It’s a bright and sunny day, and you feel like the tree branches have grown a bit too long in your garden. Since chainsaws can’t reach that high, you bring out your handy-dandy craftsman pole saw.
You fill it up with oil and start slicing down those branches. After you are done, you store the pole saw away.
A few days have passed, and you notice that there is oil beneath your pole saw. You check your oil tank, and it’s empty. Yep, your craftsman pole saw leaking oil.
Don’t start panicking because we will be showing you how you can identify where the oil is leaking from and how you can solve the leakage. So, without wasting any more time, let’s start.
How To Fix Craftsman Pole Saw Leaking Oil? Explained
The solution depends on which part of your pole saw is leaking oil. This is why you have to first identify it.
Sometimes the cap on your oil tank can be faulty, or sometimes, the oil pump inside your pole might be the reason, or maybe you are just storing your pole saw the wrong way.
So, now we will talk about each of these problems, and how you can identify and fix them.
Faulty Oil Tank Cap
The easiest way to find out whether the culprit is your oil cap is to put the pole saw on clean cardboard. Place the pole saw so that the oil inside the oil tank is pushing against the oil cap.
Keep the pole saw like that for a few hours. If the oil cap is the problem, then you will notice oil drips exactly under the cap.
Now flip the pole saw in a manner where the oil is no longer pushing against the cap. If there’s no oil on the cardboard, We’re pretty sure it’s the cap’s fault.
To fix this oil cap problem, you have to take out the cap and clean it thoroughly. Make sure nothing is on the cap or the place where it connects to.
Before putting the cap on, make sure you align the notches on the cap to the notches on the oil tank. If this does not solve the problem, you have to buy a new oil cap.
If you buy a new one, make sure you buy the OEM ones and not the third-party Chinese ones because those are a lot worse.
Once you replace the old one with the new one, the problem should be fixed. If not, move to the next part.
Replacing The Oil Pump Of The Craftsman Pole Saw
This is tricky and follow this one only if you are confident that you can put the pole saw back together in one piece.
So, you tried the cardboard method and replaced the oil cap, but the oil leak is still present. This can only mean that it is time to take apart the pole saw and look at the oil pump.
First, you have to detach the pole. After doing that, place the pole saw on a flat surface. Now you have to take off the plastic cover, which protects the chain and bar.
Depending on your craftsman pole saw model, there can be two or one nuts holding the cover down. Use an adjustable wrench to unscrew those nuts. Once the cover is gone, remove the chain and bar.
Now remove the screws holding the oil tank and then lift the tank off. Now remove the snap ring, drive sprocket, and the washer. After that, remove the remaining screws holding the whole gear housing.
Locate the oil pump, take it out, and replace it with a new one. Give the whole house a thorough cleaning before assembling it again.
Apply a sufficient amount of grease on the drive gear once you are done cleaning. Reassemble the two halves of the housing and put the screws back in.
Don’t forget to re-attach the pole. Now put the washer and the drive sprocket back and secure them with the snap ring.
Lastly, put the oil tank back by screwing it in. If everything is put back together correctly, you will notice a massive difference in oil drain.
Properly Storing Your Craftsman Pole Saw
So, you have replaced both the oil cap and the oil pump, but the oil continues to leak? Well, maybe you are just storing it the wrong way.
But, before we tell you how to store it the correct way, remember that every pole saw leaks oil. Some are noticeable, and some are not.
The main reason behind the oil leakage is the bar oiler which sits on top of the chain and bar. It is just a hose that drips oil on the bar and chain. So, how would you store a hose that leaks liquid? Yes, upwards.
Install a big “J” hook and store the pole saw horizontally. Do not place it upside down or vertically; this will cause an oil leak.
Wrapping a rag around the pole saw would be even better as the rag will catch all the oil. The oil will stop leaking after the residue leaves.
One important thing you should remember is that absolutely every pole saw leaks oil. It is not necessarily a bad thing.
The oil drains when you use the pole saw. It lubricates the chain and bar to protect it from overheating.
Final words
As we have said earlier, please don’t start panicking when you find out that your oil tank has less oil than before. Not every oil leak or oil drain is necessarily a bad thing.
If you ask us, you should only be worried about an oil leak if the oil cap is responsible for it. Don’t worry about it if the oil is leaking from the chain and bar because it is supposed to happen more or less.
But, if you still want every drop of your oil to be utilized, follow these three instructions, and hopefully, you will notice a massive difference. Hopefully, this guide will help you fix your craftsman pole saw leaking oil.
