Stihl MS 180C Chain Stuck

Greybeard09 said:

Bent or pinched bar? That or the chain could have jumped out of the bar at some point and damaged one of the links.

Click to expand...

Yes I wondered if the bar may be bent or pinched, but I wasn't sure if it would just bend in 1 spot or if it would uniformly bend along the whole way.

Is there a way to check? I already visually inspected it along the length and it does not appear bent.

BTW I think you need to loosen the nuts on the clutch cover a little before you can adjust the tension on the chain. Set it where you want it, then snug the nuts back up.

Also referring to my earlier post - other than trying to move the chain brake lever, it's pretty hard to see if the brake is engaged. There's basically a band brake around the clutch that doesn't move a whole lot... Hard to tell if it's engaged or not.

I apologize if this comes off as insulting... It's REALLY basic stuff that I'm not sure you're aware of, as I'm unsure of how "green" you may be to saws.

steddy said:

BTW I think you need to loosen the nuts on the clutch cover a little before you can adjust the tension on the chain. Set it where you want it, then snug the nuts back up.

Also referring to my earlier post - other than trying to move the chain brake lever, it's pretty hard to see if the brake is engaged. There's basically a band brake around the clutch that doesn't move a whole lot... Hard to tell if it's engaged or not.

I apologize if this comes off as insulting... It's REALLY basic stuff that I'm not sure you're aware of, as I'm unsure of how "green" you may be to saws.

Click to expand...

No worries, and I know the basics of chainsaws and small engines. The chain brake is not engaged so I can rule that out, and I actually got the tensioner to move a bit so it seems to be ok.

Chain is still not moving anywhere though, and I don't want to start it and have it fly off the bar. As new as it is, I assume I will be able to get the engine started so I'm not worried.

It's more the chain movement that's not working...

Also, if I'm into replacing a bar or any other parts - Where is the best and cheapest place or online source? Any recommendations would be great!

I didn't mention the chain brake because it's to obvious... But yeah it could be that too.

Before checking for the bent bar, or if a quick check doesn't show anything try passing small sections of the chain through the bar. (bar and chain off the machine) If only one section of the chain hangs up look for a mushroomed drive link. (from the chain jumping out of the bar.) I've had this happen and was able to file it flat again and put the chain back into use. You say it's nearly new, a new chain stretches quite a bit at first and the previous owner may have run it without adjustment and had it skip out of the bar. If none of the chain wants to move through the bar, try another section of the bar, you may have started on a pinched section of the bar. This could be caused by having the tree or log pinching down hard, or some other heavy impact. It's more likely the chain being damaged.


And steddy is right, you need to have the nut(s) on the clutch cover loosened slightly to adjust the chain.


Also, being "almost new" I didn't ask... Are you sure it's the proper chain?

Chain could be the wrong gauge (thickness of the drive links). The chain will have a code stamped on the drive links that can be looked up, and bar will have a gauge stamped on it, usually near where its mounted to the saw.

Trash can build up in the bar nose sprocket and cause it to bind as well.

Binding links in the chain or drive links with burrs are other things to look for.

On saws with a rim sprocket, ensure that the chain is actually engaged in the rim. This isn't an issue with spur sprockets.

With the bar removed from the saw, look down the rails for pinches or bends.

Baileys has a good selection of bars and chains with fast shipping. Local dealers can be competitive as well, in my experience. Any money saved online is usually negated by shipping cost.

First thing I would have done is set the bar in a vise and run the chain manually all the way around it.

If it doesn't move freely there, inspect both parts fully. A single bad link on the chain will stop it. Sometimes those can be filed carefully if one is found to have a burr.

Check the bar grooves with a small screwdriver or similar for burrs and to clear any obstructions and to rotate the end sprocket.

And as noted, I haven't see mention of running the saw without the bar to see if that runs.

This is great, thanks for the feedback and I will check tonight. I think it may be the wrong bar/chain combo and I have to check. If I have to replace, is there a table or reference of better bars or chain that will work with this machine?

I don't want to put on too big of a bar or chain if it doesn't have the power to use it efficiently.

Also, what about online sources for parts?