chainsaw faults you can fix with your own hands
Even professional chainsaws from world-renowned manufacturers break down. no one is safe from that. The question is how often the breakdowns occur and how serious they are. It’s one thing when you need to sharpen the chain or replace the drive sprocket, but it’s another thing when the chainsaw won’t start or shoots the carburetor. In fact, most of the problems can be fixed with your own hands, for example, when the chain saw does not lubricate the chain or stalls.
How to put the chain on the saw?
To make it easier to put the chain on the saw, you need to use the guide wheel. Next, dress according to the plan:
- The surface on which you place the saw should be level;
- Remove the sprocket guard from the chainsaw;
- Turn the sprocket to the right as far as it will go;
- Put the chain on the clamping piece. Always follow the safety instructions so as not to injure yourself while you are working;
- Put both parts on the chainring;
- Reattach the cover;
- Make sure that the guides are in the right places;
- Check condition of chain.
Causes of chain malfunction
A chain requires attention and good maintenance, just like any other part. These words primarily refer to the break-in period for the chainsaw and the saw. You should, however, keep them in good working order throughout the whole cutting season.
The main causes of failure of the chain:
- Poor metal quality on budget models;
- Operator work style;
- Improper tensioning;
- Faulty or excessive wear on the drive sprocket;
- Malfunctions in the automatic lubrication system;
- Bent, clogged or other failure of the saw bar;
- Use of substandard materials;
- Failure to timely sharpen working edges;
- Level of chainsaw operating stresses;
All this can lead to rather unfortunate circumstances, and considerable expenses for the purchase of new parts and chain saw repair:
- Deterioration of operational capabilities and productivity;
- Safety of the operator during sawing operations;
- Premature wear and tear on individual parts and on the chainsaw as a whole;
Chain tensioning principle
The principle of chain tensioning is as follows:
- The nuts on the cover are loosened with the standard chain saw wrench;
- then the screwdriver is inserted into a special slot, rotary movements are made and the chain is tensioned;
- The wrench must be turned slowly and carefully. after a couple of turns the tension is checked manually, then, if necessary, it is turned again a few times;
- when the chain is tightened enough, the cap should be put back on.
For working with hard materials, specialists use carbide chains made of tungsten carbide. They are not made entirely of cobalt, but with a tungsten carbide facing. They are predominantly used for longitudinal sawing in concrete, aerated concrete and for sawing in especially hard wood.
Carbide chain has a proper degree of strength, is much less blunt, but will cost 3-4 times more than a standard chain. It is not possible to sharpen the white gold chain at home, it requires special equipment.
Design features of chain tensioners for chainsaws
To adjust the degree of chain tension on the chainsaw, the construction of the tool has appropriate adjusting screws. The first two screws by means of which the tire is fastened allow for a rough tensioning adjustment.
There is a special screw in the tool to precisely set the tension on the bar. This screw connects to the tire tensioning mechanism, the rotation of which allows more precise adjustment. To provide a coarse adjustment it is necessary to:
- To increase the tensioning, move the bar away from the sprocket.
- To loosen the tension, you need to move the bar sideways toward the drive sprocket.
The chain tensioning mechanism is a simple one, consisting of a threaded screw with a bar spike and a pinion. This stud engages in the bore of the tire and acts on the tyre when the screw is moved. The pinions are designed to transmit the force of the rotation of the adjusting screw to the tensioning screw. The simple design of the adjuster is reflected in its reliability. On a chainsaw, this mechanism fails very rarely, but even if it happens, the part is inexpensive.
The tensioning mechanism on chainsaws from different manufacturers may differ in design, but the principle of operation is the same for all devices. the difference in mechanism design affects where the adjusting screw is located, which can be on the side (most common), on the end face or at the bottom. The screw head may be straight for a slotted screwdriver or a hexagon.
How to tension the chain correctly
The chain can be changed at home, both in domestic and professional models. To properly install the chain, it is necessary to work with a cooled tool, as the thermal expansion of the metal will not play in favor of the master.
First the self-starter lock is engaged. After the slots and all parts in contact with the chain are thoroughly cleaned. Before tensioning it is necessary to make sure that its mechanism has a sufficient margin of free movement.
Chainsaw Chain Stretch. It’s real and this is how you can minimize it.
Carry out the adjustment with the special tool according to the instructions, because every saw and chain model is different.
How to put a chain on a chainsaw correctly?
In most chainsaw models, the chain is simply put on the bar by unscrewing the head screw, then the links must be placed on the drive sprocket. Before beginning work, check overall condition of all cutter surfaces and guide groove and idler wheel. It often accumulates dirt and small chips, which will then lead to scheduled repairs, deterioration of sliding. Step-by-step method of work:
- Loosen the screws that secure the sprocket cover, it is usually screwed on with a wing nut.
- Turn the idler sprocket to the right as far as it will go.
- Put the links on the headset, starting from the top. Make sure they are in the proper grooves.
- Reverse the chain sprocket mount and tighten the nut. The guides must fall into a special groove.
- Release the chain brake, pull back the chain on the mowing line to check the tension. If needed, tighten tensioner lever. Sketch 4. Installing a chain on a chainsaw
The thumbwheel should spin freely after a chainsaw chain has been installed. At the end of your work, be sure to lubricate all the moving parts of your tool to avoid excessive wear and tear.
Chainsaw chain lubrication system failures
There are several common chain saw chain lubrication system failures. These include:
Before considering why the chainsaw does not lubricate the chain, you must carefully inspect and carefully flush the oil channels to the bar. It’s quite possible that it is the clogging that prevents the chain from getting the amount of oil it needs.
Often the problem with oil leakage is in the chainsaw oil pump. If it is defective, you should not immediately replace the entire assembly. Very often it will be enough to replace only the plunger. In other cases, adjustment of the oil pump may help.
Why the chain saw cuts awry. causes and repair
If the chainsaw bar with the chain moves to the side when operating the chainsaw, this indicates one of several common malfunctions:
- The chain teeth are not evenly sharpened;
- The chain used does not match the bar parameters;
- The chainsaw’s cutting attachments are badly worn.
In any of these cases, the first thing to do is replace the chain. To do this, you need to choose a part that matches the parameters listed in the tool’s instruction manual or use our table for chain saw chain selection. If the chainsaw still cuts sideways, the guide bar should be inspected. It may have shifted during an accidental bump, and the repair will require you to install the part as shown in the images in the owner’s manual.
How to choose a chain for a chainsaw
Buying chainrings for your power tool is no less important than the saw itself. Knowing its purpose and understanding its main technical criteria will make choosing a chain a lot easier and will only benefit you. It should be based on:
- Mutual matching of the power and technical features of a particular saw and its chainring;
- an understanding of whether or not it will be serviceable, its frequency, and the amount of skill required;
- Absolute knowledge of all the nuances of a specific saw brand. Here it is also important to understand whether or not it will be possible to complete the working tool with a non-original headset;
- overholding the position that 3/8 inch is the best pitch for a chain; the selection of the sharpening angle, which can be 10 or 30 0;
- Knowing how big the guide bar is and how big the blade itself should be so the chain doesn’t sag or get too tight.
And how to adjust their length can be made at home, we tell further.