Chainsaw Chain Oil Viscosity

Chainsaws are most widespread in everyday life and industry. Their design features determine that in order to ensure a long service life, it is necessary to periodically lubricate the chain and many other elements. The absence of a lubricant can adversely affect the operation of the tool, reduce its effectiveness and duration of operation.

Chainsaw Chain Oil Viscosity

Chain lubricant

Almost all chainsaws come with an instruction manual. In such a manual, it is indicated that in all cases it is necessary to add oil for the chain with a high adhesive effect.

Adhesion is an indicator of the degree of adhesion of a lubricant to the surface of a chain tire.

Adhesive oil is required for chain operation for the following reasons:

  1. At the time of operation of the device, the circuit moves at high speed. If you use oil with a low adhesion index, then during operation it will be scattered by inertia. You can verify this yourself, for which it is enough to add the usual lubricant to the surface and add gas.
  2. The oil must have high lubricating properties. At a high speed of the tire, it can become very hot, due to which the metal used in the manufacture becomes soft and less wear-resistant.

Lubricating oil in various containers

It is worth considering the fact that with prolonged use of a chainsaw, a large amount of oil will be required, since it is quickly wiped off the tire surface. A variety of companies are involved in the production of chain lubricants.

What parts of a chainsaw need oil?

A modern chainsaw is represented by a complex mechanism, which consists of a large number of different elements. The following elements need lubrication:

  1. Chain. an element on which blades for sawing wood are fixed. It consists of a large number of individual elements movably connected to each other. At the time of operation of the device, the surface may become very hot. At the same time, the metal may rust due to increased humidity, due to which the operational life is significantly reduced.
  2. The engine is part of the chainsaw, due to which the rotation is transmitted to the tire. Modern engines also need a lubricant that can significantly extend the service life. Different lubricating products are used to lubricate the chain and engine, which is worth considering.

Filling oil in a chainsaw

The operating instructions also indicate which elements of the chainsaw need lubrication.

When to use special oil for chain lubrication?

Manufacturers recommend using special oil to lubricate the chain in all cases of using a chainsaw. This recommendation is related to the following points:

  1. The oil pump may fail. This is due to the special properties of the lubricant.
  2. The use of mining or other oils for other purposes reduces the ability of the tool to high speeds.
  3. With heavy tire wear, a new chain must not be put on it. This is due to increased surface wear. It is recommended to purchase at least four chains with frequent work.
  4. Never work without oil in the tank. At the time of refueling the chainsaw, the tire must be lubricated.

When using special oil to lubricate the chain, attention should be paid to its quality, since there should not be any various impurities or debris in the composition. Otherwise, the oil pump can quickly fail.

Chainsaw Chain Lubrication

Almost all manufacturers of chainsaws and components are engaged in the production of lubricants. Chainsaw chain lubricant oil protects the metal from quick wear and corrosion. In addition, the chain oil stays on the surface for a long time even during prolonged use of the device.

A little bit about lubricating the chainsaw chains

Refining is called oil, which has already served its term in the engine or gearbox. It is often used to save money, including when servicing a chainsaw.

It should be borne in mind that mining can lead to rapid wear of the structure.

This can be attributed to the following points:

  1. Often the breakdown is associated with a large number of metal chips in the composition. It gets there at the time of operation of the engine and gearbox, then accumulates in the pallet.
  2. When hit on the tire, metal chips become like an abrasive. Due to this, the process of surface wear is significantly accelerated. Sprocket with bearing wears out.
  3. Testing has a negative effect on the junction of the moving elements of the chain. Due to heavy wear, the likelihood of breakage at the time of operation increases.

The above information indicates that in all cases you need to use a special product that is designed for this. Testing, which was previously used in the engine or gearbox, is not suitable for a chainsaw.

Video: Chainsaw Chain Oil Viscosity


How should the chain lubrication system work?

To ensure reliable operation of the chainsaw, a special oil chain lubrication system is installed. An example is the following information:

  1. Fuel tanks are selected by volume, taking into account the fact that when the fuel is fully depleted, a little oil should remain. In addition, it is important to properly adjust the carburetor so that fuel is not quickly generated.
  2. With a slow decrease in oil at the time of use of the saw, the lubrication efficiency decreases several times, the conductivity of the channels also decreases. Over time, a malfunction may appear, which will be difficult to fix.
  3. It is recommended that you check the condition of the oil pump from time to time. If necessary, you can adjust the performance using a special screw.
  4. You can check the correct operation of the pump yourself. To do this, the tire is brought to the illuminated surface. If oil splashes appear on it, then the design works correctly. The lubricant consumption is adjusted according to the specific situation.

Chain lubrication system

A sign that an insufficient amount of lubricant gets into the cutting zone can be called strong heating and the appearance of smoke, an unpleasant smell at the time of cutting wood. With strong heating, the metal expands, due to which the chain is pinched in the groove.
The effectiveness of the degree of lubrication is reduced when the tire enters the ground. That is why when the saw is not used properly, it wears out quickly. The oil for the chain in contact with the soil collects various substances on itself, due to which the heating of the metal is accelerated.

Versatility Issues

Universal chainsaw lubrication oil has relatively unattractive performance. It should be borne in mind that even manufacturers of lubricants do not indicate their 100% universality.

Wrong choice leads to the fact that the wear of the structure increases by about 10% and reduces the working life of the saw set.

The above information indicates that there are no universal oil designs. That is why, when choosing, you need to pay attention to operational properties, in particular, temperature conditions.

Operational properties

In the production of branded and standard oils, standards related to viscosity or density, as well as the concentration of impurities, are taken into account. Among the features, we note the following points:

  1. Organic and mineral compositions practically do not differ in their operational qualities. This is due to the fact that the lubricant flies off the tire surface quite quickly. Significantly overpay for the purchase of expensive lubricants is not worth it, since the difference is not significant.
  2. The protective properties of mineral compounds are significantly higher than natural ones. That is why with one-time work it is recommended to use similar oils.
  3. If there is only a few days between jobs, it is recommended to use organic compounds. They are much cheaper than mineral ones, while they are characterized by high efficiency in use.

If the grease is used for the first time, you should hold the saw at medium speed for several minutes and check whether it is suitable for a particular model. Similar oils are also characterized by the temperature at which they can maintain their performance characteristics.

Engine oil selection

Chain oil is not always used as a universal option. Often, an option is also filled for the engine, from which the tire receives rotation. When choosing it, the following points are taken into account:

  1. It is necessary to give preference only to the options recommended by the manufacturer of the saw.
  2. Mineral lubricants are more popular, as they are more effective in use.
  3. Products of well-known manufacturers are characterized by higher operational characteristics.
  4. It is necessary to take into account the recommended temperature regime. Some versions cannot be operated at too low a temperature, as this leads to an increase in viscosity. Too high a viscosity causes damage to the structure when operating at high speeds.

Different brands of chainsaw oils

If you do not add lubricant to the engine in a timely manner, then it can wear out quickly or even fail.

Self-selection criteria

Often there are problems associated with the fact that it is impossible to find a suitable branded oil. Many experts recommend choosing an analog from well-known manufacturers that will ensure long-term operation of the device. Among the features of the choice of chain lubrication, we note the following points:

The lubrication system must be monitored in a timely manner. With the wrong choice of oil, the service life of the saw is reduced several times.

Adjustment of oil density to external temperature factors

The operational characteristics of the lubricant are reduced during its operation at the time the ambient temperature drops to 20 degrees Celsius or lower. Also at low temperatures, the pump, which is responsible for the oil supply, does not work properly. The solution to this problem often becomes mixing the thickened composition with kerosene. Such an additive provides the required density of the substance, but it is still recommended to reduce the load.
If the ambient temperature is too low, you need to monitor the effectiveness of the lubrication of the main elements. This recommendation can also be related to the fact that the liquid in the wood begins to freeze, increasing hardness and reducing the degree of workability. Too high a load causes rapid wear.
The increase in viscosity leads to the complexity of the engine. That is why many manufacturers indicate in what conditions a chainsaw can be used.

The danger of using oil counterfeit

Cheap lubricants are inferior in properties to proprietary developments. At the same time, manufacturers of expensive versions indicate that the saw should be used with the least load. In addition, you should consider:

  1. Counterfeiters accelerate material wear. At the same time, the design with strong wear cannot be returned for repair under warranty, since during operation they filled in the recommended oil.
  2. Rapid wear can cause the engine or tire to fail quickly. A fuel-powered engine is represented by a combination of various movable elements. In order to reduce their wear, a certain amount of a special lubricant is added to the structure, which also provides the required cooling. During operation, the properties of the oil change significantly due to heating and slow wear of the metal. That is why from time to time it is necessary to carry out its full replacement.

Storage Features

It is recommended that new and used chains be stored in oil baths. This recommendation is due to the fact that with prolonged exposure to moisture, severe corrosion can appear on the surface. Storage and engine oils can also be used for storage, since in this case it is important to protect the metal from corrosion.

Used oil storage

In conclusion, we note that only if the main recommendations are followed, it is possible to ensure long-term operation of the structure. The cost of a tire or chain, as well as the engine is very high, with improper lubrication in just a few hours of operation, they can become completely unusable. Therefore, you can save a lot by buying the right lubricant for the chain and engine.