My Poulan Chainsaw Will Not Oil the Chain

Dirty Guide Bar

• Most often when the chainsaw chain won't oil, a dirty guide bar has plugged up the oil, preventing it from reaching the chain. As the chain pulverizes the wood, a fraction of that discharge collects underneath the chain. The chain will eventually compact that sawdust into the bar grooves, and, as the layers build, the oil will eventually stop pushing through the sawdust. This will occur more rapidly if you are cutting dead wood or duff or accidentally drop the chainsaw in the dirt. Clean the bar grooves with a knife, scraping out any built-up material.

Clogged Oiler

• With a correctly installed bar, it will sit on the oiler nozzle just beside the bar posts. This oiler nozzle will push bar and chain oil onto the bar, distributing it along the bar grooves. Just like the grooves, the oiler hole on the bar and the nozzle on the oiler can get plugged with sawdust, dirt or old oil, causing all oil to stop flowing to the bar. Blow out the oiler holes, one for each side of the bar, and the oiler nozzle using compressed air.

Dirty Oil Tank

• Oil originates in the tank and it must travel unimpeded through the pump and onto the bar. However, foreign material in the tank will cause the oil to stop flowing freely. Dirt, sawdust and other material can fall into the tank during a refueling stop, and, as the oil gets sucked out of the tank, this matter will get sucked up against the filter, clogging the oiling system. Drain the oil from the tank, and thoroughly clean it with a brush and rag. Replace the oil pickup if it's clogged.

Oil Pump Problems

• As the Poulan chainsaw ages, major internal parts, like the oil pump, will break down. The oil pump in most Poulan model chainsaws will use a piston-driven pump. These pistons can get dirty and clogged, causing them to stop moving inside its cylinder. Oil pump problems can't be prevented, unfortunately, and generally require a replacement piston or the entire pump assembly. Let a professional Poulan mechanic perform all pump maintenance, including cleaning and servicing.