some general questions

[my82cam]

i am new to the site and this is my first post, i'm pretty excited to find this place. first off, i have an MS210 with a 16inch bar, bought it new 5 years ago and love it, works great for around the house but my dad bought land and i am getting into bigger trees and it is nice to have 2(if one is good, 2 must be great, right?!) i got a ms440 magnum with a 25inch bar(traded for it and have little to nothing in it and it was brand new, the guy never used it)

first problem-the ms210 will not make a base cut and never has, if i turn the saw on its side to cut a stump flush with the ground, the bar overheats and it chews the blade up quick. i ran the saw at a high rpm and oil slings off the blade like it should. i also took the bar off and ran it and oil is pumping out to oil the bar. it also started to leak oil this winter-i took it to the dealer and they have had it for 3 weeks and haven't even looked at it yet.

second problem-the 440 has a brand new ripping chain on it(may not be the right application here-i think they are more for sawmills but it was free and came with the 440, so, i thought i would use it) i was able to make one cut towards the base of the tree than the blade started to get dull and the bar got so hot i couldn't touch it. i don't cut fast, it isn't a race, i let the saw do the work and move slow. the 440 didn't seem like it was slinging a lot of oil off of the blade, so, i turned the screw, by the bar adjuster, counter clockwise and that seemed to pump a little more oil. i than tried to rid down the side of the tree where 2 stumps join each other, so, i could separate it to cut it off at the base, but sparks started to fly , so, i quit. i couldn't see any metal, just bark. what on earth am i doing wrong? i tore up a good chain in less than 5 minutes.

wow, this was a long first thread....sorry about that, i will save my other questions for another time! thanks, newby

 

[MostShady1]

I'm not sure exactly what you adjusted on your 440, but on mine, the oiler adjustment is on the bottom of the saw. Check you manuals, read them twice, and make sure you know your saws.

I run my oilers pretty much wide open, oil is cheap, chains and bars are not.

let us know what you find out, and we'll help you all we can.

P.S. welcome to AS!!!

 

[my82cam]

i guess i need to get a book for mine, it didn't come with one. guy i got it from said that was the oil adjuster, guess he was wrong. i will go look again.....i wonder what i adjusted. lol i really want it to be pumping a lot of oil that is for sure.

 

[MostShady1]

Also, always keep the oiler holes in the bar clean. If they plug up with dust, the oil will just spill down the bar.

 

[MostShady1]

Here, these should help.

http://www.stihlusa.com/stihl_ownersmanuals/MS440_Manual.pdf

http://www.stihlusa.com/stihl_ownersmanuals/MS210230250_Manual.pdf

Save them and print them. You'll be glad you did.

 

[my82cam]

thanks, i do make sure the holes are clean. i don't know what screw i was turning but i did find the oil adjustment on the bottom of the saw. it was turned 1/4 of the way between "E" and another symbol, so, i turned it all the way clockwise. i will run it tomorrow and see if that helps. man, i'm glad i found this site!

 

[MostShady1]

thanks, i do make sure the holes are clean. i don't know what screw i was turning but i did find the oil adjustment on the bottom of the saw. it was turned 1/4 of the way between "E" and another symbol, so, i turned it all the way clockwise. i will run it tomorrow and see if that helps. man, i'm glad i found this site!

Stick with us, we've got your back.

This site is both a blessing and a curse. A wealth of knowledge, but CAD is contagious! (search CAD)

 

[vincem77]

I've learned a few things cutting so far. One of them being never let the chain cut into the dirt, it will instantly dull the chain. Once dull its creating alot more friction for the amount of cutting being done.

How low do you cut the stumps? If the saw is making sawdust and not chips you might wanna sharpen up those chains and take it easy on your bars.

You using a wedge to help support the weight of the wood during the cut?

 

[my82cam]

i don't let it get in the dirt, i only made one cut from a brand new chain and then the second cut was not happening. i really think the oiling adjuster was my problem, i was reading last night and the screw is turned to E for normal use, but wasn't quite there. i turned it wide open, once i put my other chain on there i will try it again. i am pretty sure that is what the problem will be on my 210 that is in the shop.

 

[rarefish383]

Even if you think your keeping the bar out of the dirt, chances are your not. A sharp chain really can't get dull in one cut. It had to hit something. The other thing is the low cuts on the base of the stump tend to to have sand and dirt grown into the bark. As the tree expands and gets bigger it pushes the dirt out and away. Some of it gets included in the bark. Small stones can get swallowed up as the tree grows also. If the saw cuts crooked after your stump cut that usually is a sign that the down side cutters hit something. Another thing that can dull a saw on stump cuts is if you have a loose chain and let the saw wobble as you are getting the cut started. Look at your guide plates and see if they look cut. It takes a lot of strength in the wrists to hold the saw level while getting it started on a stump cut, especially with a bigger saw.

Keep giving us details and some pics would help, Joe.

 

[rarefish383]

Just reread your post. If you tried to rip down between 2 trunks grown together you probably hit a big dirt pocket in the base cut first. Where the 2 trunks grow together they push dirt together so tight it's like a grinding stone when you hit it. When you get that stump off I bet there is a dirt pocket in the middle, Joe.

 

[my82cam]

that is some good thoughts about the dirt. i know i am not hitting the ground because i am 2+ feet above the ground. i will post more when i have time

 

[my82cam]

i will try to post some pictures but we are in the middle of moving and the cord is packed...i don't know if i will ever see it again. lol i didn't see anything on CAD other than a heart attack. lol what does it mean?

 

[MostShady1]

i will try to post some pictures but we are in the middle of moving and the cord is packed...i don't know if i will ever see it again. lol i didn't see anything on CAD other than a heart attack. lol what does it mean?

LOL. You'll find out. Are your saws working better for you now?

 

[Bearcreek]

You may want to check the first screw you turned when you were trying to adjust the oil. The screw next to the bar adjuster secures the metal plate that covers and protects the bar oil channel. That screw needs to be tight. If thats the one you turned, go back and make sure it's not loose. It sounds like you may have hit a piece of metal in the stump. I've found all kinds of #### inside of stumps including (but not limited to) nails, T-posts, railroad spikes, wire, steel pipe, and in one case, part of a bicycle. Often times it's not easy to tell from the outside if there is metal in there. One clue, at least in some species of trees is bluish streaks or spots in the log near where the metal is.

 

[MostShady1]

You may want to check the first screw you turned when you were trying to adjust the oil. The screw next to the bar adjuster secures the metal plate that covers and protects the bar oil channel. That screw needs to be tight. If thats the one you turned, go back and make sure it's not loose. It sounds like you may have hit a piece of metal in the stump. I've found all kinds of #### inside of stumps including (but not limited to) nails, T-posts, railroad spikes, wire, steel pipe, and in one case, part of a bicycle. Often times it's not easy to tell from the outside if there is metal in there. One clue, at least in some species of trees is bluish streaks or spots in the log near where the metal is.

+1 :agree2:

 

[my82cam]

i got the 210 back from ACE but i haven't had time to try it. they said it wasn't oiling because the pick up ball was stuck in the oil tank, that is BS because i checked the ball and it moved like it should and wasn't stuck when i gave it to them. it was oiling, just not a lot. i haven't had time to check it yet, i go to africa tuesday and will be gone for 2 weeks. i will get time to try it then, there are about 10 trees in my yard that are coming down when i get back. they are all cedar and i am going to use them for posts on a hunting cabin i am going to make. does anybody know where the oil adjuster is on the 210? i can't find it.

 

[vincem77]

I don't believe the homeowner line of stihl saws have adjustable oilers. The 3 adjusting screws labeled H, L, HL are for high, low and idle carb adjustments. The adjusting screw between the clutch cover nuts is for the chain tension.

Rev the saw for a few seconds before you make a cut and you should see some oil spraying off the tip of the bar. If no saw dust is obstructing the oil flow it should not need adjustment on these saws.

 

[MostShady1]

I don't believe the homeowner line of stihl saws have adjustable oilers. The 3 adjusting screws labeled H, L, HL are for high, low and idle carb adjustments. The adjusting screw between the clutch cover nuts is for the chain tension.

Rev the saw for a few seconds before you make a cut and you should see some oil spraying off the tip of the bar. If no saw dust is obstructing the oil flow it should not need adjustment on these saws.

+1 :agree2:

 

[Hillbilly3995]

I think your problem is chain/bar condition. Oil will not inhibit cutting - even a saw that is not oiling will cut fine for a very short period. get your bars dressed and chains sharp, then you'll do some cutting.