5-30/5-30N Oiling System Question

[w30bob]

Hi Guys,

  My 5-30 (not 5-30N) has a separate short copper oil line from the tank that feeds the plunger, as well as the plunger sucking directly from the tank.....but it seems most that I've found online don't.  I'm not understanding what's going on here.  I don't see this setup in the IPL for 5-30N, although I've seen pics on the internet of N's also having this setup.......so it could have come on both versions. But I'm not sure why.  I was looking around for the PN for the short line, but since I can't find it in the IPL I'm coming up short.  Does anyone know what's going on with this setup?  An early version maybe?  Is it pulling fuel/oil from the tank to lubricate the bar?  I haven't had time to pull the saw apart, but was looking at it today to see what parts it obviously needs, so I can get them now.  First pic is my saw, the second I pulled from the Web.  Weird.  

thanks,
bob

[onlyhomelites]

I'm short that earlier IPL in my collection, so I can't help. FWIW, my saw must be a later model as that extra line isn't present.

Homelite 5-30N (f) by Leon Crouch, on Flickr

[w30bob]

Hi Leon,

I checked this morning, since it was bugging me.....and the small pipe goes into the fuel tank, not the oil tank......so it must be pulling fuel/oil and oil to lubricate the chain. That seems weird, but guess they figured more is better. At first I thought some chucklehead drilled and tapped a hole in the tank because the pickup tube was blocked, but then saw the little oil line on other saws online. Then when I checked the 'N' IPL and didn't see the oil line listed I figured it was only on the 'non-M' saws. But then found pics online of 'N's with this feature too. I'm not sure what the differences between the 5-30 and 5-30N are, but they must have been made at the same time....with the earlier ones getting this extra oil pipe to the tank. At least that's my theory today. I'm going to look for the non-'N' IPL and see if it shows it in there. I thought I remember reading somewhere that they did this (pull fuel/oil to lubricate the bar) on early saws, but didn't think they had a separate oil tank too. I would think with viscosity being what it is.......it would pull more fuel/oil than oil....but I'll have to see it in action....someday.

On a separate note, thanks for sending those parts I recently ordered. I bought a 775 as a true 'parts' saw, as the fuel tank was destroyed and figured I'd need to buy a whole other saw to find a replacement. Then just before I was going to crack out the JB-Weld and see if I could repair the whole broken corner of the tank.....I checked your site and was incredibly surprised to see you had an NOS tank!! And the price wasn't more than a whole saw, like they price things on Ebay!! So thanks for that, it's much appreciated. I'll be ordering more parts as soon as I figure out which saws I want to restore first. I keep getting new ones in almost daily and I'm like a kid in a candy store constantly changing my mind which I like the best. This 5-30 was my top choice....until the 26LCS's started arriving! These things are all just beasts!! So thanks for doing what you do.......you're "Da Man"!

regards,
bob

[onlyhomelites]

Thanks Bob!

FWIW, I've got my eyes peeled for the other 5-30 IPL variants; if I come across them I'll get them scanned and posted.

[xl130]

I have a 5-30 (think its a 5-30N) on its way to me. This the picture I have of it. Looks like a different Oiler set up than yours bob.

[w30bob]

Hi XL130,

  Yup........yours has the same setup as Leon's.  I'm guessing that's the later version.....but it's just a guess.  I've seen both 5-30 and 5-30N saws with my setup.......so not sure what's going on there.  I've also seen them with your setup (single oil line) with an undrilled boss in the fuel tank where my second small oil line attaches.  I lightened up your pic a bit so others could see what we're talking about..........and added a pic of the original 5-30 brochure that shows the two line setup like mine.  They made brochures usually way before production........so maybe a hint that the two line lube system was used on early production and then they switched to the single line while in production.  Again...........all just a guess.  Doesn't explain why the 5-30N IPL doesn't show it or at least note it......so head scratcher there I guess.  To be continued............

regards,
bob

[w30bob]

Ah.............looking at more pics, and those posted, I see another difference.  My saw (and those with the two oil pipes on top of the tank) also have a pressure line on the left side of the tank that goes to the crankcase.  On the saws with only one oil pipe that port on the tank is plugged.  So it looks like the fuel tank was pressurized by crankcase pressure on the early saws..........just like on the 26LCS.  Still not sure what's all going on, but that second little oil pipe that connects the fuel tank to the oil lube plunger is probably pressurizing the oil supply line too.  Unless there's a check valve somewhere I'm not seeing.  Very interesting. I'm guessing they figured out they didn't need to do that........do did away with it fairly quickly. 


;0)
bob