods and I hate to run into stumps so I probably hit more dirt than most. I wear mine out with a file. Harold

[Brian Ryther]

I have been running used vac pump oil.