used motor oil for bar oil

[wvlogger]

Well if you dislkie you oil pump bar and chain or have some deep pockest and like doing repairs then by all mean run the used motro oil. I have used hydraulic fluid for the dozer in a pinch but i really hated to do it but it sure did beat driving 20 miles to town and 15 of em was off road

 

[garmar]

Prove it,for my chain lube I ran motor oil both used and new in my saws for over 30 years,I never had one incident of a failure from using it. Where is the potential to damage your machine? I can see the possibility of shorter bar life,though I have never noticed it. You believe that Bar and chain oil is for you go for it. If someone wants to run other oil thats what works for him.

I don't have to prove anything. It's just common sense not to use an inferior product in an expensive machine in an attempt to save a couple bucks when there is something better available. I have a brand new Stihl and the 7 bucks for a gallon the dealer has is cheap insurance imo.

And how do you know whether or not you're getting shorter bar life if you've always used motor oil?

The proper use for used motor oil is turned in to your local recycler. Unless you have an oil burner in your garage.



I feel like I walked into an alternate universe today or something. Am I really discussing this stupidity?

 

[DSS]

I don't see paying how much...6,7,8 hundred bucks for a saw and then putting dirty oil in the tank to save six bucks a gallon.

Not to mention the mess on the saw itself when you go to work on it. There is no way that old stink ass oil is not harming the oiler, the b/c ....and the environment, if you want to get anal. It won't cling to the chain either, no tackifier in it.

Why ????

 

[dingeryote]

Prove it,for my chain lube I ran motor oil both used and new in my saws for over 30 years,I never had one incident of a failure from using it. Where is the potential to damage your machine? I can see the possibility of shorter bar life,though I have never noticed it. You believe that Bar and chain oil is for you go for it. If someone wants to run other oil thats what works for him.

That biodegradable oil from Bailey's is really Veggie oil with additives. I have read where lots of folks are veggie oil on their bars.

Here is a good link about using Veggie oil in your saw: http://www.earthenexposure.com/permaculture/chainsaws/vegioils.htm

I have probably well over 100 gallons of used Veggie oil,I may clean it by filtration and try it in one of my older saws. I have never done this,but if anyone here has please post your results.

Plain old motor oil would be fine if it didn't fling off so bad.
USED motor oil is the issue.

The biggest reason to change oil in the first place is, the chemical contamination from the combustion process. All kinds of nasty crap with twenty five letter chemical names, and compounds that are proven to be detrimental to human health, and not too friendly to mechanical objects.

Ya wouldn't pour hydrochloric acid on your saw right?
How about soak your trousers with sulfphur dioxide? Methyl benzene?

Nah, USED motor oil just ain't smart for Bar lube, unless ya don't have other options.

Stay safe!
Dingeryote

 

[savageactor7]

I knew folks that used it but I never did mostly cause I don't like the smell of it.

I save and use old motor oil to coat mowing decks etc... so in a pinch I'd probably use it.

 

[fatjoe]

Low Viscosity

I use to work for a Tree guy who did that.It bothered me, but not him.I think his reasoning was that he had so many different people using the saws and they were abused so much that the saws would be trashed in a year or so anyway.The stuff he used was black as coal and thin as water.It got all over you too, cause there was no viscosity to it.I wouldn`t use it in my saws.

 

[BlueRidgeMark]

I have probably well over 100 gallons of used Veggie oil,I may clean it by filtration and try it in one of my older saws. I have never done this,but if anyone here has please post your results.

I've used it. It seems to lube quite well. I liked the way it worked for me.

I don't recommend it.

It might be okay for pros who are running their saws constantly, but not for weekend warriors. Why? Vegetable based oils turn to varnish when exposed to the air. Ever heard of using tung oil or linseed oil as a wood finish? Same deal. All veggie oils exhibit this to one degree or another. What this means to the saw owner is that veggie oil must be cleaned off of your saw, bar and chains, or it will gum them up something fierce.

Been there, done that.


If they are constantly in use, the stuff probably won't have a chance to turn to varnish. Some pros on here use it and like it. I have no argument with them, but I don't think it's a good thing for the occasional cutter, unless you want to do a complete cleaning of the bar, chain, saw, and inside of the oiler system every time you put the saw away.


Okay, end of thread hijack!

 

[BlueRidgeMark]

I don't see paying how much...6,7,8 hundred bucks for a saw and then putting dirty oil in the tank to save six bucks a gallon.

I prefer using the proper tool for the job instead of stepping over dollars to pick up dimes.

:agree2:

 

[CWME]

I have five gallons of used ISO 48 hydro oil from my log splitter. Looking pretty good instead of dropping more $ on oil.

 

[4seasons]

Used motor oil will not hurt your saw. Dirty oil will. The simple truth is motor oil is constantly changed because it is dirty, not worn out. Don't believe me? Check into putting a bypass oil filter system on a big truck. There are trucks on the road running the same motor oil for 50-100k miles. So why would you think that oil with 3-5k miles on it wouldn't lube a bar for a few laps of a chain before getting slung off? Now saying that most people running used oil aren't filtering out the particles and are running dirty oil. I don't think pouring oil through and old sock is going to do much more than make your sock dirty or make the oil smell like feet. Now if you want to make a case for not slinging dirty oil all over the woods you have a valid point there. But because it wont lube or wear out parts faster, find someones saw that was damaged because of used oil. I can see small metal particles damaging the oil pump but if they are filtered out what is in the oil to hurt the saw? I have filtered used oil and used it to cut bar oil that wont pour out of the bottle on a cold day. And for putting the oil next to the heat to get it to pour, what do you do when your in the woods for 8 hours? I'm sure not going to run the truck the whole time to keep the oil warm.

 

[Jredsjeep]

i used to run used motor oil in my saws all the time up until a couple of years ago. i used to sell firewood on the side on a small scale and never had an oiler problem with my saws. i havent noticed any real bar wear differance either, i am still running the same bars and chains i did before. i do it more for the right tool for the job mentality and i have differant uses for my motor oil like running my truck off it.

its a good idea and recommended to use but its not all doom and gloom if you don't. this is coming from my life experaince over the past 10+ years of chainsawing and is just my opinion.

 

[Stihl310]

I've ran used motor oil in my saws for some time now... Never had the slightest of problems with pumps, bars, chains... anything... I generally only use it in the winter time, however if I don't have anything else in the summer I'll throw it in... Seems to lube the chain just fine... Every now and then though I'll get my hands on some bar oil, not too often though...

I'd like to see some serious data backing up the claims that it will wear out your saw, if someone could prove it I may buy into it. However, my own experience has shown me that there have been no negative affects.

 

[banshee67]

the only data i need is to put my finger in some motor oil , and pull it away... no strings sticking, just drips off
now try it with some good bar oil.. you can stretch the snot quite a ways before it breaks off
thats enough to prove how real bar lube sticks to the bar and chain while motor oil just flings off and drips everywhere
while flinging and dripping off everywhere, how does it ever get time to properly lubricate anything it needs to?

 

[logbutcher]

the only data i need is to put my finger in some motor oil , and pull it away... no strings sticking, just drips off
now try it with some good bar oil.. you can stretch the snot quite a ways before it breaks off
thats enough to prove how real bar lube sticks to the bar and chain while motor oil just flings off and drips everywhere
while flinging and dripping off everywhere, how does it ever get time to properly lubricate anything it needs to?

:agree2:

C'mon now, you got a gold plated tool (IF Stihl). Why F around with cheap, you &%$#@*.
Just say no to Motor Oil----used or not.

 

[Iska3]

the only data i need is to put my finger in some motor oil , and pull it away... no strings sticking, just drips off
now try it with some good bar oil.. you can stretch the snot quite a ways before it breaks off
thats enough to prove how real bar lube sticks to the bar and chain while motor oil just flings off and drips everywhere
while flinging and dripping off everywhere, how does it ever get time to properly lubricate anything it needs to?

:agree2: This is all the proof anyone should need.

 

[TreePointer]

I pick my nose before I put my finger in the bar & chain oil. That way, my saw will always cut with some real snot!

 

[reaperman]

Its tempting to start using used motor oil. The last time I went into the local Stihl dealer he wanted almost $15/gallon for bar oil.

 

[wampum]

Its tempting to start using used motor oil. The last time I went into the local Stihl dealer he wanted almost $15/gallon for bar oil.

That's why I say its up to each person. A lot of folks are out of work,and will cut corners where ever they can. I usually buy bar oil on sale at TSC. But I would not hesitate to go back to Motor oil,if I had to. When I use it I mostly use new 30 weight and cut it in the winter with kerosene or 10 weight. When I use,used oil I put several layers of cheese cloth banded on a 5 gallon bucket and run it threw. Usually mixing it with new oil.

Like I said in a previous post I used motor oil both new and used for over 30 years. I never wore out one pump or a chain,I really can not remember the last time I bought a bar. The manufacturer wants you to use bar oil,and most will tell you theirs is the best. I would to if I could get a customer to fork out $10 to $15 dollars,a gallon.

I believe in doing what you want to do,I do not like being told I am stupid when something has worked for me for over 30 years. I will not call anyone stupid when things work for them. I am very libertarian in many of my beliefs. So I do basically what works for me,and have no problem if you do something different.

As far as clinging,if the oil isn't working the chain will seize. Years ago some off us tended to over lube with the hand pump and ran the oil tank MT before the Gas tank. You knew it pretty quick because you would lose pressure on the pump and it would soon heat up and slow down or seize. You just filled back up and poured a little oil on the bar and chain,and off you went. That link I posted about Veggie oil,said that no oil clings well when a saw is running over 13000 rpm's. I do not know if thats true.

Thanks Mark on that info on veggie oil. I may still filter some and try it my self just for fun. But now I know what to look for. One last thing I used Dad's saws until I got out of the service,in 1971. I bought my first saw that year. I still have it,it still runs and the pump is fine,and it has had gallons of motor oil ran through it.That saw is 39 years old,its probably older then most of you that are telling me I am going to ruin my saw.

 

[ray benson]

To manufacture lubricating oil for automobiles, some additives(additive packs) are added and include detergents, corrosion inhibitors, and rust inhibitors.

While automobile engine is running, the motor oil collects heavy metal (lead, cadmium, zinc, and barium), iron steel particles, and copper. Several of these contaminants are toxic and harmful to you and the environment.

Nasty things happen to motor oil when it's been in your engine for several thousand miles. The most significant problem is the accumulation of benzene compounds from the cylinder blow-by. Benzines are known carcinogens, and you should do all you can to avoid prolonged exposure to them. They are volatile compounds similar to gasoline, that you can't get rid of by filtering. All you can and should do - is take your used oil to a facility that accepts it for reprocessing. Although much of used motor oil can be reclaimed and re-used, it's not something you can do at home.


Do a search on used motor oil, many states have laws that used motor oil must be properly recycled. They don't even want the oil in landfills.

 

[goof008]

I admit, I used it once. I was out of bar oil and needed to cut up a couple of small downed trees in the back yard. I only used about 1/2 a tank of it, then switched back to bar oil. Anything is better than nothing.

To all the people complaining about the cancer issue...I get more used oil on me changing the oil on my truck then I do cutting. I don't know about you, but I cut in long pants/chaps, long sleeved shirt. I wear gloves, glasses and a hat...and sometimes a bandanna over my mouth. There isn't that much exposed skin for it the get on! And, it's usually being slung away from the user...and if it's not, you may have other issues!!

Just being devils advocate and argumentative.