The Stihl bar oil is very good stuff. Pricey, but good stuff. Prices have apparently gone up. I bought a case about a year ago for I think $7/gallon. I am hearing of prices in the $10+ range now.

TSC(Tractor Supply) sells a decent oil that is quite a bit cheaper. It is apparently pretty thick and not good for winter use. It was recently on sale for $6/gal, I picked up 4.

The Poulan oil is supposed to be decent but runny. Walmart sells it. Last I heard, about the same price as the TSC oil.

Husky oil is also good.

Summary: Stihl works about year round, although they do have a winter weight oil. Husky might be the same. Poulan might be best in the winter and TSC in summer. I don't think you can go too wrong on oil. Kind of like choosing which grade of gas to run in your car. If you keep your saws bar oil system clean and running properly, you won't notice too much difference between the oils. If you are only using 1-2 gallons per year, save yourself some worry and just get the Stihl brand. It's not worth wondering about for $5 saving/gal.

Very nice saw. Get yourself some chaps, helmet, eye and ear protection. For less than $200 you can save yourself thousands maybe tens of thousands in medical bills not to mention permanent injuries or death.

Labonville Chap test
Washington State DOL Chap Test

Stay safe

Nice to see another MS361 owner! I love my saw!

Is it possible the Stihl bar oil (and other bar specific oils) have other properties besides lubrication such as preventing sticky pine sap from clogging the chain guide?

and what about those "green" oils intended to help save the planet? Maybe someone can comment on the quality of these oils compared to standard bar oil...if anyone has used them.

I also have an MS361. I'm currently using Stihl oil, although when I bought the saw my dealer in Maine "threw in" a gallon of Itasca bar and chain oil. The Itasca oil seemed much more "clingy and stringy" than the Stihl oil, which could be an advantage at high chain speeds. My Stihl dealer showed me how to adjust the oiling rate, and recommended a high oiling rate when cutting in sticky pine wood. When I ran out of the Itasca oil, I bought both Stihl summer oil and winter oil. I did a fair amount of cold weather cutting in Maine, and used the cold weather setting on the carburetor as well.

Our nearby Stihl dealer here in Kansas has only the Stihl oil, mostly just the summer. He had one blue jug. I probably won't do much cold weather cutting here in Kansas, but if the occasion arises I will get some of the cold weather oil. I'm sure the Stihl oil is good, but I got the impression that the Itasca oil might be better. However, the Itasca is so stringy that it is a little annoying when filling the oil chamber.

ZM

Thank You. The dealer talked me out of waiting for a MS362 as he said the new saws are always problematic. As far as I can tell, there will be no major differences anyway.