The Chain on a RYOBI Chainsaw Does Not Move, Rotate, or Spin.
When you depress the throttle lever, the chain struggles to neatly wrap around the bar. Don’t ever touch the bar and chain while the engine is still running, to start with. To locate and resolve your issue, proceed to the items below for troubleshooting.
When the chain brake is engaged, the chain tension is too tight, the clutch pads are worn, or the bar and chain are not appropriately lubricated, a RYOBI chainsaw chain won’t move, rotate, or spin.
Turn off the chainsaw, remove the spark plug wire, and wait for all parts to stop moving before inspecting your bar and chain. To ensure your safety, put on a pair of heavy-duty work gloves and adhere to all the operator’s manual safety instructions.
Prior to diagnosing, repairing, or operating your equipment, make sure to follow all safety guidelines contained in the operator’s manual. If you don’t have the expertise, the abilities, or the health to safely complete the repair, consult a professional.
Table of Contents
Reasons an RYOBI Chain Won’t Turn, Move or Rotate
Chain Brake Activated on an RYOBI Chainsaw
Your RYOBI chainsaw is equipped with a chain brake as a safety measure to shield the user in the event that the saw kicks up and back at them.
When the handle is pulled forward, the chain brake, which is a plastic hand guard at the front of the handle, prevents the chain from moving. In the event of a kickback, it also participates.
Make sure the hand guard isn’t being pushed forward and engaging the chain brake. It’s possible that you inadvertently moved the guard forward, stopping the chain. To release the brake, pull the guard to the back.
Bar and Chain Oil Deficient on a RYOBI Chainsaw
You have a tank for bar and chain oil on the saw. To ensure that the chain can continue to travel freely around the bar, this is done to maintain the bar and chain lubricated.
Lack of sufficient lubrication causes friction and heat to accumulate. The chain will start to sag or even stop moving altogether.
Run your chainsaw at about 1/2 to 3/4 throttle while holding it about a foot off the ground to see whether there is enough oil on the bar. After about 30 seconds, watch for a line of oil to emerge from the bar and land on the ground. This will show that the lubrication is correct.
Check the condition of the bar and the oil channel if adequate lubrication isn’t being provided. Replace a guide bar that is rusted or broken.
Make sure to use a high-quality oil made for this application, such as this oil from Oregon or this oil from Husqvarna, to thoroughly lubricate the bar and chain. To avoid running out of bar and chain oil, refill it each time you fill up with fuel.
You can run out of chain oil before it’s time to top off the gasoline tank if your oil is running too thin.
RYOBI Bar and Chain Oil Should Be Replaced Depending on the Weather
- Thinner oil for cold temperatures: In colder climates, oil will thicken and get stickier.
- Normal weight for hotter climates
RYOBI Chain Tension is Excessively Tight
The chain needs to be adjusted frequently since as you use it more, it will get a little longer. If the chain is tightened up too much, it won’t move around the bar.
To make the RYOBI chainsaw bar easy to move around, adjust the chain tension:
- Spark plug wire should be removed.
- Deactivate the chain brake.
- The nuts holding the cover over the clutch and chain brake on the bar must be loosened.
- Hold the bar’s nose up
- Chain tension is adjusted by rotating the tensioning screw in either a clockwise or counterclockwise direction.
- When the desired tension is reached, keep holding the bar nose up while tightening the bar retaining nuts.
The chain should be able to move freely yet seat firmly around the bar. You don’t want it to be hanging from the guide bar from being so slack.
Chainsaw Clutch Pads on a RYOBI that are Worn
The clutch pads may deteriorate with time. When this occurs, they won’t turn the chain by engaging the clutch drum. On a RYOBI chainsaw, the clutch assembly needs to be changed.
The Causes of a RYOBI Chainsaw’s Idle Chain Speed
A RYOBI chainsaw requires carburetor adjustment.
When the chainsaw is idle, a RYOBI chain should not move. If yours does, you must modify the saw in order to prevent the chain from shifting.
The carburetor has adjustable screws that allow you to change the ratio of fuel to air. The “T Screw,” one of the adjustment screws, alters the idle speed, which affects how the chain moves.
Turn the screw counter-clockwise until the chain stops rotating to adjust idle speed before starting the engine. Then make one more quarter turn.
Clutch Springs on a RYOBI Chainsaw that are Worn
The clutch weights are retracted by springs on RYOBI chainsaw centrifugal clutches. The weights are pushed outward and into contact with the drum when the engine revs up. The chain on the bar moves as the drum rotates.
The clutch weights are designed to retract when the engine slows, which will cause the chain to stop moving. If your chain is still moving, you might need to replace a worn spring.
Read more: RYOBI Chainsaw
