Does the 261 have a slow oiler on it? Mine don't seem to oil like i think it should, and yes i have the oiler turned up to its max setting. I think it might have some thing to do with the chips blocking, or being in the way of the oil stream. After i clean out the side cover, and run it for a while, there's lots of oil in the bar groove. But, it don't seem to oil like i'm used to seeing a saw oil the bar. The chain is sharp and throwing big chips, not powder, so to me, its not like its dusting the oil stream or damming it.
I’ve only got the two Stihls, I did have a third I sold, an 028, and I found all of them were stingy. Turned all the way up, it’s a half tank of oil to a tank of fuel. And they cut fine. Huskies slobber like a St. Bernard. Even when they’re sleeping.
Stihls do tend to oil a bit lightly in the newer versions. EPA thing. Make sure the oil hole in the bar is clear & maybe thin the oil a bit in colder temps. My 026's & other older saws sling the oil, the 362 & MS 660 not quite as well, but I've never had any issues. Run good oil too.
As of today i'll clean the bar, and the inner working of the saw about every 45 min or less, i have been mixing the oil i normally use with some thinner stuff about 50/50 at this point, My 26 and 044 both oil really well. The normal oil i use is really sticky, and probably a little too thick. I held it in the air tonight after cleaning it, and it was flat putting out the oil in a good fashion.
Thinning the oil will keep it from sticking to the chain. I only do it if temps are sub 20's' It doesn't take long for the oil in the tank to warm up after running the saw. That said my 261 with the oiler set to max is just a tad over a 1/2 tank of oil to a tank of fuel. If you have oil in the bar groove it should be good.
In one of my above posts i said, i thinned the oil, but, actually i mix a 50/50 blend of the red sticky stuff i use and the thinner bar oil i have on hand, its a lighter weight oil compared to the red oil i normally use. So, i actually retain the sticky type oil and i'm just trying to get more of it on the bar by mixing oils. My other saws use about 1 tank of oil to one tank of fuel.
Automatic Trans Fluid. I've always got a good supply on hand, & the newer stuff is quite tacky. 8 ozs. to a gallon of oil does pretty well at anything down to about 10F. After that I'm not normally out cutting anyway lol.
