livemusic
Super OPE Member
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- 646
- Joined
- Jan 22, 2016
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- Location
- NW Louisiana, USA
SEE POST #4 IN THIS THREAD FOR UPDATE BEFORE READING ALL OF THIS!
This is driving me nuts. This is a continuing longgggggggg story; I'm sorry! I'll try to be brief as I can.
This saw is in near mint condition but has been sitting up (except for me starting it a few times a year to keep it functional) because I had other saws and I got uber frustrated because the chain would not spin on the bar after tightening the front lug nut. The saw was new to me and had cut about an hour flawlessly until I hit some hidden barbed wire in a tree. I got bar and chain cleaned up but then the saga began. I could not figure it out even though I had a lot of advice and I even went to two dealers. I am also not exactly a mechanical wizard.
It was determined that the saw had a strange bar/chain. A short, HuskyLite bar and chain, 3/8lp but the sprocket was Oregon 3/8-7 and forum experts said that won't work (even if the wrong sprocket is not causing the non-spinning issue) because it has to be a sprocket for 3/8lp. I posted pics and consensus was that the bar had been modified. Beats me, I bought it used.
Recently decided to try again. Bought a completely new Oregon bar, (180vxlgk095 Versacut guide bar, 18 inch, .325 050) with Oregon chain, (20lpx072g chain... supposedly full chisel, 72 link, .325 050). All from a dealer who inspected my saw and sold me the bar/chain and other parts, said dealer failing to see that the saw had a 3/8-7 sprocket on it. (I discovered this after I got home; I had forgotten it had that 3/8 sprocket on it, it's been a long time. Plus, I was relying on the expert.) That's when I went and bought a .325-7 sprocket to match the bar/chain. That dealer who sold me the bar/chain, after inspecting my saw for *whatever* it needed, told me I needed an oil pump worm gear and also a needle bearing. These two parts got lost somewhere along the way, I have no idea how. But I installed those parts and the bar and chain and all was great with my bada$$ saw. Until...
First, the saw worked and cut like a banshee for maybe an hour. I guess the chain stretched and it threw the chain and got burred. (I *was* limbing a tree and cutting small limbs but I sure didn't expect it to throw, but maybe it stretched. I forgot about stretching. Whatever, it was cutting great.) The saw is ported and strong.
After I carefully filed the burrs so that the chain revolves on the bar and inspecting the bar and cleaning it out, upon tightening the nuts, the chain won't turn on the bar! I can't see what is wrong but I am no expert. The thing that bugs me is that I don't understand why I have so much slop on the shaft for the sprocket to move around. Is that normal? When I was trying to diagnose this, it seemed to me that the chain wasn't even ON the sprocket, it was not seated or partially seated. When eyeballing it, it just doesn't seem like it should have such slop in there. Look at my photos and see if this is normal. I don't see how you could rely on getting the chain properly seated into the sprocket. If I could find a friggin good dealer mechanic, I would; I have not had good luck with dealers.
On the photos, you will see washers on the bolts, shimmed up behind the nuts. I did that so I could better see what is happening... no clutch cover to block my sight. There is about 1/8 inch of slop along the shaft in there. The first pic is where I had pushed the sprocket with a screwdriver tip one way and the other pic is with it pushed on the shaft the opposite direction. This does NOT look right to me but what do I know. And I did ask a friend who knows a lot more than me, lol.
LAST QUESTIONS... I can grab the clutch drum with my hand and move it in and out... this is ANOTHER about 1/16 inch of slop/play/movement. Is THIS normal? Also, can you install the sprocket backwards? I think I inserted it so ".325-7" is showing.
Sorry I am so dense on this stuff, lol. This is ridiculous. Probably something really simple. I should just stick to an axe or give it all up and take up golf again.
This is driving me nuts. This is a continuing longgggggggg story; I'm sorry! I'll try to be brief as I can.
This saw is in near mint condition but has been sitting up (except for me starting it a few times a year to keep it functional) because I had other saws and I got uber frustrated because the chain would not spin on the bar after tightening the front lug nut. The saw was new to me and had cut about an hour flawlessly until I hit some hidden barbed wire in a tree. I got bar and chain cleaned up but then the saga began. I could not figure it out even though I had a lot of advice and I even went to two dealers. I am also not exactly a mechanical wizard.
It was determined that the saw had a strange bar/chain. A short, HuskyLite bar and chain, 3/8lp but the sprocket was Oregon 3/8-7 and forum experts said that won't work (even if the wrong sprocket is not causing the non-spinning issue) because it has to be a sprocket for 3/8lp. I posted pics and consensus was that the bar had been modified. Beats me, I bought it used.
Recently decided to try again. Bought a completely new Oregon bar, (180vxlgk095 Versacut guide bar, 18 inch, .325 050) with Oregon chain, (20lpx072g chain... supposedly full chisel, 72 link, .325 050). All from a dealer who inspected my saw and sold me the bar/chain and other parts, said dealer failing to see that the saw had a 3/8-7 sprocket on it. (I discovered this after I got home; I had forgotten it had that 3/8 sprocket on it, it's been a long time. Plus, I was relying on the expert.) That's when I went and bought a .325-7 sprocket to match the bar/chain. That dealer who sold me the bar/chain, after inspecting my saw for *whatever* it needed, told me I needed an oil pump worm gear and also a needle bearing. These two parts got lost somewhere along the way, I have no idea how. But I installed those parts and the bar and chain and all was great with my bada$$ saw. Until...
First, the saw worked and cut like a banshee for maybe an hour. I guess the chain stretched and it threw the chain and got burred. (I *was* limbing a tree and cutting small limbs but I sure didn't expect it to throw, but maybe it stretched. I forgot about stretching. Whatever, it was cutting great.) The saw is ported and strong.
After I carefully filed the burrs so that the chain revolves on the bar and inspecting the bar and cleaning it out, upon tightening the nuts, the chain won't turn on the bar! I can't see what is wrong but I am no expert. The thing that bugs me is that I don't understand why I have so much slop on the shaft for the sprocket to move around. Is that normal? When I was trying to diagnose this, it seemed to me that the chain wasn't even ON the sprocket, it was not seated or partially seated. When eyeballing it, it just doesn't seem like it should have such slop in there. Look at my photos and see if this is normal. I don't see how you could rely on getting the chain properly seated into the sprocket. If I could find a friggin good dealer mechanic, I would; I have not had good luck with dealers.
On the photos, you will see washers on the bolts, shimmed up behind the nuts. I did that so I could better see what is happening... no clutch cover to block my sight. There is about 1/8 inch of slop along the shaft in there. The first pic is where I had pushed the sprocket with a screwdriver tip one way and the other pic is with it pushed on the shaft the opposite direction. This does NOT look right to me but what do I know. And I did ask a friend who knows a lot more than me, lol.
LAST QUESTIONS... I can grab the clutch drum with my hand and move it in and out... this is ANOTHER about 1/16 inch of slop/play/movement. Is THIS normal? Also, can you install the sprocket backwards? I think I inserted it so ".325-7" is showing.
Sorry I am so dense on this stuff, lol. This is ridiculous. Probably something really simple. I should just stick to an axe or give it all up and take up golf again.
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