Stihl MS390 not oiling the chain

[Pecker]

Hi what's up. I'm hoping someone can offer some advice please. Here's the deal - it is using roughly half the reservoir of oil per fuel tankful (about right I think), but there is not nearly enough oil getting on the chain. When I run the saw WOT with the nose of the bar close to a light piece of wood (like you do to see if it is oiling properly) the chain is not throwing any oil. I have adjusted the oil screw on the bottom to full open and it isn't enough.

Here's what I've done in attempt to remedy the situation: I took the bar off and made sure the oil hole on the power unit was not clogged. The blew out the hole in the bar where the oil goes in with high pressure compressed air. It worked a little better until I started sawing again and now it is not oiling again.

Also, I clean the saw, sharpen the chain by hand, fill up the fuel tank, fill up the oil tank every tankfull. I'm meticulous with maintenance. And the chain has about 4 tank fulls on it so its not old at all. The saw came with a Stihl green bar but I put a Stihl yellow bar on it - but the oil hole seems to line up properly.

Any and all advice welcome and I'll try it because I really don't want to send it to the shop for something like this. Thanks in advance.

[bill w]

Have you tried cleaning the bar groove? If not, as soon as you start cutting again the crud will move to block the oil hole.

[Pecker]

Yeah, I clean the bar groove and blew the hle out real good with compressed air. It worked ok for a few minutes and then stopped oiling again. Is there any way to make the oiler unit on the saw put out more oil beyond opening the screw al the way? How does that unit work? Thanks.

[bill w]

I believe I'd clean the oil pickup and tank as the next step. I know of no way to adjust the oiler any further.

[Pecker]

I've never been into that part of the saw. Is there any to it? How do I get to the pickup? Thanks.

[lwcmattlifter]

If you can, drain the oil tank and remove the oil pickup assembly for cleaning. How long is the bar your using? These saws aren't known for spectacular oiling systems. You may find that going with a shorter bar will help.

[joe stihl]

Some of the MS290,310, 390's have bad oil pumps from the factory. If it's still under warranty, take it in and have it replaced.

[Restrorob]

The E.P.A. has come down on saw manufacturers the last few years and have made them reduce the amount of oil dispersed onto their chains.
For that reason you can no longer put a bar near a block of wood and see oil being slung on it. As long as your chain is not burning up or turning blue from lack of oil I see no reason to worry about it.
If you did take it to a shop all they would do is remove the bar start it up and check for a little dribble out of the hole and tell you nothings wrong.

[Pecker]

The bar is 20" long. I'll clean out the oil tank next.

Is the pickup something I can clean or do I need to replace it?

Where is the oil pump located? Anything to replacing it?

[Pecker]

If you did take it to a shop all they would do is remove the bar start it up and check for a little dribble out of the hole and tell you nothings wrong.

That's what I don't want to happen. payup

How high does the engine have to rev for the oiler to dribble oil? I'm afraid of doing engine damage by running it with no chain. . .

[Pecker]

[QUOTE=restrorob]As long as your chain is not burning up or turning blue from lack of oil I see no reason to worry about it.

That's what I'm concerned with. My chain turned brown and I don't know if its from wood product or from the chain getting too hot. I noticed that it did stretch a little too.

[lwcmattlifter]

I could be mistaken but the 390 oil pumps run constantly. You should see a little oil at idle and a trickle at WOT.

[FerrisDJB]

I've got a "farmboss" that recently had oiling problems. I had changed bars and tinkered around the clutch and sprocket area of the power head. I changed out the sprocket and in replacing the new one I inadverntly installed the sprocket incorrectly. I failed to re-install the oil pump lever into the notch on the side of the clutch housing. The result was no oil pumping from the oil tank. I took the bar off and ran the saw...idle...full throttle and NO OIL! Took everything apart again and found my mistake. Just a thought...thats what happened to me! Good luck!

[bill w]

Brown sounds like pitch to me. Some will soak their chains in a solvent to remove it if it gets too bad.

The spring that FerrisDJB mentioned does not turn when the saw is at idle, so there is no oil pumped at idle.

[Restrorob]

[QUOTE=restrorob]As long as your chain is not burning up or turning blue from lack of oil I see no reason to worry about it.

That's what I'm concerned with. My chain turned brown and I don't know if its from wood product or from the chain getting too hot. I noticed that it did stretch a little too.

From what I have seen a brown color is from wood product, My 034 and 017 does the same thing and I know the oilers are working just fine, and I have to adjust my chains often also.

[Pecker]

Thanks for the help guys. I should get a chance to tinker with it today or tommorow. I'll keep ya updated. Thanks again for all the info.

[lawnmaniac883]

Guess oldsawaddict doesnt post here?

[Restrorob]

Guess oldsawaddict doesnt post here?

Well, It wasn't about a Ford or a Deere :laugh:

[lawnmaniac883]

Hahaha, thats too funny.

[Oldtimer]

First thing to check is the oiler adjustment and make sure the screw is turned the right way for max oil.

If the oiler is set to max then remove the clutch drum and check to see if the oil pump drive arm is engaged in the slot in the drum. We sell several hundred Stihl saws each year and every saw is checked for oiling before the customer can take it from the store. I have found a few saws that weren't engaging the oil pump wire. A Stihl only pumps oil when the engine is turning fast enough to turn the clutch drum.

Down here in the South we need all the oil the pump will deliver because of our very sappy pine and live oak that is so hard that a bolt of lightning can't split it.

Oldtimer
Just growing older in Pensacola