Smoking Husky 346XP

[Matt83]

Hi Guys,

 

Firstly, I'll apologise if anything I ask may seem naive but I'm new to working in this industry so I'm trying to learn as much as I can as quick as I can. My Husky 346XP is merely a month old but on Tuesday I noticed it was smoking from the end of the bar and also from the sprocket area, the guy I was working with said it could be because my chain wasn't sharp enough ( I'd just like to add that I do clean my saw regularly and check the chain tension and sharpness). I cleaned my saw yesterday and spent a fair amount of time sharpening in preperation for some logging today. After about 15 minutes into logging it started smoking again from the end of the bar once more.

 

When I first filled my saw with fuel I got my mix wrong (on advice from a friend), 200ml of 2 stroke oil to 5l petrol, but my 2nd and 3rd mixes have been correct so I'd assume this shouldn't be the problem (I also check the spark plug frequently for discolouration).

 

Anyone have any ideas what it might be?

 

Cheers

Matt

[spudulike]

The most likely problem is that your oil pump isn't pumping oil on to the chain - on a new saw it is most likely that the bar oiler hole is plugged.

 

Another problem may be a seized bar nose sprocket - take the bar off and check.

 

The other issue may be an over tightened chain.

 

Try these and let us know how you get on.

[Matt83]

Super. I'll check these out in the morning and report back my findings.

 

Matt

[WoodED]

matt, spudulike is the man to come to for saw advice

[Matt83]

None of the above appear to be the problem, although there is no smoke when not cutting. I'm off to get a spare chain shortly so will ask the old boy what he thinks and see if he'll have a look for me.

 

Matt

[spudulike]

None of the above appear to be the problem, although there is no smoke when not cutting. I'm off to get a spare chain shortly so will ask the old boy what he thinks and see if he'll have a look for me.

 

Matt

 

Check the chain supplied, the 346 will typically have a 0.325 pitch, 1.5mm gauge and 15" or 17" bar although many other lengths are available. You may have been supplied a 1.3mm gauge chain.

 

From your description, it sounds like heat is building up and burning the lubricating oil off. The heat must be being generated by the chain and bar rubbing together.

What sort of chain oil are you using?

Can you freely pull the chain round the bar by hand (WITH THE SAW NOT RUNNING)!

When the bar is smoking - is it hot on the tip or all along the length of the bar?

 

Bit baffled by this one but you need to make sure the bar/chain/sprocket are all the same pitch (typically 0.325), that the chain fitted is the same gauge as the bar (1.3 or 1.5mm) and the chain is tensioned and lubricated correctly!

 

If you rev the saw hard with the bar pointing at a piece of fresh cut wood, do you get a line of oil forming where the chain is throwing it off? If you don't, the oiler is plugged.

 

One last thing - you could increase the output of the oiler - this saw has an adjustable oil pump!

[Matt83]

I definitely have the right chain on.

 

I'm using Oregon chain oil and the tension is fine. The oil tank is running out as per normal, unless I have a leak which I'm pretty sure I'd notice this suggests oil is running through the chain as it should be.

 

The guy that looked at it for me can't see anything wrong, and he had a thorough look to be fair, he suggested it may just be steam off damp wood. I'm going to go and finish logging this afternoon, I'll check for an oil line at full revs and see what happens with the saw.

 

Matt

[workie]

one of my lads had the same problem with a 357xp. The chain had not been evenly sharpened.We evened the chain out and have not had a problem since.

[RMB68]

Have you bent or pinched the bar?

[Stubby]

Take your bar off ,put a crud scraper down the groove and dig out all the build up . Make sure the oil feed in hole is clear . Make sure the nose sprocket is free and you can turn it by hand . Make sure there are no burrs folded into the groove and file off any on the outer edge if there are any . Make sure the bar is not pinched anywhere , prize it open slightly if it is . Sharpen the chain and set the rakers correctly . Tension the chain correctly with the bar tip pushed up . Go cut wood . If it still gives you trouble then it needs investigating in the shop . Maybe try a different bar and chain combo none to be good . Beyond that beats me !