ms250 advice please

[pgkevet]

I 'thought' I'd be cutting a few logs now and again when i bought this saw - not realising quite how much my woodburner eats when it's roaring and the backburner warms the rads too.

I've been getting through more than a wheelbarrow of logs a day and banking another 1-2 wheelbarrowfulls (in case of weather or illness) so the saw has been getting through more than a tank of fuel and chain oil a day.. I;ve also started slicing some of the bigger logs in the store..too big for the 14in bar so need to be attacked from both sides.

 

The problem is that twice now I've had the chain and bar smoking. Obviously stopped as soon as spotted.

 

First time I thought it was clogged oilways or a blunt chain - everything flushed clean, checked oil beading through with the bar off and the saw on tickover and the oil and fuel still run down at the same rates as when new (3 mths).

 

It happened again almost immediately after that with a new chain.

 

So a problem or me giving it too much stick/expecting too much from this saw? A simple case of 'resting' it more? Or a bigger saw?

 

I do have an 18in bar for it but if oil flow can't cope on the 14 in bar?

 

I don't see any adjustment to increase flow..but as stated above the tanks run down together and (yes) the bar grooves are clean.

 

Advice?

[felixthelogchopper]

Have you checked to see if the chain is binding on the bar anywhere, maybe on a burr or similar? You might see blue marks on the bar.

[spudulike]

Most common faults will be a blunt chain or blocked oiler, try pointing the bar at some clean wood and rev it flat out to see if you get oil haze forming on the wood.

Are you sharpening the rakers as well as the cutters?

[pgkevet]

Have you checked to see if the chain is binding on the bar anywhere, maybe on a burr or similar? You might see blue marks on the bar

 

I did check to see if it would pull round freely when very loose..does..but when the tension is right it's certainly a lot harder to pull round..will look for burs/blue..

 

Most common faults will be a blunt chain or blocked oiler, try pointing the bar at some clean wood and rev it flat out to see if you get oil haze forming on the wood.

Are you sharpening the rakers as well as the cutters?

 

It was a new chain not a diy resharpen..does give oil film on test timber (part of my pre-use checklist)

 

This am it was fine on two stacks of branches in the oregon saw horse but again even with some rests it smoked a tad splitting down a 2 foot length of 16inch diameter ash...

 

I'm still thinking it's not man enough for heavier stuff even though it's not stalling on the pressure I load it with. I've got a couple of old fallen trees in the fields to dice up this summer 2-3 foot diameter - not looking promising with this saw.

 

I suppose I'd better chuck the 18in bar on and see if it still smokes on my ash splits??

[Justme]

I have the same saw with an 18" bar & it copes with working hard all day & prob use 5 to 8 refills. I do keep the chain very sharp.

 

Is it def smoke or could it be steam?

 

Cutting down the log will make it work harder.

[zeroluke]

I've noticed this with my ms250. Maybe you are putting too much force on the saw for its power rating. And some advice would be, if you cut logs into a 10 inch length say, it might be better to cut along the length on the round diamter ( along he length ) rather than like you were milling it, as that would be a lot of effort for the chain, it won't last as long and may become softer with all the sustained heat. If you cut along the length of the log it will be like peeling layers off through to the centre and back out to the surface again - with hardly any effort and should be quicker, and save fuel

[spudulike]

Is the chain a decent grade and have you kept it off the dirt as a chain can dull very easily by hitting trhe soil.

 

If a chain is chipping nicely, it shouldn't run that hot - are you getting 5mm square chips out of the bottom of the saw or fine/semi fine dust?

 

The saw should self feed in to the wood without excessive force being applied to it, using it to cut a long length of timber, ring after ring for say five minutes flat out will build up heat but have only ever experienced smoke with bad oilers or blunt chains!

 

How long does it take to cut a 12" dia wood? If it is 4-8 seconds I would think your chain is ok any slower than 12 seconds and it is a bit blunt. (Very rough guide)

[Megatron]

What gauge is the bar and chain? (do they match) What pitch is the saw sprocket and nose sprocket on the bar? (do they match)

[pgkevet]

Lots to answer!

 

Saw, bar and chains came from Jonesie at same time so I'd expect it all to match and second test was with brand new chain. Smoke is blueish as in cooked oil.

Cross cutting a stack in the oregon saw horse upto 6 inch stuff full load goes through like cheesewire. It's longways down the 14/16 diameter inch logs when the problem occurs.

[littlerob]

all i can say all the stihls i used dont seem to give enough ad a brand new ms180cbe when i was 16 that was 7 years ago and that would only use a tiny bit of oil you can tell it use to eat 3 tanks of petrol to 1 oil and there be still oil in the tank had a new oil pump under warrenty was still the same and then after that had a second hand one fitted still the same bought a new ms170 to sit by the chipper this year and geuss what still the same thing only uses less than half a tank of oil to petrol thats why i wont buy any more stihls i have a small echo cs420 its only 40cc on a 15inch bar i have cut through timber easy 26inch across it all day long dont rev down at all you can turn the oil flow up or down turn it up to make and it will use 1 tank to 1tank of petrol thats why90% of my saws are echo