Why is my chainsaw making a grinding noise?
The reason why your chainsaw is making a grinding noise is that the chain is either too loose or too tight. The incorrect chain, a grease hole that isn’t greased correctly, or a damaged sprocket due to heavy use are other reasons a chainsaw can make a grinding noise.
The chain is too tight
A tight chain on your chainsaw will make it very hard for the chain to turn around the bar, causing too much pressure on the chain to the sprocket. This struggle of the chain and the pressure on the sprocket causes the grinding noise.
The chain is too loose
The grinding noise on your chainsaw may also be coming due to the chain being too loose. If the chain is too loose, it won’t have a good grip on the sprocket, causing it to make a sound every time the rotation happens.
The chain isn’t correct for the chainsaw
Another reason for the grinding noise is having an incorrect chain for the chainsaw. If the chains you are using aren’t built for the particular chainsaw, they won’t fit properly with the chain sprocket. And whenever you use the chainsaw, it will struggle to keep up and cause a grinding noise.
The grease hole isn’t greased properly
Another possible reason for the grinding noise may be related to the lubrication on the chains. Most chainsaw bar has a small grease hole at the end of the bar, which is used to grease the bar.
If you haven’t greased the bar properly, it will eventually get dry and start making a grinding noise as it struggles with the friction with the chains.
The sprocket may be damaged
The chain sprockets are what keeps the chain in its place. If the sprocket is slightly damaged, it will cause the chain to jump on the particular area and return again, causing the grinding noise.
How to fix a chainsaw that is making a grinding noise?
To fix the chainsaw that is making a grinding noise, check the chain and fix the tension. You should also check if you are using the correct chain and replace it with the correct one. The sprocket may also have been damaged from constant use which needs to be replaced to reduce the grinding noise.
If everything seems okay, simply greasing the chain correctly and the bar could fix the issue.
Check and adjust the chain tension
First, check the chain’s tension by simply pulling out the chain. If the chain leaves the nose of the bar, it means you need to tighten the chain. On the other hand, if the chain refuses to move and remains tightened to the bar, you need to loosen the chain a little bit.
The best chain tension is when you can still move the chain without taking it out of the bar’s nose.
Follow the methods below to adjust the chain tension.
Method 1: Loosen or tighten guide bar side panel nuts
You can use the nuts on the side panel of the guide bar to make the chains loosen or tight.
Method 2: Adjust the tensioning screw
The tension adjustment screw is located on the side of the chainsaw guide bars. Adjust the tensioning screw and check if the grinding noise is gone.
Use the correct chains
Most of the time, your chain bar will have all the information mentioned. You can check for the correct chain size on the bar and see if the chain you have is the correct one or not.
To measure your chain against the information mentioned on the bar, you can use the following measurement techniques with coins.
Quarter = 0.63 Gauge
Penny = 0.58 Gauge
Dime = 0.50 Gauge
- Simply use the coins and measure your chains.
- If the chains aren’t correct, you need to replace the chains.
Grease the chains regularly
Greasing the chains regularly helps the chain to lessen the friction against the bar and the sprocket. Grease the grease hole at the end of the bar and see if the grinding noise goes away.
Check and replace the sprocket
If you find any damage on the chain sprocket, you shouldn’t take any chances and replace it immediately. Operating a chainsaw with a damaged sprocket is dangerous and causes accidents.
Why is my chainsaw making a squealing noise?
Your chainsaw is making squealing noise because of the regular friction inside the sprocket, particularly on the bearings, which causes the bearings to wear down and make the squealing sound.
Therefore, you must disassemble the chainsaw and examine both of the bearings if your chainsaw is making a squealing noise.
Problem with the bearings in the sprocket
If your chainsaw is making a squealing noise, it’s mostly because of the problem with the bearings in the sprocket. Bearings often wear out when used for longer and must be checked and replaced.
You need to disassemble your chainsaw and take out the crankshaft bearings and check for any damage on the bearings.
How to fix a chainsaw that is making a squealing noise?
To fix the chainsaw that is making a squealing noise, you have to replace the old crankshaft bearings with new bearings. If you have already disassembled the chainsaw, follow the below solution to replace the bearings.
Replace the crankshaft bearings
There are two bearings used on either side of the crankshaft. Simply remove both bearings from the crankshaft and replace them with new ones.
Why is my chainsaw making a rattling noise?
The reason your chainsaw is making a rattling noise is that some part of the chainsaw must be loose, broken, or just not in the right place. You can do a proper diagnosis of all the parts and the bolts to determine the exact part causing the rattling noise.
You can fix this issue by simply tightening the bolts of the chainsaw and also fixing any loose parts.
Loose bolts
Loose bolts around and inside the chainsaw often cause the saw to rattle. It’s extremely dangerous as a loose bolt can cause internal damage to your chainsaw. You can check for all the bolts on the chainsaw body and those that bind the parts of the chainsaw.
Loose sprocket
A loose sprocket also causes the chainsaw to rattle. You can check if the sprocket sits tightly in its place or just wobbles when you try to move it.
Flywheel hitting other parts
The flywheel on your chainsaw may be hitting other parts, which may be responsible for the rattling noise. Simply remove the cover, try to rotate the flywheel with your hand, and see if it hits other parts of the chainsaw.
Loosen the handlebar
A loose handlebar is one of the common causes of rattling noise. If the handlebar’s bolts are loose, it will create a rattling noise whenever you use it.
Simply hold the chainsaw in place with a hand and try moving the handlebar with another hand. You will instantly know if the handlebar is loose or not.
Other loose parts
Other loose parts, such as the sparkplug, air filter, or even the covers of the chainsaw, can cause the rattling noise. Therefore, you need to check whether all the chainsaw outer and inner parts are loose.
How to fix a chainsaw that is making a rattling noise?
To fix a chainsaw that is making a rattling noise, you should tighten the chainsaw parts, its bolts or fix the flywheels if it is hitting other parts.
Tighten all the bolts
As simple as it sounds, you can check all the bolts on your chainsaw and see if they are loose or missing. In case of missing bolts, ensure it isn’t stuck inside the chainsaw, which may damage the parts.
Tighten all the outer and inner bolts and replace the missing ones.
Fix the loose parts of the chainsaw
If you find any loose parts inside and outside of the chainsaw, such as a sprocket, handlebar, sparkplug, or air filter, you need to make sure it’s tightened or replaced if necessary.
Fix the flywheel hitting other parts
If the flywheel hits other parts of the chainsaw, such as the coil, you need to loosen the coil and keep a sizable gap between these two parts before tightening the coil again.
Why is my chainsaw making a popping noise?
The reason your chainsaw is making a popping noise must be because the gas is escaping through the muffler or the air filter is restricted due to debris. Constant use accumulates specks of dust on the air filter, preventing the exhaust to pass freely and constraining it on a few points, which makes the popping noise.
Gas escaping through muffler
The muffler is there to reduce the noise coming from the chainsaw. If the gas starts to escape through the muffler, you will hear the popping noise. This is mostly caused due to the wearing out of the gasket inside the engine.
Air filter restricted or torn
The air filter getting blocked due to debris or torn is another reason for the popping sound. You can check the air filter to see if there is any blockage or if the air filter is damaged.
How to fix a chainsaw that is making a popping noise?
To fix the chainsaw popping noise, you can either replace the gasket or clean/replace the air filter depending on your diagnosis.
Replace the gasket
If gas comes out of the muffler, you need to open the chainsaw engine and replace the gasket to fix that issue. Then, simply disassemble the engine and replace the gasket.
Clean or replace the air filter
If there is damage to the air filter or a hole caused by constant use, you need to replace the air filter. If the air filter is blocked due to debris, you need to clean it with an air-blower or wash it and dry it. This will solve the popping noise coming out of your chainsaw.
