How to store a chainsaw without leaking

[vavet]

I have an echo consumer grade chain saw I bought from big orange a few years ago, I don’t use it much, but it’s nice to have it ready for storm clean up. The problem is that it leaks. It doesnt seem to matter how I orient it when I set it down. I think it’s the bar and chain oil. It’s certainly thicker than the fuel mixture.
right now, I have it setting over a drain pan letting the bar and chain oil drip out of it. The last time I discovered it was leaking, I had it setting upright, so the bar oil reservoir cap was on the side. After that, I started leaving it sideways so the bar oil cap faced up, but it still leaks.
is this just a fact of life living with a chainsaw?

 

[PCustoms]

Both my Stihl leak bar oil too.

 

[Downwindtracker 2]

I store my chain saws in the plastic cases. There is a Husky in a Stilh case, I bet it feels embarrassed . I even add a diaper under them. The chain is drip fed, but there is a pump to that point.

 

[ericm]

I have seven gas saws and they all leak. The gas pole pruner leaks. The electric one leaked a lot until I disassembled and fixed it, then it leaks as much as the others.

I think the only way to keep them from leaking bar oil is to drain the oil tank.

 

[alfadan]

I keep mine on a piece of cardboard.
If it's not leaking, the oil port is clogged.

 

[Mr_B]

if the rubber line from the tank to the pump and pump/housing is good then they shouldn't leak.
you obviously get some oil drainage after use from what thrown into the sprocket housing area but if all good they wont leak and only mess is from residual drainage ...
My little old stihl leaked but new genuine rubber oil line resolved it, main brand saws cheap and pretty easy service the oil breather, rubber hose and pump as needed. Off brands not so sure as don't own & never worked on any .

 

[WWheeler]

All of my chainsaws, 2 cycle and electric, leave a fair mess of bar oil under them after they have been parked for a while, but it doesn't necessarily mean they are 'leaking'. The sprocket cover accumulates a LOT of sawdust and bar oil and the chain and groove in the bar it rides in holds a lot of bar oil also after just a bit of use, and it will all seep out after.

 

[tarmy]

On cardboard because they will all leak…never had one that didn’t.

 

[f121]

Drain the fuel and oil out before you store them.

 

[seber]

I have three chainsaws. None of them leak. First thing I do with a chain saw if fix the seals. Then redo them if they start leaking again.

 

[3jakes]

I store my chainsaws the same way I park my cars,
With a sheet of cardboard underneath.

 

[JSutter]

I store them on their side.

 

[ericm]

I have three chainsaws. None of them leak. First thing I do with a chain saw if fix the seals. Then redo them if they start leaking again.

Which seals do you replace? Have you done it on a brand new saw? I have had new saws leak.

I store them on their side.

Which side?

 

[Bubba Fett]

I keep a boot tray under mine. Seems to work, it's still a bit messy.

 

[seber]

Which seals do you replace? Have you done it on a brand new saw? I have had new saws leak.



Which side?

Do a search for Chicanic. She gives a tutorial on it.

 

[isb cornbinder]

I have a POLAN aka Craftsman chainsaw in the attic of my shop. It stopped leaking after a few months, I have not touched it in 30+ years. I will likely gift it to Habitat. It comes with a case and some spare chain

 

[PCustoms]

Seems the thread is about 50/50 split

• All saws leak
• A saw should never leak

My brand new Stihl both seep winter weight bar oil in the garage.

 

[Crazyjake8493]

My Milwaukee battery saw hangs vertically on the wall - zero leakage. The two gas saws are stored in their plastic cases with a rag or pig mat under them. They leak a little bit but very minimal.

 

[finn]

Cardboard or pig mat under the Stihls and Husky. The old Poulan 3900 doesn’t leak, but it doesn’t run right now, either. The ancient Jonsered 049 SP doesn’t leak either. It’s forty years old now.

I have a Stihl case somewhere, but I couldn’t locate it in 15 minutes if you ask where it is.

 

[bas157]

All my saws leak, even after the first use from new. I put newspaper or brown packing paper under the saw before I put it in the case. If you don't want to put in a case, they do make chainsaw trays that would contain any leaks, just google chainsaw tray

edit: after reading comments, mine don't leak to the point of there being no oil left in the tank but they do mark their spot.

 

[BlindViper]

I drain mine and store them in the plastic case with pigmat under them.

 

[PCustoms]

I drain mine and store them in the plastic case with pigmat under them.

How often do you use them?

I bet I'm at 1x per week right now (storm/spring cleanup) but average at least 2x per month. Seems like draining would be a PITA

 

[Steve_P]

I worked in a small engine shop in the 1980s and don't remember them leaking oil just sitting. But this was when everything was transitioning to auto oiling. The old Homelites just had a plunger you had to push. I do remember Sthil's having auto oiling but don't remember them leaking; but they used crankcase pressure, or similar, to feed it. The only reason I remember this is that we had one that didn't oil, and it took forever to figure out that there was a hole that wasn't drilled thru a casting.

It seems that now the norm is for them to leak when sitting as I assume many now have a gravity feed?

 

[PCustoms]

I worked in a small engine shop in the 1980s and don't remember them leaking oil just sitting. But this was when everything was transitioning to auto oiling. The old Homelites just had a plunger you had to push. I do remember Sthil's having auto oiling but don't remember them leaking; but they used crankcase pressure, or similar, to feed it. The only reason I remember this is that we had one that didn't oil, and it took forever to figure out that there was a hole that wasn't drilled thru a casting.

It seems that now the norm is for them to leak when sitting as I assume many now have a gravity feed?

Interesting.

I have no idea how the oilers work now, but I wonder if opening the fill cap to relieve pressure would help?

 

[Copymutt]

Out of box Husky 326xp leaks bar oil. Recognized issue. Ordered the free seal kit. Been fine since.

 

[BlindViper]

How often do you use them?

I bet I'm at 1x per week right now (storm/spring cleanup) but average at least 2x per month. Seems like draining would be a PITA

not very often but pigmat would still work.

 

[Miss the Pontiacs]

Seems the thread is about 50/50 split

• All saws leak
• A saw should never leak

My brand new Stihl both seep winter weight bar oil in the garage.

I have 2 Stihls and 2 Craftsman 2 have cases and 2 are stored in large plastic bags. All leak. I’ve just placed cut up flannel sheets to absorb leakage. Then when oily wipe down something that needs it.

 

[Beerhippie]

Rubbermaid makes some nice totes that will hold a lot of oil.

 

[betulauber]

The plywood floor of my shed has large oil spot from my Echo CS-345. It always leaked, even when it was new. I also have a Husqvarna 450 Rancher that doesn't seem to leak but will drip bit after using it.
I don't use them too often (couple times a year), so I just clean them off with compressed air and then drain the bar oil & gas back in their respective containers. Store it in the shed with Pig-mat underneath to soak up any random drips.

 

[OccupantRJ]

A “leak” means different things to different people. The residual oil left on the bar after use that slowly drains to the surface the saw is sitting on would be classified by some as a “leak”. A chainsaw with an oiler is going to do this unless the sprocket, chain, and bar are thoroughly cleaned or blown out before storage. Gravity says so. A baking tray with a pig mat in it works well as a parking spot for a chain saw.

 

[PCustoms]

A “leak” means different things to different people. The residual oil left on the bar after use that slowly drains to the surface the saw is sitting on would be classified by some as a “leak”. A chainsaw with an oiler is going to do this unless the sprocket, chain, and bar are thoroughly cleaned or blown out before storage. Gravity says so. A baking tray with a pig mat in it works well as a parking spot for a chain saw.

I define a leak as I can have it half full, put the saw up and then next time I use it there is a puddle of oil and the reservoir is empty.

 

[OccupantRJ]

Troubleshooting Chainsaw Leaks | STIHL AU

Discover how to identify and fix chainsaw leaks. Learn how to maintain your chainsaw to avoid leaks and ensure it runs smoothly.

www.stihl.com.au

 

[jblnut]

It’s not a good idea to store saws with gas in so when I’m getting close to done I only add enough gas to get the project finished and add a corresponding amount of bar oil so it’ll be almost empty when the see runs out of fuel. When they start leaning oil the rubber goods get replaced and/or the oil pump gets rebuilt. Not a major project on most of them and it’s fun to take them apart and give them a deep cleaning once in a while. When I’m done cutting I blow them off with the air compressor and usually store with bar/chain off as well since they’re already apart to be cleaned.

 

[NUTTSGT]

A “leak” means different things to different people. The residual oil left on the bar after use that slowly drains to the surface the saw is sitting on would be classified by some as a “leak”. A chainsaw with an oiler is going to do this unless the sprocket, chain, and bar are thoroughly cleaned or blown out before storage. Gravity says so. A baking tray with a pig mat in it works well as a parking spot for a chain saw.

To me, if it's not leaking oil, that means it's out of oil. . . Kinda of like they used to say about Harleys.

 

[PCustoms]

Troubleshooting Chainsaw Leaks | STIHL AU

Discover how to identify and fix chainsaw leaks. Learn how to maintain your chainsaw to avoid leaks and ensure it runs smoothly.

www.stihl.com.au

Well that answers that!

 

[gba2331]

We have a chainsaw case that captures the oil, so at least it is contained.

 

[Mr_B]

Most of the oil tanks of fairly modern era saws do not have a real one way valve, they have a rubber duck bill breather plug .
If you got fairly serious continuous oil leaking from a stored saw it going be pump rubber line or pump to housing that the issue

 

[f121]

I worked in a small engine shop in the 1980s and don't remember them leaking oil just sitting. But this was when everything was transitioning to auto oiling. The old Homelites just had a plunger you had to push. I do remember Sthil's having auto oiling but don't remember them leaking; but they used crankcase pressure, or similar, to feed it. The only reason I remember this is that we had one that didn't oil, and it took forever to figure out that there was a hole that wasn't drilled thru a casting.

It seems that now the norm is for them to leak when sitting as I assume many now have a gravity feed?

All recent saws that I’ve seen have an oil pump driven off the clutch. On stihl there is a wire that engages with a slot in the clutch drum, which turns the oil pump via a worm gear iirc. Complexity of pump varies between the consumer and pro saws.

I have no idea how the oilers work now, but I wonder if opening the fill cap to relieve pressure would help?

It wouldn’t on modern Stihls, the oil tanks are not pressurised. And leaving the oil cap open is a really bad idea if you run bio oil, because rodents love to eat it, and will also eat the oiler pickup pipe and poop in the tank. Guess how I found out.

A “leak” means different things to different people. The residual oil left on the bar after use that slowly drains to the surface the saw is sitting on would be classified by some as a “leak”. A chainsaw with an oiler is going to do this unless the sprocket, chain, and bar are thoroughly cleaned or blown out before storage. Gravity says so. A baking tray with a pig mat in it works well as a parking spot for a chain saw.

To me a leak means I put my new ms500i down in the shop with a full tank, and when I go to use it a month later there’s a puddle of oil on the floor and no oil in the tank.

Leaking seems quite variable, my 500i has leaked from new, my 261 and Msa70 are bone dry.

 

[Beerhippie]

Rubbermaid makes some nice totes that will hold a lot of oil.

This actually is how I store and transport my saws. I wasn't just being snarky.

A large Rough Tote will hold a couple of saws, a gallon of bar oil and a three-gallon fuel can. No spills in the rig. A pigmat or similar on the bottom would be a great idea. I'll add one next time out.

 

[four.cycle]

chainsaws leak.

I found a large, long, plastic tray that was formerly the PROPERTY OF THE U.S. POSTAL SERVICE, but they don't use that type of sorting tray any more, so I'm not worried about the FBI kicking down my front door.
Works great. JUST long enough that just the tip of the bar hangs out over the end.
I cut about 4 layers of corrugated cardboard to fit into the bottom of the tray - that helps sop up the bar oil that any chainsaw will be constantly ******* irrespective of which manner you choose to store it in.