Makita 6401 oiler. Need a good way to fix

[mdh32376]

Hello, I picked up a rental 6401 from HD yesterday, and seems to be great running saw, aside from the oiler leaking badly. I did a search on this and read all the posts but it doesn't seem like anyone had found a good solution. Any of the Dolmar dealers ever hear back from the company about this?
This saw had been rented 63 times, and was a bit more beat up than I wanted, but I got a new bar and chain, spark plug, new air filter, new sprocket all thrown into the deal.

Thanks in advance, Mark

 

[FourMoCajuns]

The oiler is also my problem with this saw. Mine is in excellent shape just leaks oil like crazy.

 

[Big Woody]

Maybe you missed my post about putting a folded paper towel piece behind the oil hose to get a better compression fit when the oil pump is screwed on.

May not be a good solution but was a solution in my case. Or just try putting on a new hose.

 

[mdh32376]

good morning,

Woody, I do remember reading your post now that you mention it. I took the oiler off yesterday, cleaned everything good, and used a small washer behind the hose as some others had mentioned. Seemed to help quite a bit. Just have to live with it. All the more reason for me to switch over to bio-bar oil or canola oil. I guess i was hoping that maybe dolmar came up with a re-designed part. Other than that, this saw runs great. Buried the bar in some live oak, and it kept right on cutting.

Just might have to upgrade it to a 7900 though! This stuff seems to get more addciting every day!

Thanks for the help, Mark

 

[FourMoCajuns]

How does the clutch come off?

 

[mdh32376]

Hey Cajuns, I just checked and saw that you are also an electrician, allright! I have been in the trade about 10 years now. Left my job doing commercial elec. work about a year and a half ago, and went to work as an electrician for the city at the airport. Much less stressful job! Interesting too.

As far as the clutch, I read some posts on removing it, and maybe against the better judgement of some, I made a tool out of a 13/16" socket, put it on the impact wrech, and it screwed right off. I just ground 3 notches out of the socket with an angle grinder. ( all I have to work with). After clutch removal, the oiler comes out with 2 screws.

This seemed to help some, but it is really hard to tell where the oil is coming from anyway. Looking at the setup though, it is probably the most likely place. Just another one of those times when you scratch your head at the engineer, and wonder what they were thinking.

Hope this helps, Mark

 

[FourMoCajuns]

So the clutch unscrews but is that right hand or left hand threads?

 

[mdh32376]

Let's see, clockwise to loosen. Reverse threads compared to everything else, I guess that's left handed. As easy as it came off, I think that the method of stuffing rope into the cylinder through the spark plug hole to keep the piston from moving would probably have worked too. Less stress on the crankshaft maybe.
I can get a pic of the tool i made, or if you do search on 7900 oiler, or clutch removal, someone posted a pic of a similar socket on the end of a long pipe

Mark

 

[Big Woody]

Makita Clutch Removal Tool

Just pick up one of these from the Makita store. No clutch is too much

 

[Andyshine77]

I also made a clutch tool out of an old socket. Here is a link to the old thread.http://www.arboristsite.com/showthread.php?t=31654

I ended up soaking the oil pump and hoses in a heavy duty cleaner, then gluing the pump to the hose with Loctite 416 super bonder, so far it's holding.

The best solution would be to TIG weld a tube with nipple and a 90 degree elbow, to the pump. Then cut the elbow off of the oil hose, and slide the hose over the nipple. I think that would fix things for good.