chain saw

Kenfarmall · Jan 23, 2013

Hi Guys,
This is not a tractor question but you have always helped me in the past with my two Farmalls. I have a stihl chain saw MS180C which I have had about three years. It has had eight or nine new chains in that time but it has thrown everyone off in about 15 to 20 minutes. I have never had to sharpen a single chain for this saw as it throws them off and every time it does it burrs the drive side of the teeth on four or five teeth. I took it back to the dealers and they put a new chain on it and that came off in less than 10 minutes. I also have a stihl 026 which I have had for over 20 years and it"s a real good saw. Has anyone else had a problem with the MS180C?
Thanks for any help,
Kenfarmall

Fritz Maurer · Jan 23, 2013

If you put that many chains on it, it may be time for a new bar. The slot wears wider and the chain runs crooked under load. You should also change the sprocket before it gets badly worn, as this is hard on the new chains and wastes power

Anonymous-0 · Jan 23, 2013

You talked about the chains but have you ever tried changing bar and drive sprocket to see if that corrected it.

Adirondack case guy · Jan 23, 2013

Sounds like you are not getting the bar properly seated against the block, so the chain isn't centered on the drive sprocket.Are the chain guides installed. I have run chains off when topping out trees after felleng them if the chain is a bit loose or the limb pinched, but never ruined teeth. My dad had a husky and a capscrew that held the toothed crowd plate backed out and would rub on the teeth on the drive side dulling them. We had to drill out and retap the hole and install a bigger capscrew with locktite. I don't understand what you mean burning some teeth, and can't sharpen them??? Can you post pics.?
Loren, the Acg.

Kenfarmall · Jan 23, 2013

Hello Guys.
This was a new saw I brought at the Stihl dealer, they told me I must have put the chains on wrong, they checked the saw and they put a chain on it for me,but like I said that came off in less then 10 minutes. Thank you.
Kenfarmall.

mkirsch · Jan 23, 2013

First off, are you putting the correct chain on it? It should use .325 pitch chain, not 3/8".

Second off, you need to find a new Stihl dealer. This should've been a slam-dunk for a decent saw guy to diagnose.

Third off, have you replaced the bar and the drive sprocket?

Fourth off, has this been happening since it was new?

Kenfarmall · Jan 23, 2013

Hi.
It burrs the drive side of the teeth against the drive sprocket, the dealer put a chain on but that came off as well. I have an 026 for more then 20years and it is a good saw, I have had no trouble with it. Thank you.
Kenfarmall.

mkirsch · Jan 23, 2013

Well, that doesn't answer any of my questions, or anybody else's either.

If you want help, please answer the questions.

After the chain came off this last time, did you take it back to the dealer and say, "Here, you put this chain on and it came off in less than 10 minutes. Something else is wrong. Fix it?"

Goose · Jan 23, 2013

Something stinks here.

If you're putting the right chains on, check that the bar and sprocket are the right ones. If the bar was wrong, the nose sprocket in the bar could be throwing the chains off.

ericlb · Jan 23, 2013

the most common cause of a saw burring the drive teeth is the chain and sprocket do not match, either somebody installed the wrong drive sprocket on the saw, or the chain is the wrong drive tooth style, get your shop to id both, with a manufacturers spec sheet for the saw, im betting one or the other is incorrect for the saw the other cause is improper bar or mounting to the saw, the bar must be the correct one for the saw and be fully seated against the mounting flange otherwise it will run cockeyed and throw the chain off such a problem will also wear the bar on one side more than the other

Bill in IL · Jan 23, 2013

It should take a 3/8 PICCO micro mini chain. Should be .43 gauge on that saw if setup according to manufacture specs. Who knows what could have been really put on there. Either way its stamped on the saw end of the bar what chain it takes.

I know my saws tend to throw chains when cutting in small brush. Only once have I bent a chain and could not reuse it. I have had to file burrs off the drive links before though. It has to be something wrong with the alignment of the chain. Wrong sprocket or bar. Flip the saw over and make sure its all straight. Make sure the drive links line up with the drive teeth on the sprocket. Check to be sure the chain fits tight in the groove of the bar. Does the chain spin freely on the bar after you setup a new chain? Is the bar straight? Is the groove the drive spurs run in pinched anywhere along the length of the entire bar? What if you flip the bar over does that help any?

Anonymous-0 · Jan 23, 2013

I have read your post again and from what I read this saw has did this from day one. How many times have you had this saw back to dealer and is the dealer a factory certified dealer? If the dealer didn't get it fixed you should have went to Stihls customer service and told them of the problem while it was still under warranty. I would still call Stihl customer service you might be surprised what they will say when you tell them the problem and its been going on from the day you bought it.

Kenfarmall · Jan 23, 2013

Hi Guys.
Yes this has gone on from day one, the chains are Stihl .325 and no I did not put this chain back on because of the burres on the drive side of the teeth, and thank you sir I will call customer service, because I have talk to my dealer in town time and time again about this. Thanks again.
Kenfarmall.

onefarmer · Jan 23, 2013

IF it's chewing up the drive links then something isn't matching up. Look at the bar, it could be the wrong nose sprocket was put on at the factory. Or the drive sprocket is wrong. Maybe you are buying 3/8 chain and it needs 3/8 picco, the is a difference. If you took it to a dealer and he can't figure it out, you need a different dealer.

If you live in mid Mich I have a fantastic dealer here in St Johns Mi. They can fix most anything.

mkirsch · Jan 23, 2013

Hopefully they can direct you to a dealer that will do something for you.

The bar has the chain pitch, gauge, and number of drive links stamped into it. Make sure it's a .325 bar.

Fritz Maurer · Jan 23, 2013

D beatty is right... the second time the chain tossed you should taken it right back to the guy you bought it from. He is also right in the fact that Stihl customer service would help you out. Maybe they can give you part Nos. of the chain, bar and sprocket, to make sure you're starting out with all the correct parts on the saw. The more I read this post, the more it looks like a chain/sprocket mismatch.

Dachshund · Jan 23, 2013

Had a saw that did the same thing - turned out to be the chain oiler was not working right. The chain would heat up, stretch, and pop off. Didn't take long, either.

Dan in Ohio · Jan 23, 2013

Kenfarmall,

I have a john deere saw that does the same thing. Been cutting wood for over 35 years, mostly with Stihl saws and never had this problem. This john deere (Efco) saw is a .325 and the other saws are larger, only diference I can think of off hand.

Kenfarmall · Jan 23, 2013

Hi.
Yes I have been using chain saws for more then 30 years, but never had one like this before, I usually use bigger saws, but got this one for topping out trees, I think Stihl make good saws but this one is junk. Thank every body for your ideas. Kenfarmall.

Bret4207 · Jan 24, 2013

New chain stretches, you have to adjust as it does so. If the bar/chain.sprocket combo are correct, then you need to keep better track of the chain. And check the oiler too and the oil hole in the bar. I don;t know how many saws I've worked on where the bar was plugged full of debris and there was no way for any oil to get tot he chain.

chain saw

Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Member

Well-known Member

Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Member

Well-known Member

Member

Well-known Member

Similar threads