Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire stihl bar oil

One of my best friends was a logger in Montana back in the 1970-1980’s. He said they often used used motor oil.

Like mentioned, any lubrication is better than none.

Could be partially clogged with shavings allowing just a little oil to get by.

I don't run saws that small so I cant say for sure if its adjustable or not. Turn the saw upside down and look for a flathead screw recessed into the body. It will have a + and a - sign on it. Turn the screw to the + to increase oil output.
Like has already been posted, I run old motor oil in mine more than I do "bar oil". Im not paying $6 to $12 a gallon for oil. I can replace oil pumps for way less than what bar oil costs me over the lifetime of a pump. In case anybody is wondering, I make a living with chainsaws, use them every day at work.

Stihl says to thin 10% with kerosene.

The only thing that happens if you don't use winter weight oil is a little extra bar and chain wear.

Might be marketing gimmick but I can report the orange stuff won’t pour very well when it’s below freezing and the blue pours no problem. Remains viscous at -2 last week. Do what you want with your saw it’s your money.

MS241 and MS460 and I cut 30-40 face cord/yr. I run blue below 20F, mix the two (if convenient) up to around freezing, and then orange above freezing.

Just so you don’t think me an oil snob, I have a couple gallons of filtered hydraulic oil I’m currently metering in and using up.

Tribology, bitches.

I use the same, but it doesn’t get that cold here, will look at my jug. You made me curious

I was cutting a little firewood a month ago, it was probably around -15F ambient.

Had standard weight Stihl bar oil in the tank.

Cut for maybe 5 minutes before the chain bound up.


Opened the cap for the reservoir and slowly ran a little oil out onto the bar. Got the chain lubed up and cut for a little while longer.


Next time I cut I emptied the tank and replaced it with winter weight.

Seemed to help.

Chain oil I have seen is either winter (thin), summer (heavy) or all season. If its 90 degrees and your using winter oil then your bar will wear out sooner and your chain will stretch alot.

If its cold out (below freezing) and your using summer oil you wont get the oil on your bar/chain because its too thick, also you can mess up your oiler because its working to push thick oil through a small hole. The oiler is a little spiral type gear that is under your clutch and they strip sometimes, your saw wont get any oil then. In my exp they either work or they don't. Thin the oil with a bit of diesel, problem solved.

Your chain oil is oiling your bar tip too, so if its not getting the proper lube to your tip, its running dry and isn't going to last long. One tank of fuel/one tank of oil is normal.

I have been using all season, I get a good deal on it and that is why. I find its too thin for the summer but I save about 5 bucks per gallon and I can buy a new bar with the money I save.

As a Wisconsin boy, there is a definite difference. Sumner oil is much thicker. Using winter oil in summer, it’s like water. It just flys everywhere and doesn’t lube well. (But good to use if cutting in sandy soil- keeps the sand out more). Using summer oil in the winter is just the opposite. It’s like molasses. It won’t flow and can even ruin the oil pump on some saws.

I knew there were winter weight bar oils but if it's cold enough to need them I'm sure not going to be outside with a chainsaw. My wood cutting temp range is pretty much 60-80F and the older I get it's inching toward 65-75F.

I use sthil brand oil some and I used the winter grade starting about the freezing point or a little colder. And if someone is handed it does warm up in the oil tank as you cut and become a little thinner that does help but that does no good when you're starting out. There is a real reason why they make both kinds. In warm weather I also have a cheaper brand they sell locally in a white jug I forget the name of it that I can't tell a lot of difference between it and the orange jug . Well I'll agree it seems like the orange jug might be a bit better but does it justify the cost I wouldn't argue that

Just a little dab of kero will make 30W bar oil happy in cold temps.

BTW, bar oil is generally non detergent 30W motor oil, or was. That stuff gettin hard to find. A qt. of oil, $4. a pint of bar oil(used to be same) $4.95.

I'm kinda wondering if I didn't wreck the pump on my saw.

Last time I used it the oil didn't seem like it went down much if any. Chain was funky. But didn't cut long enough to really notice.


Either way just ordered a new OEM pump, $57.

If I want thicker oil in the summer I use STP for that, I put a bit in my jug and shake it up, and I use the all season chain oil.

Stuff I use is a bit different than motor oil it's way stickier and tackier and resist being thrown off.

There is an additive in chain oil, the good chain oil has lots of it and the cheap stuff doesn't, and yes there is a difference.
You will notice a difference when its hot out and your bar is buried all day and its way to hot to touch, and a bar up here is 130 bucks. The good stuff is 15 bucks and the cheap stuff is 9 bucks.

Back in the day we lubricated the roller chain on our round balers with used engine oil.

It was messy and after awhile the chain would get gunky.


I made the decision to spend the money on this stuff made just for roller chain.

It doesn't fly all over the place and is nice and 'clean'.

Anti-sling technology or whatever they call it.


$10 a can, maybe use 5-6 cans a year.

Yeah speaking of that on round balers I've tried all kinds of stuff and I'm not being 100% pleased with anything it either throws off makes a mess and the chains are howling by the end of the day cuz they're dry. Or it seems like it collects dust and dirt and wears chains and sprockets as fast or faster than running too dry. What kind of stuff are you using you seem to like

This seems to be the best.

Better than the cheaper stuff IMHO.



https://justicebrothers.com/products/automotive/specialty-products/heavy-duty-chain-lube/