Winter or summer oil?
- Thread starter Crackhead
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When I cut in the winter I just leave the jug in the house the night before and then keep it in my truck while I am cutting. I have never used winter oil and I have never had any problems. Keep in mind that the saw warms the oil once its in the tank so its onlly a matter of keeping the oil viscous prior to putting it in.
mikey
ArboristSite Operative
It depends on how cold your oil gets while out.If it gets too cold it will become too thick to pump and your chain and pump will starve.I'm sure someone here knows the outside temp at which the thinner oil is required.In my area we have mild winters,even in extreme cold(0-25 degrees f)we dilute our bar oil with diesel to thin it .Below this I stay in close to the stove.hope this helps. Mike
don
ArboristSite Guru
bar oil debate
there is a previous discussion on this and most saw manufacturers recommend going to a lighter weight in the winter time.
I think the normal weight is around 30 -40 and 10-20 when it gets cold. 40 F comes to mind as the break point
Have a couple of old manuals saying to cut the oil with kerosene if it is too thick.
there is a previous discussion on this and most saw manufacturers recommend going to a lighter weight in the winter time.
I think the normal weight is around 30 -40 and 10-20 when it gets cold. 40 F comes to mind as the break point
Have a couple of old manuals saying to cut the oil with kerosene if it is too thick.
treeclimber165
Member A.K.A Skwerl
Some people might freak at the suggestion, but you can always just splash a little mix gas in the oil tank if the oil is too thick. It might cost a penny more than kerosene, but you have the can in your hand filling the fuel tank. Real easy to splash a tad in the oil tank 3 inches away rather than pulling out another can of kerosene (if you happen to have it on the truck).
eyolf
Addicted to ArboristSite
there have been a lot of discussions on bar oil, but I tend to side with the folks that believe almost anything will do...even motor oil. No diesel drainings, though.
Lately I have been using a prepared product that I believe uses a lightweight mineral oil, abouit like Tranhydral or ATF as the base, with some tack additive. I get it for $13/5 gal pail, and cant get anything else at a better price. works summer and winter in every saw I own.
Lately I have been using a prepared product that I believe uses a lightweight mineral oil, abouit like Tranhydral or ATF as the base, with some tack additive. I get it for $13/5 gal pail, and cant get anything else at a better price. works summer and winter in every saw I own.
logcutter429
ArboristSite Operative
I just keep mine in the cab of the pickup til i get there, during the day it gets abit thick, but your saws warm so it thins out ok.
Its pretty funny that you guys are worried about winter bar lube and your all from the south. MI cold and Georgia cold are to different things.
Eyeolf, I bet a straight 30wt oil works great. I have always used chain lube because it is less messy and it doesnt stink like motor oil when it gets on your chaps.
Eyeolf, I bet a straight 30wt oil works great. I have always used chain lube because it is less messy and it doesnt stink like motor oil when it gets on your chaps.
Jumper
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Oil
If it is not that cold, you can mix summer and winter oil to get a viscocity somewhere in between the two.
I have used house brand oils for years in many applications. Just be aware that because XYZ makes Walmarts oil in the east for eg, that may not be the case for what is sold in the west.
My Dad used to be the Plant Manager of a Texaco facility where they made among other things chain oil for both theirs and others labels and he told me that the oil used for all brands was the junk, production overruns and other waste they could not use for anything else, so it was bottled with some color and a tackifier to make it winter or summer variety, and sold as chain oil often at a huge markup. If you can get a motor oil at a big discount, you probably are getting a better lubrication than chain oil, which as I said already, is junk.
If it is not that cold, you can mix summer and winter oil to get a viscocity somewhere in between the two.
I have used house brand oils for years in many applications. Just be aware that because XYZ makes Walmarts oil in the east for eg, that may not be the case for what is sold in the west.
My Dad used to be the Plant Manager of a Texaco facility where they made among other things chain oil for both theirs and others labels and he told me that the oil used for all brands was the junk, production overruns and other waste they could not use for anything else, so it was bottled with some color and a tackifier to make it winter or summer variety, and sold as chain oil often at a huge markup. If you can get a motor oil at a big discount, you probably are getting a better lubrication than chain oil, which as I said already, is junk.
lync
ArboristSite Operative
Pour out a coffee cup of oil and replace it with a cup of diesel/per gallon of bar oil ,shake and enjoy!
oil
We sell 10, 20, and 30 weight oil now. Mostly 10 when it stays down below freezing.
Reall saw a difference on the 045/056. In the cold weather with 30 wt oil, it would rip the drive wheel off the worm in the pump.
We sell 10, 20, and 30 weight oil now. Mostly 10 when it stays down below freezing.
Reall saw a difference on the 045/056. In the cold weather with 30 wt oil, it would rip the drive wheel off the worm in the pump.
tony marks
Addicted to ArboristSite
we always used our old motor oil. but that was when it was mostly 30 wt.,and used on old homelites with pumpers etc.
tried some 10 30 one day not long ago .
everything around took a bath.
a lot depends on how the saw is set up . if u are usin a saw in summer seems u could adjust the oiler to max in winter .
if u have that option.id dont fool with mine much if the saw cuts good and the bar dont get too hot ,i just leave it the same. i use a cheap bar oil and keep it in the truck cab in cold weather.
tried some 10 30 one day not long ago .
everything around took a bath.
a lot depends on how the saw is set up . if u are usin a saw in summer seems u could adjust the oiler to max in winter .
if u have that option.id dont fool with mine much if the saw cuts good and the bar dont get too hot ,i just leave it the same. i use a cheap bar oil and keep it in the truck cab in cold weather.
Thats what i do also. OEM bar oil is even cheap. I also keep the oiler turned up to the max. A little extra oil can do nothing but help in this case.
dbabcock
Hi Tech Redneck
I use OEM Stihl or Husky bar oil as well, but because I don't do this for a living, I rarely cut when it's really cold outside. By the way, the viscosity of this bar oil seems to be a lot more than 30. The old addage, "Thick as molasses in January" comes to mind.
