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Fresh start for old chain saws
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Wood dust trapped by oil insulates chain saw engines while lowering fan efficiency, making the saw run hotter. Clean with nonchlorinated brake cleaner, a brush and strong air pressure. Photo by Scott Nesbitt |
Editor’s note: From time to time, GCM presents articles from its archives that are timelessly helpful for its readers. This article was originally published in September 2005.
When there’s downtime in the shop, take a few minutes to blow the dust off those chain saws. Even the most inexpensive chain saw is a marvel of lightweight, but strong, materials and small, but precise, parts and systems — all focused on keeping the engine and chain moving fast and getting rid of the heat from the engine and cutting system.
Start your cleanup by finding the owner’s manual and learning how to remove the engine shrouds. On most saws, the engine cylinder is easily exposed by removing a few fasteners.
Before removing the body shrouds, remove the air filter element. Hold it up to a strong light to make sure there are no puncture holes. On most saws, the air filter is water-resistant, and the best cleaning is a soak in dishwashing liquid or a biodegradable shop cleaner to break up the oil on the filter and release the wood dust. While the filter soaks, plug the carburetor throat with a scrap of soft cotton cloth to keep chaff out during the cleaning. After a good soapy soak, rinse the air filter several times in clean warm water and let it dry.
Now remove the chain/clutch cover and put the chain in petroleum-based solvent to remove the tree sap and tiny bits of grit and wood fibers that work their way in. If you’re going to sharpen the chain, soak it before and after grinding or filing. After soaking, use a strong air blast to remove the junk.
Carefully peer down the length of the cutting bar to make sure it’s straight. If it’s kinked or the rails are chipped or uneven, you’re imposing drag on the engine and clutch, wearing out your chain, and the saw won’t make straight cuts. Get a new bar, and see if a good saw shop can recondition the old bar.
If it’s straight, clean gunk out of the bar grooves with a thin scraper and grease the bearings on the sprocket-nose bars. Check the chain for worn links or broken teeth, sharpening or replacing them as needed.
Now find your goggles and take the saw outside with an air hose, a blower nozzle and a small, stiff paint brush. Remove the wood dust, paying extra attention to cleaning deposits from deep down in the cylinder cooling fins. Use a thin screwdriver to break up black carbonized deposits on the fins.
Avoid using petroleum-based solvents on deposits that the brush and compressed air won’t remove; use a nonflammable brake cleaner.
Pay special attention to removing dust from under the fan/flywheel. There’s a crankshaft support bearing under the flywheel. The cleaner the body, the cooler the bearing runs and the longer it lasts.
Remove the chain clutch (avoid using an impact wrench, which can fracture the crankshaft) to inspect the clutch’s internal bearing. If it’s turning blue or is scored, replace it. Ditto for the clutch and drum. Be sure to clean the chain’s oil outlet hole.
Before replacing the spark plug, check that the center electrode has nice sharp edges and the proper air gap. If not, install a new one.
If it’s partly blocked, remove and clean or replace the spark arrestor screen on the exhaust system and consider switching to smoke-free oil for your two-cycle mix.
Empty the fuel tank and save the fuel. Then empty the chain oil tank and use the old fuel to rinse junk out of the oil tank. Check the fuel filter and replace as needed.
Finally, remount, adjust and tighten, and oil the bar and chain. Refill the fuel tank with a fresh mix supplemented with storage additive. Put good, tacky chain oil in the oil tank. Start the saw and make a few test cuts in scrap wood and adjust the carburetor.
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