What kind of oil to fill in a Makita electric saw

Consequences of insufficient or excess lubrication on the chain

Certain parameters must be respected for each mechanism whose operating mode is associated with lubrication based on machine oil. This applies primarily to the amount of oil required for its normal operation. Such problems can arise if there is not enough oil:

• overheating of the circuit;
• premature bluntness of cutting teeth;
• seized or broken chain;
• additional time spent on cutting;
• increased wear of the sprocket;
• tire failure.

For an electric chain saw, it is recommended to fill the oil tank in the following proportion: one full oil fill to a full gas tank, i.e. 1: 1. In some models, for example, Bosh, the lubrication system works in a fully automatic mode and if there is too much or too little oil on the chain, the saw itself begins to regulate its supply. However, if a malfunction occurs, and the oil starts literally pouring from the chain mechanism, then its excess can lead to the following undesirable consequences:

• increased oil consumption;
• excessive contamination of the tool body;
• wide spray of oil from the chain.

As you can see, an overabundance of lubricant does not lead to critical consequences, but its overexpenditure will certainly hit your Taking into account the fact that the cost of high-quality lubricating oil is quite high, it is better to use it sparingly.

Main components of the lubrication system

Typically, oil enters the chain saw chain lubrication system from a special reservoir, where it is periodically poured. From there, it is pushed out by a powerful oil pump, doing this at regular intervals sufficient to consume the previous injection. The main task of the oil mechanism is to prevent the occurrence of such situations when the lubrication on the chain becomes insufficient, and as a result of this, severe overheating of the cutting part may occur due to sharply increased friction forces. As a result, the chain can become dull and fail. Therefore, the oil must be constantly monitored. Typically, a saw’s lubrication system consists of the following components:

• oil tank for chain lubrication;
• special oil filter;
• oil line, which is a small rubber hose that serves to supply oil from the tank;
• an oil pump that pumps the lubricant from the tank to the cutting mechanism;
• special gear, with the help of which the power is transferred to the pump from the electric saw motor.

The tire could also be added to this list, since it has special holes for oil supply.

What kind of oil should be poured into an electric saw

For most electric saw owners, it is not a big secret that the oil used to lubricate the chainsaw is one of the main consumables. However, at the same time, not everyone pays due attention to the quality of the lubricant. And it is completely in vain, since the term of its further operation will depend on how well this product will lubricate the working surface of the chain. Therefore, before pouring oil into the saw, you need to pay attention to its technical characteristics.

What is chain lubrication on an electric saw for?

Electric saw oil is used as a chain lubricant to reduce frictional forces and reduce heat build-up. As a result, a fast and trouble-free operation of the cutting blade is achieved. Sometimes it happens that at some stages of cutting it is necessary to exert additional efforts to obtain the required cut, and this directly indicates an insufficient amount of lubricant or its not very good quality. In this case, it is recommended to immediately check the oil level in the reservoir or simply lubricate the chain to complete the current work.

Most new models of the electric chain saw have a built-in automatic oil supply system to the surface of the cutting element, and manual lubrication is only necessary for outdated equipment.

General recommendations for choosing a lubricant for an electric saw

When choosing an oil for lubricating an electric saw, each of the users asks the question, which of the options is more profitable and acceptable. a special oil for chain mechanisms or ordinary machine oil? If you listen to the experts, then, of course, the first option is preferable, since the chain lubrication oil was specially developed taking into account the technical characteristics of the electric saw.

The technical characteristics mean a certain temperature regime and friction of the working parts of the lubrication mechanism.

Although conventional engine oil is cheaper than special oil, it must be taken into account that it serves a completely different purpose and cannot guarantee moderate wear on working parts. So you can win a little in price now, but then you will have to overpay for the repair of prematurely worn mechanisms.

Many experts recommend using a brand of special oil with the letter N to lubricate the electric saw. It is slightly more expensive, but guarantees a long and trouble-free operation of the chain. Its main advantages include:

• excellent biodegradability;
• increased adhesive capabilities;
• presence in the composition of special additives that protect against premature wear.

By following these guidelines, you can significantly increase the life of your electric saw chain. However, the final choice of lubricant is always up to the user.

How the chain lubrication system works

As already mentioned, the pump is the main link in the lubrication system. It works as follows. When the engine speed rises, the gear, which is located on the main shaft, starts the pump operation by means of transmission. At this moment, the pressure in the oil supply system rises, and it begins to move in the direction of the tire. This movement ends where the saw casing touches the tire, in the very place where the longitudinal groove is located, to which the oil channel itself is directed when installing the tire. This groove is required to supply lubricant to the tire at any tension level of the chain mechanism, i.e. regardless of the position of the tire when the electric saw is running, the groove will ensure the supply of lubricant to it. The next link in the feed is the chain itself. Its links have their own separate groove or hole through which the material is distributed along the length of the chain.

Electric saw chain automatic lubrication system

In the case of an increase in engine speed, the lubricant pumping speed also increases. Therefore, it is recommended to pour oil into the saw only when the engine is off.

How To Add Oil To An Electric Chainsaw

Many modern models of electric saws, for example, Makita, have built-in pumps with additional skip adjustment, with which you can adjust the amount of lubricant supplied. In older versions of saws, this feature is usually absent. There, the oil supply is carried out in a constant and unchanged mode, or, as in the very first models, the user has to manually lubricate the chain. Those who own outdated copies need to know how to properly lubricate the chain mechanism by hand. It’s not difficult at all:

• take any old container and fill it with oil;
• the chain mechanism is gently immersed in this container.

These actions should be carried out periodically as the lubricant on the chain is consumed.

Overview of brands from various manufacturers

There are many attractive offers on the market today from a wide variety of specialty oil manufacturers that can operate at high temperatures while still providing excellent gear lubrication performance. The most popular ones are presented in the following list.

• Forest Plus has high adhesion characteristics and can be used at ambient temperatures down to.15 ° C. Under certain conditions, the shelf life of the oil is 3 years. Sold in 1-liter and 5-liter packs 5 l 1140 rubles.
• Bio Plus products are plant-based. It decomposes quickly when released into the soil. The oil can be used at temperatures down to.15 ° C. Packaging. 1 and 5 liter containers.
• Synth Plus is made on a synthetic base. Withstands increased loads and can be used at particularly low temperatures down to. 25 ° C. Packaging. 1 and 4 liter containers 4l 2970 rubles.
• Champion adhesive oil is formulated to withstand a wide range of temperatures. It is sold in 3 and 10-liter containers, which is very convenient for use in forestry 10 l 2200 rubles.
• Husqvarna Vegoil is one of the most economical solutions for electric saw lubrication. According to the manufacturer, the consumption of this material is 40% less than others.

Using a special oil to lubricate the chain mechanism of the electric saw will ensure its smooth operation for a long time. This will allow work to be carried out quickly, efficiently and with a high level of safety, which ultimately will lead to significant savings in repair and maintenance of the entire tool.

Mineral and organic chain lubricants

Chain oil for an electric saw of a budget price level has less perfect properties. Consequently, the scope of its application includes short and not intensive sawing work performed in the range of optimal loads.

The lubricating properties of mineral and organic chain oils are almost identical. The essential advantage of organic lubricants is neutrality and environmental friendliness. For Chinese-made saws, chain lubrication oil with proprietary additives is recommended, which in many characteristics is not inferior to European counterparts.

Disadvantages of lubricant substitutes

A household or professional electric chain saw, when filling the lubrication system with a cheap surrogate, may require replacing the standard headset long before its designated resource is exhausted. According to proven data, the use of substandard oil reduces the service life of the saw mechanism by an average of 35-40%.

• Used automobile oil contains microparticles of metal, combustion products and acid-base compounds, which negatively affect the wear and corrosion resistance of the metal of the sawing mechanism.
• Also, it is not recommended to pour automobile and tractor engine oils into an electric saw with a chain set. Such a refueling can initiate a decrease in performance and even a breakdown of the oil pump drive of the lubrication system.

Only in the absence of other options, for a one-time operation, you can fill the system with diluted to standard density. autol or dismeasto.

Branded chain oils

• STIHL ForestPlus mineral oil can be poured into the saw system at ambient temperatures up to 15 ° C, maximum shelf life is up to 3 years.
• A characteristic feature of BioPlus organic oil is the rapid decomposition of the vegetable base when it gets into the ground. Adhesion and temperature characteristics identical to ForestPlus.
• SynthPlus, a low temperature mineral oil, maintains performance at ambient temperatures up to 25 ° C.

The Husqvarna range of chain oils is represented by the brands Vegoil and Husqvarna Bio Advanced. According to experts, chain lubricants of the brands Oleo-Mac, Makita and Champion with similar performance characteristics are produced at a high quality level.

The practice of using proprietary formulations for lubrication and effective cooling of professional-grade saw equipment shows that their cost is fully compensated for by the full and low-cost development of the resource of the tire, saw chain and drive sprocket.

Value for money alternatives

The price of a chain oil of an average quality range is several times less than the cost of an engine oil, and automated lubrication systems allow the lubricant to be consumed in an economical mode (up to 50%).

On the other hand, the use of alternative materials can significantly reduce the life of the bar, saw chain and drive sprocket. In different versions, this indicator can vary from 5 to 15%.

Saw chain oil: choose and use correctly

The service life of the electric saw headset largely depends on the quality and correct dosage of the special lubricant supplied to the rubbing components. Saw chain oil is a mineral or organic based compound with special functional properties.

The tandem of the bar and the saw chain is operated under conditions of high static and variable loads, therefore, in parallel with the lubrication of rubbing parts, their full cooling is realized.

Criterias of choice

Engine oils and their chain counterparts are not interchangeable. The compound for chain lubrication has a number of characteristic differences, in particular, an increased level of adhesion to metal.

• Saw sets of all types of hand saws have the same design, therefore the chain oil for the electric saw is identical to the composition that is used in sawing mechanisms of gas-powered models.
• When choosing a chain lubricant for a specific model, it is recommended to give preference to the grades and grades indicated in the operating instructions. As a rule, these are proprietary developments, created taking into account many factors.

In the absence of a recommended consumable, it is better to use a well-known brand of oil. Branded products of these manufacturers are characterized by universal lubricating properties, stable operating parameters in a wide range of temperature effects.

Caution. fake!

dangerous is the use of cheap oil-chain counterfeit, which accounts for 7 to 12% of total sales. Counterfeits, with varying degrees of success, copy the appearance and labeling of branded products from leading manufacturers, therefore, when choosing an oil yourself, you should be especially careful.

Oil system health monitoring

Lack or absence of lubrication in the tandem “bar-saw chain” is manifested by additional load on the electric motor and the characteristic smell of burnt wood. In this case, work should be stopped to determine the cause of the failure and eliminate the malfunction.

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To check the standard or automatic lubrication system, it is enough to hold the saw headset with the engine running over a sheet of paper for a short time. The size and density of the oil spot can be used to judge the real performance of the oil pump and the health of the system as a whole.