Homeowner or occasional user maintenance schedule

[JUDGE1162]

Here is my question when you look at the owner’s manual with most chain saws it tells you do this daily, this weekly, and this monthly. However I believe this is based on using the thing daily or close to daily

How about the guy that cuts only on weekends, for 4 to 6 hours max does the same maintenance schedule apply? I know to do the daily items every time I cut but what about the weekly item if I only use the saw for 1 or 2 days a weeks do I still do the weekly items weekly or do they become monthly items and monthly items with limit use can they become done every 3 months or is it like an oil change on your care regardless of the amount of mile you need to change the oil every 3 months.

Are there maintenance charts based on hours?

I know that at the end of the season (usually November or December for me) I run the saw dry and empty the gas and lube tanks, loosen the bar nuts and slack or remove the chains and there is no maintenance.

My local saw shop offers a tune up and say it should be done every year no matter how often you use the saw, is this true?

How long are chain saw spark plugs good for? Fuel filter? Air filter? Needle valve?

 

[Lakeside53]

Fuel filter - yearly.
Spark plug - years... but for $1.50, just change it yearly anyhow and keep the old one until you have a couple.
Airfilter - clean as requried thoughout the year.
Needle valve - forget about it...

 

[GASoline71]

Fuel filter - yearly.
Spark plug - years... but for $1.50, just change it yearly anyhow and keep the old one until you have a couple.
Airfilter - clean as requried thoughout the year.
Needle valve - forget about it...

Yup... what he said.

Gary

 

[JUDGE1162]

OK that answer the whole tune up thing, it is most likely worth it, but what about the maintenace schedule it say to empty and clean the fuel and bar oil tanks monthly with less then 50 hours a month of use is this reccomended monthly?

If so how should that be done?

Clean and regap the spark plug again with less then 50 hours does that need to be done monthly?

How do you lubricate the cutch drum bearing? how often should it be done?

 

[Timberhauler]

Run it til' it tears up....Then fix it

 

[Monkeyhanger]

... is it like an oil change on your care regardless of the amount of mile you need to change the oil every 3 months...

Hi,

A bit off topic but you're kidding, right? You change oil in your car every three months?

Here in Europe if I don't manage the 30 000km for the oil service then it's a two year oil change on the car I run at the moment.

I thought people were getting away from the change the oil every time you fill her up with gas attitude that used to be (or still is) common over there.

Bye

 

[JUDGE1162]

I drive 3,000 miles in a 3 month period so it is not an issue, I try my best to have an oil change every 3,000 to 4,000 miles but yes if I did not put 3,000 miles on my car in 3 months I would do an oil change at least the next time I did use it for any length of time.

 

[Monkeyhanger]

Hi,

thats amazing, you wouldn't be able to sell a car that needed oil changes more often than some people change their toothbrushes over here. Thinking about it, you probably couldn't give it away never mind sell it...

What kind of car is it? How old etc.?

Bye

 

[computeruser]

Hi,

thats amazing, you wouldn't be able to sell a car that needed oil changes more often than some people change their toothbrushes over here. Thinking about it, you probably couldn't give it away never mind sell it...

What kind of car is it? How old etc.?

Bye

Most newer vehicles are on 6-8k mile change intervals for "normal service". But for those of us whose driving constitutes "heavy service" - lots of towing, extended idling, harsh environmental conditions, etc. - the manufacturers generally suggest 3k mile oil change intervals. Some high-end vehicles have oil sensors that tell you when the oil is dirty enough to demand changing, but even then it is a 10k mile maximum.

Incidentally I run Mobil 1 in the Jeep and keep it at 3-4k change intervals, which I know is unnecessarily frequent even with my frequent towing and all. But an oil change takes me maybe 20 minutes start-to-finish in my driveway and costs $35, so why not?

 

[stonykill]

Hi,

A bit off topic but you're kidding, right? You change oil in your car every three months?

Here in Europe if I don't manage the 30 000km for the oil service then it's a two year oil change on the car I run at the moment.

I thought people were getting away from the change the oil every time you fill her up with gas attitude that used to be (or still is) common over there.

Bye

change the oil every time you fill er up? You must be dillusional. Nobody changes there oil every 400 miles, no one ever has. You are probably refering to the check the oil every time you fill up. There is a big difference between topping off oil and changing it.:bang:

 

[kevinj]

Hi,

A bit off topic but you're kidding, right? You change oil in your car every three months?

Here in Europe if I don't manage the 30 000km for the oil service then it's a two year oil change on the car I run at the moment.

I thought people were getting away from the change the oil every time you fill her up with gas attitude that used to be (or still is) common over there.

Bye

Not unless they're getting 3000 miles between fill ups !:jawdrop:

 

[habanero]

Not unless they're getting 3000 miles between fill ups !:jawdrop:

I used to change the oil more often than I filled up my Mercedes at the station---but then 90% of my driving was on WVO, so I guess it doesn't really count.

 

[Monkeyhanger]

change the oil every time you fill er up? You must be dillusional. Nobody changes there oil every 400 miles, no one ever has. You are probably refering to the check the oil every time you fill up. There is a big difference between topping off oil and changing it.:bang:

Hi,

no, I meant it exactly as I said it!

For us over here even the cars without the extended oil change intervals (WIV) only need an oil change every 20000 to 30000km. That makes your 3000 to 6000m changes seem incredibly frequent and extremely wasteful. The last car I had with only a 15000km interval was built in '96.

Even my air/oil cooled Suzuki wet clutch bike gets an oil change every 6000km if I only use cheapo mineral oil or every 12000km if I use a synthetic such as those from Castrol or Motul and that machine really is not ridden lightly e.g. 210kmh with 30°C air temps in summer or 120kmh with -10°C in winter. My old Honda had a 12000km interval even with cheapo mineral oil as standard.

Do these manufacturer recommendations also apply to european built cars such as BMW or Mercedes? That would be interesting to know as these cars absolutely do not have such short intervals here.

I find it quite shocking that America still has this fill her up with gas, top up the water and change the oil attitude. As I said you wouldn't be able to sell a car with those intervals here.

Bye

 

[computeruser]

Do these manufacturer recommendations also apply to european built cars such as BMW or Mercedes? That would be interesting to know as these cars absolutely do not have such short intervals here.

To my knowledge, most vehicles have somewhere between a 6000-7500mile interval, with a 3000mile interval if subject to heavy service. This includes imports of all sorts.

Out of curiosity, what does engine oil look like when it comes out after 15k miles? I can't imagine it looks or smells particularly fresh at that point.

Are y'all changing oil filters somewhere in the middle of that time period? I know that some folks running synthetics will change the oil based on its color and just swap filters every 4k or thereabouts.

 

[stonykill]

Hi,

no, I meant it exactly as I said it!

For us over here even the cars without the extended oil change intervals (WIV) only need an oil change every 20000 to 30000km. That makes your 3000 to 6000m changes seem incredibly frequent and extremely wasteful. The last car I had with only a 15000km interval was built in '96.

Even my air/oil cooled Suzuki wet clutch bike gets an oil change every 6000km if I only use cheapo mineral oil or every 12000km if I use a synthetic such as those from Castrol or Motul and that machine really is not ridden lightly e.g. 210kmh with 30°C air temps in summer or 120kmh with -10°C in winter. My old Honda had a 12000km interval even with cheapo mineral oil as standard.

Do these manufacturer recommendations also apply to european built cars such as BMW or Mercedes? That would be interesting to know as these cars absolutely do not have such short intervals here.

I find it quite shocking that America still has this fill her up with gas, top up the water and change the oil attitude. As I said you wouldn't be able to sell a car with those intervals here.

Bye

ok, once again we don't change the oil on every fillup. Your delusional and you can't read. What you are referring to was a common practice from the 50's to the late 70's, not today. Also every shop that changes oil or sells oil is required to save the oil for recycling. That doesn't seem wasteful to me.

Now for my next point, the " you Americans" comment. First we need some family history. My grandmother was born in Normandy in 1925. She moved here in 1945 after WWII. I have heard countless story's of Germany's occupation of her country. Not one of them is good. Most are downright terrifying. I see quite a lot on AS from some of the Europeans , comments putting down or demeaning Americans, almost a supremacy thing. We are all human, none better than the others, period. I don't expect to be lumped in a category that you refer to as " you American" no more than you would want to be lumped in a category of the Germans that I have heard countless tales about. I can't stand when any countryman or woman, puts down or demeans another. We are all human, thats it, no different.

 

[logbutcher]

Change Toothbrush at 6000 miles

Hi,

thats amazing, you wouldn't be able to sell a car that needed oil changes more often than some people change their toothbrushes over here. Thinking about it, you probably couldn't give it away never mind sell it...
Bye

It is said that Europeans can tell Americans (Canadians included) by the full set of their original teeth .
We do change toothbrushes at every fillup , every oilchange at 400 miles , and our streets are paved with catalytic palladium. :hmm3grin2orange: :hmm3grin2orange: .
You must be Bavarian :monkey: :monkey: .
Deinen städtischen Mythusaufstellungsort bitte JETZT überprüfen…! (Mine Deutch is quite poor.......Excuse.......

 

[outdoortype]

look at your oil.....

Reguardless of your nationality, look at your oil after say 1,500 miles or so. Compare it the fresh bottle. Now you'll understand why some change their oil so soon.

 

[Cam501]

Most newer vehicles are on 6-8k mile change intervals for "normal service". But for those of us whose driving constitutes "heavy service" - lots of towing, extended idling, harsh environmental conditions, etc. - the manufacturers generally suggest 3k mile oil change intervals. Some high-end vehicles have oil sensors that tell you when the oil is dirty enough to demand changing, but even then it is a 10k mile maximum.

Incidentally I run Mobil 1 in the Jeep and keep it at 3-4k change intervals, which I know is unnecessarily frequent even with my frequent towing and all. But an oil change takes me maybe 20 minutes start-to-finish in my driveway and costs $35, so why not?

I run Valvoline SynPower (mobil used to be competetively priced in my area but is now 50¢ or more per qt) in my POS cavalier and change my oil roughly every 4500 miles or so. I could probably go a bit longer since it's full synthetic, but the paper in the oil filter starts to break down and it's more of a hassle to change just the filter

 

[ChuckinOhio]

Hell, I'd only change my oil every 48 million Kilometers too if I was driving one of those Euro rollerskates.
how much load is put on the engine? It's like a twin cylinder Wisconsin powering an orange crate right?

Give me 6,000 pounds of sedan, and if I get short of oil, I'll vote for a president who will invade someone who has oil!!!

OOPS I forgot that you guys tried that in '39, oh well better luck next time.

Chuck

 

[musch]

When I was a lot younger, and a lot dumber, I ran a car for 30,000 miles without an oil change.

I blew a head gasket at 76,000 miles.
Coincidence?

Lets just say that I now change my oil religiously.

An ounce of prevention beats a pound of cure eh?