If you want to make sure that your chainsaw is working the right way, you need to oil it properly. That’s because all of the friction that is happening when a chainsaw is working can put a ton of stress on the machine. But if you don’t have the right kind of chainsaw lubricant available, can you use a regular 10w30 motor oil instead?
You can use regular 10w30 motor oil on your chainsaw in case you don’t have access to the usual chain and bar oil. However, when you are using anything but chain and bar oil, you have to understand that there will be consequences and drawbacks involved.
Even though you can technically use different types of oil for your chainsaw, some things need to be taken into consideration first. After all, they wouldn’t manufacture oil that should be used specifically on a chainsaw if you can just safely use any kind of oil. With that said, let us get to the meat of things and talk more about whether or not you can use motor oil on a chainsaw.
Can you use 10w30 instead of a bar and chain oil?
The invention of the chainsaw has indeed allowed us to work on different tasks with comparative ease because of the fact that you no longer have to constantly saw your way through all sorts of different objects. With that said, while a chainsaw does all the work for you, it is important for you to do your part for the chainsaw as well.
You have to understand that chainsaws can run at very high speeds and will undergo a lot of friction while it is cutting its way through all sorts of different objects. Because friction can naturally wear anything down long enough, you need to properly lubricate your chainsaw to reduce the friction and to hopefully also reduce the wear and tear your chainsaw goes through.
Normally, you would need to use bar and chain oil to lubricate your chainsaw because this type of oil was specifically formulated to be used on chainsaws. There are even some chainsaw manufacturers that make their bar and chain oil that is formulated to be the most ideal lubricant for their products.
However, what if you don’t have bar and chain oil lying around when you need it the most? What if you can’t go to a nearby store to buy bar and chain oil? Can you use any 10w30 motor oil lying around in your garage to lubricate your chainsaw?
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.
Moreover, regular 10w30 motor oil is actually rated by SAE, which is something that you don’t often see in bar and chain oil. What that means is that it is rated 10w when the engine or the weather is cold (whenever it’s winter) and that it is rated 30 when the engine or the weather is hot.
Another factor to consider here is that 10w30 motor oil might be thick enough for your chainsaw but it is also thin enough that it can flow easily throughout your chainsaw so that it properly lubricate the bar and chain and allow them to work efficiently.
But, at the same time, you should never use 10w30 motor oil that has already been used when you want to lubricate your chainsaw. This is quite common as some people would actually drain the oil from their vehicles thinking that there is no harm in using used motor oil for a chainsaw.
However, used motor oil already has tiny microscopic metal particles that won’t be good for the bar and chain of a chainsaw. So, instead of actually lubricating the bar and chain well, the used motor oil will most certainly sling faster off of the chainsaw because it has already been used and broken down from its original state. In the end, because of that, you will end up having to re-lubricate your chainsaw and eat up more of your savings in the process.
Can you use gear oil for the chainsaw?
Now that we have talked about how you can use 10w30 motor oil on your chainsaw, what about regular gear oil? Can you use gear oil for a chainsaw in case you no longer have any other alternatives?
Theoretically, you may still be able to use gear oil for your chainsaw. However, you need to understand that gear oil is actually thicker than most oils. Its thickness may not be ideal for a chainsaw because of how it won’t be able to properly lubricate the bar and chain.
Can you use vegetable oil for the chainsaw?
Meanwhile, if you have no other oils in your garage, can you go to the kitchen and use vegetable oil instead?
Surprisingly, yes, you can use vegetable oil for a chainsaw. The reason why you can use it for your chainsaw is that it has the right thickness and can withstand high enough temperatures. Meanwhile, vegetable oil is not petroleum-based and is environmentally friendlier than all of the other petroleum-based oils that you can use as substitutes for your bar and chain oil. This makes it a better option for those who are more concerned about the environment.
What can I use for chainsaw bar oil?
Aside from 10w30 motor oil and vegetable oil, here are some other substitutes that you might want to for your chainsaw:
- Canola oil
Canola oil is usually the safest option here because it is readily available and is friendlier to the environment than most other vegetable oils. You can see here that canola oil is actually quite affordable as well.
- Transmission fluid
If you can’t find motor oil in your garage and you don’t want to use gear oil, you can use transmission fluid instead because it is neither too thin nor too thick for your chainsaw. You can check out a good transmission fluid here.
Sources:
https://www.onupkeep.com/answers/oil-and-gas/10w30-engine-oil
https://www.thespruce.com/using-regular-motor-oil-chainsaw-bar-1342724
https://homeguides.sfgate.com/chainsaw-bar-oil-alternative-101827.html
