Hi all, new here..with a question or two.

[altair]

Hi all, I'm from New Zealand, and have a couple of queries I hope can be answered here.

I have a Solo 665 professional saw, around a year old. This came with a 20 inch bar and 3/8 chain, but had more than ample power, so purchased a GB bar, 26 inch. The saw runs this bar very easily, seems no different power wise to using the 20 inch.
This GB bar (Australian made I think) has a small, angled oil hole in the bar..does not look anywhere near big enough to me to get adequate oil...and it blocks on every use, really frustrating if the use is only a half hour or less, say to ring up a couple of small logs. Why do they make these holes so damned small and angled? Oiler is set on maximum and I only use top quality bar and chain oil.

Secondly I have an Oleo Mac (Or Efco) 952 for the smaller branches with an 18 inch bar, which does exactly the same thing...chain tightens up after a few minutes use sometimes, and I can guarantee the oiler hole in the bar is blocked.

I really look after my gear, and they get stripped, cleaned and the bar grooves etc cleaned out after every use, and although many say its a waste of time I oil the bar and chain when putting them back together.

Both these saws seem to use maybe 20 percent of a tank of oil to a full tank of gas, worrying in the Solo as it holds nearly a litre of gas...do all modern saws use virtually no oil now? As far as I can see its going to really shorten the life of my bars and chains.

Would running straight engine oil (like a 20W40 car oil) flow better? I am open to ideas, the saws never get run in hard, dry wood, its always green Pine etc.

What is concerning is the oiler capability on the Solo 665...I rang a Solo rep who said it would run a 26 inch bar easily, and to also consider a 28 inch...I'm wondering if the oiler isn't powerful enough to lubricate a 26 incher?

Lastly would drilling the oil holes bigger in the bars help? I could take them to an engineering shop here and have it done..but if the saws are are not pumping enough whats the point? The Solo has done maybe 40 hours total and the Oleo mac maybe 100 or so..so they are both in excellent condition.

Thanks for the time to read this post, and I look forward to your replies and ideas...in the meantime I might take the oilcan with me!!

I keep the saws really sharp, and clean..what am I doing wrong? I worked in Forestry self employed many years ago and ran Jonsered gear, can't recall having these problems back then.

 

[galde]

Oil pumps generally should pump out around 80% of a full oil tank to a full fuel tank. Look at the oil flow at the bar mounting pad while running with the bar off. If the flow is miniscule, the problem might be a clogged filter in the pick-up line. I would drain and flush out the oil tank and inspect the pick-up. If the pump is adjustable, you should be able to see the effect of going from least to most while revving the saw. If the pump is working properly, then opening up the oil hole in the bar is in order. Many users do this as a matter of course with the bars with the tiny opening. A Dremel with a small burr or a good cobalt drill bit will do the job. Just make sure the larger hole stays within the bounds of the oil trench in the bar pad.

 

[dancan]

The newest saw I own it a MS361 which is not known as a oil gusher but I'm almost empty at the end of fuel . Look for a lube adjustment screw , you should be almost empty of oil when you run out of gas and make sure that your lube holes in the bar match up with the output holes of the saw , hard to believe that you would have 2 bad oil pumps but I guess it could happen .

 

[dancan]

Oh Ya , welcome aboard and you best be posting some pics of NZ if you want to stay in good standing here on AS !

 

[altair]

Oh Ya , welcome aboard and you best be posting some pics of NZ if you want to stay in good standing here on AS !

Thanks...don't have many pics but a couple here of the farm I'm doing these trees on..as you can tell it is soft green Pine, the main timber here we build with, and also really good firewood if its 30 years old or more..this lot is going to be split up and put away to dry for a year or two...and the good old nosey cows...main meat here, and the best quality stuff gets exported.

The oil pumps are working perfectly on both saws, I feel its the tiny, angled oil hole in the bar..will get them drilled slightly larger..at the moment they are only half the size of the oil galleries on the saws. Is this a new "law" with bars to minimize oil useage or protect the environment?? When a 26 inch bar and chain costs $250 here I'm quite keen to give it plenty of oil.

 

[dancan]

There's a few members from down there that are buying their stuff from North America , even with shipping and duties I hear they're saving lots .

 

[altair]

Well, have just done my 3 new bars with the small rotary tool, a dremel copy I imagine, spins from 8000 to 35,000 RPM.

Cost $52 from a large auto parts chain we have here, Supercheap Auto.

Used a small diamond coated bit that came with it to enlarge the holes, and a stone cone shaped one to put an angle on the hole..went through 2 stone bits..used heaps of oil and WD-40 for lubrication, made it cut heaps easier. Now with the bars bolted on without a chain, a few revs and the bars are filling with oil..success!!

The Oleo-Macs (EFCO) seem to have a smaller oil passage compared to the Solo, but still pumping out way more oil now. Next use I'll monitor the oil usage with each tank..hopefully its nearly a tank for tank..both saws with adjusters have the oil opened right up.

Its winter here now so they probably won't get much use now for a while.
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