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"Chain Oil" the same as Bar oil?

Started by GoStumpy, February 23, 2013, 07:29:21 PM

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GoStumpy

I bought a gallon of "Chain Oil" at my local auto-parts store, thinking chain oil is chain oil...

It's red instead of blue which came with the saw, wondering if there is a difference?

I noticed ALL of the chain oil leaked into the case over the winter, I've heard that the only time a chainsaw doesn't leak bar oil is when the tank is empty...lol.  My saw was bought last April, and I really didn't expect all the bar oil to leak out of a brand new saw!

Thoughts??

JuniperBoss

From my experience almost all 'bar and chain' oil is titled 'bar and chain oil'. However, I think jonsered and some not-so-big brands sell it titled 'chain oil'. I'm sure you chose the right stuff. As long as it's thick, almost syrupy but still liquid I'm sure you got the right stuff. When you said that blue came with the saw, I assume you mean that they gave you a blue-colored container of bar/chain oil when you purchased the saw. That doesn't matter. Bar/chain oil can come in all kinds of containers. All the bar/chain oil I've ever used was a tan-ish color, sometimes more red and sometimes more a light brown. If you could remember or find the container of oil that you used, you could tell for sure, but I think you are probably alright. Chain oil, like to lubricate chains on big machinery (we use it often on our farming equipment) usually comes in a little 'squirt' can and looks different. It usually is called chain 'lube' also. It would be pretty hard to use if you had to paint it on :D. What a mess. Anyway, I'm sure you are fine.

I suppose your saw could leak that much for that many months sitting. I don't think any of my saws would leak all of the oil out, but I guess all saws are different. I wouldn't worry about it. But, just from curiosity, how was the saw stored? Upright, sitting on it's bottom, etc.? I've seen saws be stored in all sorts of cock-eyed ways :D.
"The three great essentials to achieve anything worthwhile are, first, hard work; second, stick-to-itiveness; third, common sense." --- Thomas Edison

drobertson

I'm thinking it is one and the same as well, it might be a different formula. Never seen red before, My poulan leaks around somewhere? cant figure it out, my stihl does not. But I store both with the caps up just in case,  david
only have a few chain saws I'm not suppose to use, but will at times, one dog Dolly, pretty good dog, just not sure what for yet,  working on getting the gardening back in order, and kinda thinking on maybe a small bbq bizz,  thinking about it,

bandmiller2

Usally bar and chain oil is the cheapest oil they can find with a tackifier added like STP engine treatment.The big requirement is clean and light enough to flow when cold.Pretty much all saws leak oil,lay them so the part that leaks is on the top.If you run out engine oil or ATF is fine. Frank C.
A man armed with common sense is packing a big piece

Al_Smith

I've heard of people using everything from old black crankcase oil to hydraulic oil .

Regular "bar oil " is just as been mentioned oil with a tacking agent similar to machine way oil .Of course way oil like Mobil Vactra is a tad on the pricey side to be used in a chainsaw and a tad thicker .

They could put any color of dye thay wanted to in the stuff .Sky blue or pitty tink for that matter .

Harley D tickled me  they used just put black dye in it from the get go .

bandmiller2

A power plant engineer friend used to give me drained turbine oil.For all intent it looked like new oil, I'd mix some STP or motor honey and a little ATF for color,and have a years supply of B&C. Frank C.
A man armed with common sense is packing a big piece

CTYank

Some saws leak bar oil, some don't.

For example, my little "Mac" (Jenn Feng) 35cc has never leaked a drop; my 40cc RedMax, which externally looks much like a clone of the above, also does not leak oil.

OTOH my Husqy 455r and PP5020AV leak a little. So you put 'em away empty or put something absorbent underneath. Can be lived with.  ;)

Been trying to prep bud's Pioneer 1074 for useful work. That thing could leak like the oil was under pressure.  :o Trails in carpet are its memento.
'72 blue Homelite 150
Echo 315, SRM-200DA
Poulan 2400, PP5020, PP4218
RedMax GZ4000, "Mac" 35 cc, Dolmar PS-6100
Husqy 576XP-AT
Tanaka 260 PF Polesaw, TBC-270PFD, ECS-3351B
Mix of mauls
Morso 7110

Al_Smith

I'm certain they make a tacking agent less expensive than STP or Motor Honey .What it is or where to get it I have no idea .

Really if a person had a supply of clean used hydraulic oil ,turbine oil or any oil there is no reason you couldn't brew your own so to speak .I personally would refrain from old crankcase oil but I guess some use it ,not I .

MEloggah

we always ran waste oil from the logging truck or the skidders. anything to keep that chain cool and lubricated. the only down side is used motor oil is a little more nasty if you get it on ya.

JuniperBoss

I look like a coal miner when I get done doing something with used motor oil :D.
"The three great essentials to achieve anything worthwhile are, first, hard work; second, stick-to-itiveness; third, common sense." --- Thomas Edison

Al_Smith

Supposidly they ran tests using old black oil and surprisingly it did pretty well regarding bar and chain wear .Fine and dandy but I'm still not going to go there .My old oil goes to my buddy who has waste oil burner heater .

JuniperBoss

Same here. I'm not one to go "outside the box" so to speak with my equipment. I just don't like taking risks. So I'm stuck with $14.00 bar oil >:(. It might actually be worth it to take that risk, considering such high prices of premium bar oil.
"The three great essentials to achieve anything worthwhile are, first, hard work; second, stick-to-itiveness; third, common sense." --- Thomas Edison

MEloggah

what risk??? lol no offense but its a simple concept. it wont hurt a thing. we run b&c now but back when i ws a kid it was regular practice to have 5 gal buckets full of used motor oil for b+c.

JuniperBoss

I didn't know that so you can't blame me for being cautious. When do want me to send you the check, you may have just saved me some $$$ ;D.

Oh and by the way, why do you run b&c now instead of motor oil ???
"The three great essentials to achieve anything worthwhile are, first, hard work; second, stick-to-itiveness; third, common sense." --- Thomas Edison

Al_Smith

Oh no doubt people have done it for years .Makes a mell of a hess though .

MEloggah

Quote from: JuniperBoss on February 28, 2013, 08:01:28 PM
I didn't know that so you can't blame me for being cautious. When do want me to send you the check, you may have just saved me some $$$ ;D.

Oh and by the way, why do you run b&c now instead of motor oil ???

back in the day we had 4 skidders and a couple trucks on the road and we had ALOT of waste oil. gramp was a lot tighter then dad and i am and it seemed wasteful to him i guess ??? these days if i change my oil ill use it but typically i tend to buy b+c. just another cost of business i guess. and like i said earlier, the motor oil makes things much nastier. chaps, saws, hands etc plus when they leak its a *DanG nasty mess compared to b+c.

bandmiller2

If you use drain oil everything you wear will have a black streak.Really if any lubricating oil is clean and not acid it will work,it doesn't hang out on the bar very long. Frank C.
A man armed with common sense is packing a big piece

qbilder

Would synthetic 15w-40 work ok? I buy it by the 2.5gl jug for changing oil in my truck. I always have about half a jug left over. 
God bless our troops

gspren

Quote from: qbilder on March 04, 2013, 11:12:06 AM
Would synthetic 15w-40 work ok? I buy it by the 2.5gl jug for changing oil in my truck. I always have about half a jug left over.
It will work but not as good as b&c oil. In the old days regular motor oil was stickier than it is now, the newer motor oils in a quest for better economy and better pressurized lube systems are formulated to not be sticky. Save your motor oil for the next change.
Stihl 041, 044 & 261, Kubota 400 RTV, Kubota BX 2670, Ferris Zero turn

Full Chisel

Don't use motor oil for Bar & Chain. That's for cave man. Used oil? ruin your oil pump. If you didn't already, you didn't cut enough wood. Get busy. The red stuff you got sounds like winter grade.
Jed: Jethro, how's come they ain't no ice in Kali Forni-a?

Jethro: Don't look at me Uncle Jed. I didn't take it.

MEloggah

Quote from: Full Chisel on March 04, 2013, 07:32:37 PM
Don't use motor oil for Bar & Chain. That's for cave man. Used oil? ruin your oil pump. If you didn't already, you didn't cut enough wood. Get busy. The red stuff you got sounds like winter grade.

smiley_headscratch

JuniperBoss

I was just a bit confused too. It looks like we have some disagreement here.
"The three great essentials to achieve anything worthwhile are, first, hard work; second, stick-to-itiveness; third, common sense." --- Thomas Edison

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