Milwaukee Fuel Chainsaw leaking oil like crazy

[asker123]

This Milwaukee Fuel chainsaw (16 inch) has very good performance but it leaks the oil from day 1 but I read that somewhat leak is normal etc.
Residual oil leaks and I did everything like opening the Cap to remove pressure etc. but nothing helped
I gave it to the authorised service centre and they found no issue in it and gave me back.
Situation is that it will empty the reservoir in two days with the leak so I have to drain oil after every use.
Should i return to the service centre and perhaps pressurise them for a potential replacement in case I got a bad one. It has lifetime warranty.

 

[Trav]

That is not normal, it sounds to me like they didn't even bother checking out. Look at the diagram part 22 and 23 I would almost bet that is the source of the leak barring a cracked tank. DIY this thing and get it fixed right.

https://documents.milwaukeetool.com/54-40-2770R.pdf

 

[repairman54]

Its not normal. My snowmobile club has 3 of them. One saw has to be stored on its side, bar side up, so it doesn't' leak oil. I haven't done an autopsy on it yet.

 

[Oscar11]

I have a Dewalt cordless chainsaw and it does the same thing, will empty the bar oil reservoir in a few days. I found this out when I left it in my truck tool box..what a mess. I read in the owners manual where you are supposed to drain the oil out after use, meaning they know it leaks.

 

[Pablo]

All chains saws leak oil. Some faster than others. My Greenworks Pro is the best a few drops per month. My Stihl pretty fast. My DeWalt pole in between,

 

[cptbarkey]

I have several saws, they all leak. Complaints like this are frankly due to lack of experience with chain saws. Either store it cap side up, or drain it.

 

[Rand]

I have several saws, they all leak. Complaints like this are frankly due to lack of experience with chain saws. Either store it cap side up, or drain it.

my echo leaks out maybe an ounce over the winter.
my dewalt leaks the whole tank out in less than a week.
IMO: Saying its user error/wrong expectations is premature at this point with known info.

The echo I just stuff 1 rag under it in the case.
The dewalt's new home is a 5 gallon bucket with the bottom full of old rags or paper... and I try to drain it.

 

[Tdbo]

I have had 2 Poulans, and now an Echo.
They all leak, some slower than others.
I now slide a plastic top off a cat litter bucket underneath the saw.

 

[TheOilWizard]

This Milwaukee Fuel chainsaw (16 inch) has very good performance but it leaks the oil from day 1 but I read that somewhat leak is normal etc.
Residual oil leaks and I did everything like opening the Cap to remove pressure etc. but nothing helped
I gave it to the authorised service centre and they found no issue in it and gave me back.
Situation is that it will empty the reservoir in two days with the leak so I have to drain oil after every use.
Should i return to the service centre and perhaps pressurise them for a potential replacement in case I got a bad one. It has lifetime warranty.

I have the mini (pruning) saw from Milwaukee and it leaked from the day I bought it. I just accepted it as a feature.

 

[oil pan 4]

Yep, cracked tank, loose leaky cracked or rubbed through oil line most likely.

 

[Cujet]

Not normal.

However, my stunningly good Husky 346XP leaks it's contents in a day or two. I know it can be fixed, as the prob is often the tank to tube seal. I'm just lazy.

 

[oldcodger]

Store the saw with the bar oil cap side down. If you store it with the cap up the thing gravity feeds down and leaks through lube route.

 

[asker123]

I have several saws, they all leak. Complaints like this are frankly due to lack of experience with chain saws. Either store it cap side up, or drain it.

Well, someone in other comment is saying store it Cap side down.
How come the entire full tank getting empty on Garage floor is linked to lack of experience, if you mind elaborating please.
I even tried to store it with Cap open to remove pressure. I will like to gain more experience on the Chainsaw through.

 

[cptbarkey]

Well, someone in other comment is saying store it Cap side down.
How come the entire full tank getting empty on Garage floor is linked to lack of experience, if you mind elaborating please.
I even tried to store it with Cap open to remove pressure. I will like to gain more experience on the Chainsaw through.

Theres probably very little pressure to worry about. Accepting that all chainsaws leak will prepare you on how to handle them, kind of like changing baby diapers. Keep a can of brake cleaner handy and a rag, or shop towels, and like others said a 5 gallon bucket for it to pee into for a few hours.

edit: cleaning them should also be a ritual. A small air compressor works extremely well to blast off the leftover cabbage.

 

[gasman556]

I've got a Makita battery powered pole saw attachment that leaks like a scythe (sp?). I just use it until the oil is almost out and then put it away. I'll deal with the minimal corrosion that starts between uses.

For gas, I have a Stihl chainsaw...260? that puts out quite a bit of chain oil between uses too. I just wipe out the case and refill the tank prior to use. No big deal to me. It's what you can live with vs what you can't imo.

 

[mk378]

The diagram shows the oil outlet is at the bottom right of the tank (the side toward the bar). So you would want to put that side up so oil can't go into the hose. In other words, cap down.

There is a pump to make the oil come out faster when the motor is running. Chainsaw pumps really aren't designed to stop oil from flowing at other times.

 

[Nukeman7]

Most of my gas chainsaws will continue to seep bar oil when normally stored horizontally in their carrying cases. A trick that I learned from the arboristsite.com forum is to: (1) vent the oil reservoir cap to relieve any residual pressure, and (2) either hang the saw with the bar tip up, or store it in the case vertically with the bar tip face up. The bar oil pump and oil outlet pipe is typically located in the lower front bar side of the saw, so vertical storage will allow the oil to drain back away from the pump outlet.

 

[Dutchy491]

Most saws have an adjustment screw to the bar oil system. Close that after use, if there is an adjustment screw, and see if that makes a difference…
Just remember to open it up the next time you use the saw.

 

[Pterostylis]

hang the saw with the bar tip up

I’ve known a few older arborists who would drill a hole through the bar of all their saws and then hang them vertically from hooks to stop the leaking.

 

[asker123]

I tried putting it with Cap down. In that situation, it does not stay horizontal but it sits on the handle and about 45% incline. Immediately I found several drops of oil coming on newspapaer below. Don't know from where. It also started going into where Milwaukee is written on the other side of the bar where I guess is the motor. So Now I have tried to put it Cap side up , lets see how much it leaks now.

My question - there are some slots at the bottom. Because it was leaking, those slots were soaked in oil. Now when I put it Cap side down, some oil seems to have gone in or around the motor. Is this oil going to make any damage to the Electric motor? If it could have been the gas small engine, I would not have asked this because gas engines and oil seems to go together no matter inside or outside but if the oil goes into the electric motor, can it cause issues to the motor.