Homelite XL Little Red Questions

Hi. I received a chainsaw secondhand (Homelite XL UT-10478) and know nothing about them. I've got some trees I'd like to cut up but don't know the first thing about working my chainsaw.

So I had a couple of newbie questions if you fellows don't mind answering.

1. Do I need to add pure gasoline or 2-cycle oil or some other type to the fuel tank?

2. Does my chain oil itself automatically? There is a little lever on the top part of the holding handle that seems to be a thumb oil lever. But I don't know how often I need to use this, or if I just push it one time and it oils automatically afterward.


Thank you

Search the site, the search feature will take you to tuns of info.

Might want to think/search safety, don't think that saw has a chain break. That is a safety issue.

Protective equipment for yourself, how to fall trees?

Then once you have got your own safety covered look at chain shapening, mixing gas, bar oil.....

Lots of people willing to help here, but you need to do some of the work (reading) yourself also.

welcome

I've got a little homelite XL that my wife purchased after our first hurricane together. Homelites want a 32 to 1 gas to oil mixture. Most other saws use 50 to 1.

Just take it easy at first. Always be aware of your legs and feet and others around you. Good luck.

What part of MS - I'm up around N/E Mississippi. Don't know much about the XL, but I'd be glad to help.

Already been said, you must mix two cycle oil into the gas. Use a small gas can like 1 gal and add the oil to the gas, shake it. 32:1 ratio is probably correct.

Do a search on Kickback, don't let the tip of the bar contact anything while it is running.

how to fall trees?

Click to expand...

I don't have to know how to do this. A hurricane already handled this part for me.

Lots of people willing to help here, but you need to do some of the work (reading) yourself also.

Click to expand...

Thanks for the criticism.
After searching for two hours thru posts for the Homelite XL, I decided I'd register to this forum and ask a question. Because I realized that no one around here was asking newbie questions. Most of the people have had previous experience with chainsaws so they weren't asking if a chainsaw takes straight gas or mixed or whatever. Instead, most of the posts are brags about what a good price they got, or how they fixed up a chainsaw that was lost in 200 B.C. by the Romans (who used the wrong oil) or about how to strip an engine down to it's molecules. I didn't need to know all that. 1.)Does mine have a thumb oiler, and what does that look like/where's it located? 2.) And does it need to have oil mixed in the gas or not? That's all I asked about. Didn't want a lecture.
What I hoped to find was a link to the company manual from the Homelite XL (don't bother to look at their website...it ain't there).

Sorry I ever asked a stupid newbie question in front of you experts and made you slow down your thinking processes.


To all the rest of you who posted the information about the 32:1 oil mix, thank you for your replies. Your information was helpful.

Marker welcome to the forum, and sorry about the bad luck you've had.

Regarding your question about the oiling maybe this site will tell you if it is automatic or manual. From your description I cannot tell if you are talking about your right or left hand. There is a choke I believe on one of the handles. From this list you will see the vast quantities of models made by Homelite and the difficulty of being familiar with them all. If it is by the trigger or throttle handle on the left side of the handle, it most likely is the oiler button. Models that are automatic oilers have oiler buttons also, so it still may be automatic.

http://www.acresinternet.com/cscc.nsf/GasbyManufacturer?OpenView&Start=49.155&Count=30&Expand=49#49

Oregon the manufacturer of bars and chains for most saw manufacturers will send you a "Maintenance and Safety Manual" at their expense which will familiarize you will lots of unique things that are necessary for the operation of a chainsaw, sharpening which is frequent, tensioning of the chain etc. 503.653.4706, www.oregonchain.com

To check if your chain is oiling, operate it above some old cardboard, it it sprays oil on the cardboard it may be automatic, depends how oily it is on installation. Oregon recommends soaking a chain in oil overnight before using for the first time, and if your saw has not been run it may be a consideration. The first link most likely will tell you if it is manual or an automatic oiler.

As a rule you fill your chain oil tank with fresh chainsaw oil at every fill of fuel mixture. Husqvarna another prominent saw manufacturer suggest rinsing out the chain oil reservoir with gas to clean it out ever so often. Because of the fact it has sat for a while it may be a consideration.

Chain sharpeners are sold where saws are sold, you only get a few sharpens with a file(so pick up a couple, come in diff. sizes for diff. size chain), and if the cutter is not in bad shape it only takes a couple of passes with the file. If you do not have the guide to make the file sharpen at the right angle the saw will not cut straight. The staff at the saw shop will explain it with the guide so you can understand better what I am attempting to explain.

They will check out your saw for a nominal fee, and explain the working also, if they are too busy selling saws to first timers, drop by (call ahead) a small engine service place and ask if they can show you, it will be money well spent. If you have a small engine you will need service sooner or later and it is a good way to meet the fellas.

Saws are noisy and damage hearing, some ear plugs or ear muffs are EXTREMELY wise, along with leather gloves and eye protection. Chaps are wise also.

Good luck in your difficult time.

Marker, I can't be sure of the exact saw you have. If it is the small red XL I'm famiiar with then the oiler should be completely automatic. There is a choke lever that has three positions that sticks out of the case. All the way up is full choke, middle is 1/2 choke, down is no choke.

If the lever you are talking about returns to it's original position by spring tension when released it is most likely an oiler. If it holds the position you put it in it is probably the choke.

All of the "pre- chain brake" chainsaws are prohibited in commercial tree removal. Is there a chassis for the xl automatic that has a chain brake? I'm going to get one with a chain brake because I love the saw.

Sent from my Z557BL using Tapatalk

I've never seen a chainsaw sit for so long and run on the first pull! Basic maintenance on occasion
and It will never fail. It oils really heavy with the automatic oiler and I love that. As soon as I bought it, I was making money with it. If you ever decide to use an obsolete chainsaw to make money, you need to be in and out. It's a very hefty citation, if the inspector wants to report it. If you don't have many hours of cutting experience, just go nice and slow and steady. Keep your eye on the pinch so you don't get it stuck. Watch what you do because you don't want a poor review from the audience.

Sent from my Stihldragon phone

I jave a few xls and super2s. Good little saws.
Yes, they MUST have 2 cycle oil mixed with the gas. Ratio is 32:1.
You May be talking about the choke if its in the left side of the handle. Should be sticking out from under a black plastic cover. There May be a manual oiler, but ive never seen one. Most are automatic. Does it have one trigger for the throttle or 2?
They are good little saws for limbing and small jobs. Take it easy on it if you are cutting up anything over 8" in diameter. It Will do it, but wasnt really made for the big stuff.
Google house of homelite. Lots of manuals etc there.

Homelite made a million saws that they called an XL. If you can post a picture of your saw it might help us figure out which XL it is...If it's the little XL it would be an automatic oiler and all you need to do is add oil to the tank and make sure the cap is on fairly snug..

2005