Is Lawnmower Oil Safe To Use In A Chainsaw?

If you have ran out of oil for your chainsaw, but have some lawnmower oil laying around, you might be wondering if you could use the mower oil interchangeably in your saw? 

Well, you can use lawnmower oil in a chainsaw, but only if it's two stroke oil, it is not typically recommended however since chainsaws have a smaller engine.

We've composed a short guide below to help you understand which type of oil a chainsaw needs, the different kinds of mower oils, how to mix your chainsaw oil and store it for future use. 

What Kind Of Oil Does a Chainsaw Need? 

To begin with, let's figure exactly what kind of oil a chainsaw should be running with, note that we are talking about the oil in a fuel mix, not the oil to lubricate the chainsaw bar, this can be subbed with vegetable oil. 

Since chainsaws operate with two-stroke engines, they need two-stroke oil, which is typically mixed with fuel in a 50:1 ratio. Most of the time, you are looking at a standard SAE-30 chainsaw engine oil.

What Grade Of Oil Is Chainsaw Bar Oil?

When talking about chainsaw bar oils, we are looking out for lubrication, which stops the saw from getting stuck while cutting. A 30W grade of oil is perfect for this job since it works in all temperatures.

The Different Types Of Mower Oils 

If you do want to use different kinds of mower oils inside of your chainsaw then you need to be aware of the different types. 

First of all, only use oil from a two-stroke mower in a two-stroke chainsaw, oil from a four-stroke mower operates differently since it performs two revolutions, not just one when cutting.

We've listed some of the main types of mower oils below. 

• SAE 30 - This is mainly used in chainsaws and other power tools, it is designed to work in all moderate temperatures.
• SAE 10W-30 - Best for colder temperature use.
• SAE 5W-30 - Great for less oil consumption and keeps the engine cleaner, working in all temps.
• Synthetic oils - Synthetic oils can also be used in chainsaws and work perfectly well in a two-stroke engine, they are artificially created and work well with varying temperatures.

How To Mix Your Chainsaw Oil 

Once you have chosen your chainsaw engine oil you will need to mix it in the right ratio of gas, getting the chainsaw engine fuel mix right is important otherwise it could lead to issues such as overheating.

We've listed the steps for a correct engine oil and gas mix below. 

1. Take your approved container and pour in around half of a one gallon bottle of gasoline, ensure this gasoline is a high quality of petrol.
2. Now take your two-stroke engine oil and pour it into the container then shake to combine. 
3. Add in the rest of your gasoline and shake again for around 20 seconds total, take the container and pour it into the fuel tank of your chainsaw until it is around 80% full. 

How To Store Chainsaw Oil & Essential Tips

Once you've mixed your chainsaw oil, you should know how to store it properly in order for it to keep its quality. 

We've listed some storage and general tips below. 

• Do not store the chainsaw with leftovers - Do not store your chainsaw with any leftover fluid in the fuel tank, we would suggest running it until empty or putting the left overs back into a container.
• Never mix too much - It's best not to mix too much oil and petrol for your two stroke fuel tank, gasoline does break down overtime and can become bad for your chainsaw engine performance.
• Check the ratio for your specific chainsaw - Ratios can differ according to the chainsaw that you have, some have a 40:1 while others have a 50:1, you could damage the simple engines if you get this wrong.
• Turn the saw off when filling - Always turn your chainsaw off when filling the tank, this stops any preventable accidents.
• Use a correct container - Store your chainsaw engine mix and a correct container marked either UL or FM.

Last Words 

Overall, although it's not that advisable, you can use engine oil from a two-stroke lawn mower engine in a two-stroke chainsaw, this should be SAE-30 oil since it's a standard engine oil. Ensure you are getting the right ratio mixture of gas petrol with the oil and your saw should work perfectly as normal.

Avoid using other mower oil in your chainsaw since this might not work in warmer temperatures or colder temperatures and can damage the chainsaw engine during use.