Can anyone school me on Chainsaw's?

Get up to the John Deere dealer in Isanti. They got a bunch of MS-290 Farm Boss's before the discontinued them!

 

or that. Well, you shouldn't hyphenate it either - just in case he was thinking about it.

 

You could redeem yourself by swooping in on the post above yours.

 

That's ok. I think I'm gonna quit even though I'm not ahead.

 

Can someone explain WTF is going on with my chainsaw. It's a Stihl MS240. I've been having issues with the roller at the end of the blade locking up. I attributed this to the fact I was buying aftermarket bars so I bought a Stihl bar and chain. Go to cut last night and for 20 minutes it's cutting the best it ever has, and then the roller at the end of the bar just locks up. This is brand new stuff. Any ideas?

 

How old is the chain? Is it the right size for the bar? Tension?

 

Brand new and Stihl brand. I bought them together. Tensioned exactly like I have before and full of bar lube.

 

Does that saw have auto lube?
If you rev the motor and put tip near a piece of wood, floor, etc can you see oil get thrown off?
When it locks up can you pull the chain thru by hand?
You sure it's the bar/tip and not the kick back brak engaging for some reason?

 

Not to many parts in play. Does the bar nose sprocket free up after cooling down? Easy stuff first along the lines of Chemguy's suggestions. Chain tension, to loose shouldn't be an issue in your case but to tight could be. Your manual, which should be available online as well should cover the procedure. On my saws it is slacken the chain, lift the bar nose, tighten chain until the bottom run touches the bar, and then tighten the bar nuts. Next is does the bar, chain, and drive sprocket all match. The bar should be stamped with the chain pitch and number of chain drive links. Next check how the chain aligns with the drive sprocket(on the clutch under the side cover). You have been around enough bikes you should be able to tell if there is an issue here. I actually just got a great deal on a brand new saw because someone had a 3/8" pitch drive sprocket combined with a .325" chain/bar. Chain was locked up and wouldn't turn at all in this case, I assumed the chain brake was setup from sitting, turns out the chain/sprocket were just binding up.

I doubt any of that is your issue though. How much bar oil is the saw using? Has the amount changed over time? Does it leak bar oil around the bar under the clutch cover, aka is the bar oil not making it to the bar? When setup is the bar nose sprocket hotter than it should be? Again in general a tank of gas should equal most of a tank of bar oil. I am thinking the bar nose isn't being lubricated properly which is causing it to seize btw.

 

Perhaps it the nut that holds down the little safety trigger on the handle?

Chain tension too tight maybe? Every time I take a chain off, I brush out the sprocket and grease it. I've never had a nose sprocket lock up on me. Make sure the oiler is working, and actually getting lube to the bar.

 

You all have given me things to look at. When I put this new bar and chain on I completely cleaned off everything on the saw. Made it look like new since it was getting new gear. I'll have to check on the bar oil. All I know is that it uses the oil even though I don't see it flinging around simply because I have to fill it up after a couple of tankfulls of gas have been run through. Shit, maybe I did have the chain too tight. I shut it off as soon as it locked up and let it cool down. Then I took the bar off and sprayed WD40 into the roller end and that's when I started drinking...so I didn't check if it freed up.

The bar nose not getting lubrication makes the most sense, since this has happened before. But I thought the culprit was a cheap bar. I should just take the damn thing to a Stihl dealer for a once over. It is almost 15 years old and I've done basically nothing to it.

 

Hmmm...most saws I've every used, old homesites with hand oil, husky, stihl... you usually fill the bar when you fill the gas. Doesn't mean the bar pil should be empty...but it should be significantly lower...and need a top off.

For tightness...let chain hang slack. Lift the bar nose up. Tighten chain until it just touches. Add maybe an 1/8 to quarter turn. Lock down the bar.
You should then be able to pull the chain down so about half or more of the drive tooth comes out. When you let go it should snap back.
As you use it the chain should heat up and loosen some. Check and tighten as needed during use

 

I don't need much of an excuse

 

Yep.

I bought one of those about 10 years ago and it's still going strong. Burns old gas just fine. I've never done any maintenance. I don't clean it. Couple of replacement bars and chains but that's it. If it dies, so what. Replacements are cheap.

Everyone on this forum thinks they're a damn lumberjack and need a high end chainsaw...

 

You think it's bad here, head over to garage journal. Ask about what tools you need to do simple stuff like brakes and other vehicle maintenance and by the end of the page you'll have a complete line of snap on tools, giant snap on taco cart, 30x40 pole barn shop, and a 2 post lift.

 

Damn.
That's exactly what I'm trying to build at the house I'm buying....but I buy craftsman I stead of snap on.

And yes you DO need that for doing brakes. Eff that laying I the grass, dirt, etc. I want heat, a stool and no rain anymore.
I've paid my dues wrenching on shit with cardboard and dirt.

 

Don't forget too that there is a small hole in the bar near the sprocket rivets that is a grease port. Buy the gun and keep it lubed.

 

This, I always fill the oil every time I gas up.


And I've got one of those junk Poulan's that I've had for 17 years.