Echo 400 and 590 both quit oiling

[MHHPartner]

Hello, all:

Own three Echos - 409, 590, and 680. Couldn't have been more pleased with them over the year that I've had them.

Last week cut up a neighbor's downed tree with the 400. Toward the end of the job noticed the chain was getting slack and shut it down to tighten it. Realized it was dry as a bone. I only had a couple of cuts left, so poured some oil on the chain and finished.

Got home and took the bar off and cleaned all channels and passages. No luck. I keep my saws clean, and the interior of the oil tank was spotless.

Even with the bar off no oil came out with it idling or blipping.

Figured it was a freak failure of the oil pump and put it aside to take it in for a warranty repair.

Pulled out the 590 today to cut down a few trees, and you guessed it, it quit oiling. Repeated all the cleaning, checked the filter in the tank, and turned the pump up all the way. Nothing.

The only common denominator was a no-name bar and chain oil I was using for the first time. Dumped it out and refilled with one of my standard brands. Nothing.

After reading what people use for bar oil, I can't believe that's the problem, but is it possible the new oil clogged or torched something in the oil pump on both saws?

Thanks for any ideas or guidance.

 

[Nutball]

Maybe if it was some sort of vegetable oil, and was allowed to sit long enough to gum things up. The likes may need to be blown clean and have some sort of a mild solvent put in them I'm not sure what would work: diesel, penetrating oil, alcohol? If the bad oil gummed up or corroded the pump, it could cause a plastic oil pump drive gear to strip. I think the plastic gear is partially to be a sacrificial part, but at least on the 355t they made it non replaceable but part of the pump, so it's a $40 fix instead of $5.

 

[MHHPartner]

No, I had just filled them with the new oil, and neither it nor what was already in the tank was vegetable oil - just common bar and chain oil - probably either TSC or Itasca brand.

Guess it's just one of those freak coincidences.

 

[Wood Doctor]

Thin that bar oil out with some mixed fuel about 50:50, let it run with the bar removed, and that should clean out whatever is clogging it up. It's an old and proven remedy that works for me.

 

[MHHPartner]

Thanks for the tip, Wood Doctor!