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Stihl MS250 chainsaw not oiling?

Started by bjdonovan, November 14, 2011, 08:23:31 PM

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bjdonovan

Hi all,

Am new to posting in this forum but I have found this site very useful in the past so I'm hoping someone can help.

I have a Stihl MS250 chainsaw, purchased in March, 2011, that I have used for less than 10 hours. I am having a hard time figuring out if the bar/chain is being lubricated enough. I did the trick of running it full-on with the tip of the chain pointed toward something to see if the oil hits it. I get some really dark colored oil but it doesn't look like much. I decided to clean everything to make sure none of the oil holes were blacked, etc. While I had the chain and bar off I ran the saw and clean golden bar oil oozes from the correct hole. When I put the bar and chain back on and ran it this is what it looked like (see attached picture). I only ran it for 30 seconds and did not cut any wood. This looks like the the really thin gas/oil mixture and not the clean viscous bar oil.



Thoughts? Help!

Thank you in advance for your help!

Kind regards,
Brian
Chapel Hill, NC

T Welsh

Brian, try loading the picture again. if you have lube coming out of the saw with the bar off you are OK. if you have gas/mix coming out of the lube hole you are not OK. Put your finger in the oil and smell it. if it smells like gas,thats not good, its a tell tale sign that its pulling gas through the tank into the oil pump(bad gasket) take it back to where you bought the saw and tell them about it and let them fix it. it should be covered for 1 year. Tim

NCFarmboy

There are 2 oil pumps for this model std. model PN ends in 3200(don't remember the prefixes).  There is a higher output pump PN ends in 3201.  I modified a 3200 pump by drilling the holes larger.  Worked better.  These pumps fit models 017-018-021-023-025-MS170-180-210-230-250.  OEM 3201 are pricey.  Have seen an aftermarket 3201 pump on Ebay.
Shep
Lots & Lots of Saws

bjdonovan

Hey guys,

Thanks for the quick reply - definitely does not smell like gas-oil mixture so must be bar oil.  I was just surprised at the color of the oil.

TWelsh, I tried uploading the picture again and went through the same process as before.  I can see it on my PC but not on my Mac.

I am going to take it just to be sure.

Brian

Kevin

Brian,
I posted the picture for you, if you don't see it reload the page.

Kevin

bjdonovan

So that's how that got there?  Thanks so much Kevin!

joe_indi

That color in the oil possibly comes from too much heat.
Could be a tight chain.
It could also be resins restricting proper oil flow.
Try thinning the oil a bit if its too thick.

Joe

T Welsh

bjdonovan,If you think your not getting enough oil turn the saw over and adjust the oiler screw to max. and then take it from there. Tim

JohnG28

Being that it's a newer Stihl your not going to see a lot of oil sling off the bar.  They don't put out as much now due to EPA regs.  To see if it's getting oil, after running the saw with b/c on for a minute pull the chain away from the bar.  You should see oil on the chain as you pull it from the bar groove.  I have a 361 that doesn't throw off a lot of oil, but it's there on the chain where it needs to be.  The dark color oil your seeing inside the clutch cover is probably oil the has slung off after being carried down the bar and chain and back.  If your running it full throttle not in a cut it will sling off in the cover.  What size bar are you running on it?  Not too big for the saw right?
Stihl MS361, 460 & 200T, Jonsered 490, Jonsereds 90, Husky 350 & 142, Homelite XL and Super XL

Caloren

Have to agree with JohnG28. I sometimes worry about my three Stihl's because they don't have much oil sling [using Bailey's bar oil], but every time I check the chain it has oil. Not near as much oil as the old Remington and Mac's we used 20 or 30 years ago!
Loren
Stihl MS 170, Stihl MS 310, Stihl 028 AV Super, and half a dozen other no-accounts! Cat D4 D.

Al_Smith

Well for that matter there has never since been a saw made that will sling oil like a McCulloch but that doesn't help this situation .Discounting the mini Mac of course  which doesn't deserve to even wear the name McCulloch .

One old fix all for a whimpy oiler is to flush the system with kerosine or diesel oil  but due to the fact it's a fairly new saw I doubt it would help .What will help is running some oil with a good amount of tacking agent in it .It might not seem to be enough but usually is .FWIW this lack of oil is a constant thorn in people sides .Much discussion regarding same .

jimbarry

I got one of those saws too, about the same time as you. With factory presets for the oiler, it doesn't spit out much. Dealer says so long as over half the oil is gone when you fill up, you're doing ok. With regards to the black on your saw, only thing I can think of is it might be a bar issue (chain too tight).  Think of aluminum when you rub on it (black). Just a thought, don't know if it helps.  I have bar issues too, sprocket jams but the dealer says its because I'm cutting a lot of yellow birch (stringy fibers get under chain).

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