The answer is yes, there are – so here, we look at some of the possible chainsaw bar oil substitutes. It is thinner than regular vegetable oil, meaning it will tend to fly off the chainsaw more quickly – but it has a more suitable viscosity at lower temperatures so makes a good substitute for chainsaw oil when it is too cold to use vegetable oil. This is a sure sign that your chainsaw is not lubricated, so you should check you still have oil in the reservoir and consider trying a different oil if the oil you are using isn’t doing the job.
The following 5 oils are the most common substitutes for regular bar and chain oil. If you were wanting to avoid putting more oil out in the environment, one of the best alternatives is a biodegradable bar and chain oil. In a pinch, the best bar and chain oil substitute is a suitable vegetable or motor oil.
The reason a special type of chainsaw bar oil exists is that chainsaw chains and bars need a lubricant with certain qualities to keep those parts running smoothly. Motor oil will work to keep your chainsaw from burning up if you don’t have any standard bar oil on hand. Hydraulic oil is similar to motor oil and you can use it as a chainsaw bar oil substitute when you have nothing else available.
Unless you have a stockpile of gear oil available if your chainsaw oil runs out, it’s not a sound economic decision to buy gear oil as a backup. We recommend turning to canola oil as the best chainsaw bar oil substitute on our list. Chainsaw bar oil substitutes that derive from vegetables like canola oil are the best for your chainsaw.
what to use as chainsaw oil Related Question:
Can you use regular oil in a chainsaw?
The chain saw bar and chain oil are not rated by SAE as traditional automobile motor oil is. The University of Missouri Extension recommends using SAE 30 weight motor oil to lube your chain during the summer and SAE 10 weight during the winter if your manufacturer’s bar and chain oil is unavailable.
Can any oil be used for chainsaw bar oil?
Generally, chainsaws can handle a wide range of lubricants. Vegetable and canola oils work well, and automobile motor oil will too, as long as you observe the SAE ratings and use the appropriate oil weight for the season. Always use fresh, never used, oils.
Can I use vegetable oil in my chainsaw?
Effective – Vegetable oils have natural properties including good lubricity, resistance to shear, a high flash point, and a high viscosity index. These qualities lend themselves to chain lubricant requirements similar to petroleum-based chain oils, and do not contribute to chain or bar wear over time.
Can I use 10w30 for chainsaw bar oil?
As a matter of fact, you can actually use regular 10w30 motor oil on a chainsaw as one of the alternatives in case you don’t have bar and chain oil. That’s because 10w30 oil has enough thickness and viscosity that will allow it to withstand the friction that is happening whenever you are using a chainsaw.
Can you substitute motor oil for chainsaw bar?
If your manufacturer’s bar and chain oil is unavailable, you can use SAE 30 weight motor oil to lube your chain during the summer and SAE 10 weight during the winter, according to the University of Missouri Extension.
What is chainsaw oil made of?
Rapeseed-based (usually called canola) oil is currently the most common environmentally compatible chain-and-bar lubricant. Vegetable-based oils are triglycerides or natural esters that come from agricultural crops.
Do Electric chainsaws need bar oil?
Electric chain saws derive their power from an electric source, so they don’t need fuel to run. Most gas chain saws require a premixed gas-and-oil fuel to operate properly. Electric chain saws don’t require this added oil, but the bar and chain do need to be properly lubricated.
Can you use olive oil as chainsaw Lube?
Other vegetable oils most commonly used in chainsaws: Olive oil – thicker than canola but not good at low temperatures. Sunflower oil – thinner than regular chain oil.
Can I use olive oil for bar and chain oil?
Olive/vegetable oil is probably not as good as bar oil, which is thicker than motor oil, but for light cutting should be just fine.
Can I use engine oil for chain oil?
Some people caution against using motor oil on a chain saw, but not for safety reasons or concerns about equipment. Bar and chain oil is stickier than regular motor oil, so it stays on the chain longer.
What SAE is bar and chain oil?
To prevent this, chainsaw manufacturers make bar oils matched to the air temperature and the saw in which it is operated. Although they don’t disclose the weight of their oil, the University of Missouri Extension recommends in lieu of using a bar oil, select SAE 30 weight oil in summer and SAE 10 in winter.
What happens to a chainsaw without bar oil?
Without lubricant, the speed at which the chain moves over the chainsaw bar can cause some serious friction. A slowed-down chain and excessive fuel burning mean there’s a lot of friction between your bar and chain, which means a lot of heat is being produced that could do major damage to your saw.
Can I use 5W30 for bar oil?
You’ll be fine.
What does 10W30 mean?
The 10W30 designation on engine oil means that the viscosity of the oil is rated at 10W when an engine is cold and 30 when the engine is hot. This is different than an oil labelled 5W30, which has a thinner viscosity when the engine is cold at 5W.
Do all chainsaws need oil?
To run properly, all chainsaws need two types of oil for different jobs. The first is engine oil. The chainsaw shown here has a two-stroke engine, so it needs two-stroke engine oil mixed with the fuel to help cool and lubricate the moving parts inside the motor.