How To Troubleshoot Your Chainsaw

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Written by admin on December 11, 2009 – 12:13 am -

A chain saw is a great tool for cutting wood to use for heat and for clearing brush and small trees. These saws give the homeowner a lot of power to do more work around their home that they would have to hire others to do. However, as great as a chain saw is, they will not perform the way that they should without routine maintenance.
Maintenance of your chainsaw will help to prolong the life of the saw while also keeping it in its best operating condition. A chain saw that does not work well is a dangerous too. Dull blades or a chain that does not run correctly will cause the saw to malfunction and possibly cause serious injury. Here are a few steps to take in order to troubleshoot your chain saw.
What You Will Need
• Wrench
• Chain Saw Oil
• Guide Bar
• Putty Knife
• Chain
• Gas
• Spark Plug Socket
• New Spark Plug
• Screwdriver
• Chain Saw Air Cleaner
Step One - Tighten Chain
You might notice that your chain is drooping off the bar. This happens sometimes after a lot of cutting. The chain can stretch or the bar will loosen up. Use a socket wrench to loosen the bolts that hold the bar onto the body of the saw. Slide out the saw to realign the chain back on the bar in a snug position. Tighten the bolt afterwards.
Step Two - Unplug Oil Hole
There could also be a problem with the chain becoming too hot. If it is it will being to smoke and even cause burn marks on the wood. The main cause of this is that the hole that the bar oil is released from is plugged. Clean the hole and clean out the filter under the cap. Make sure you can get a flow of oil.
Step Three - Replace Bar
Look along the bar of the chain saw and check for marks and indents. This is caused by the chain being too tight, or being used when it is too dull. The bar will receive grooves in it which will then cause the chain to run in an awkward way. Loosen the two bolts holding the bar onto the body of the chain saw and remove the bar. Replace with a new one and tighten the two bolts.
Step Four - Change Spark Plug
If you notice that the engine is not running at top speed or runs very rough and is hard to start, the spark plug will need to be changed. Use a spark plug socket to remove the plug and replace with a new one.
Step Five - Change Air Cleaner
When your engine begins to bog down when it starts to dig into the wood or runs very rough, then you should change the air cleaner. This means that your engine is not getting a good air to gas ratio. You will need to change the air cleaner on the side of your chain saw.