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  1. Repair Parts Home
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  3. Chainsaw
  4. Cuts Poorly Or Not At All

Chain Saw Parts: Cuts poorly or not at all

If your chainsaw is not cutting properly, use our repair and symptom guide to help you identify your problem and find the right part to replace. This is a common symptom and some of the common parts to be checked are the drum, sprocket, clutch, or drum. This is a general guide for your repair; for more detailed information on your model, refer to the owner's manual.

Chain Saw Parts: Cuts poorly or not at all

Chains

The chain on your chainsaw is the part that the saw cuts with, and therefore it is important that the teeth are sharp. Otherwise, your chainsaw will cut poorly, or occasionally will not cut at all. As part of your regular chainsaw maintenance routine, you should sharpen the teeth on the chain, so you can avoid this problem in the future. Additionally, if you install your chain backwards (a common problem), it will not cut properly. A dull chain can be sharpened with a chainsaw sharpening tool, but if the teeth are damaged, bent, or corroded, you should consider replacing the chain altogether.
Chain Saw Parts: Cuts poorly or not at all

Sprockets

The drive sprocket is the part responsible for driving the chain around the bar during operation. If the drive sprocket is badly worn, it can impact the tension on the chain, and this can cause the chain to cut poorly or even stop under a heavy load. You may be able to adjust your chainsaw's tension by tightening the adjustment screw, but if this does not work, the sprocket could be to blame. A badly worn sprocket will need to be replaced.
Chain Saw Parts: Cuts poorly or not at all

Drums

Some saw designs have the sprocket built to the clutch drum. If the sprocket on the drum is damaged, it will not allow the chain to maintain tension. This can cause the chainsaw to cut poorly. If the sprocket is built into the drum, you will likely have to replace the drum itself, even if it is just the sprocket that is causing the issue.
Chain Saw Parts: Cuts poorly or not at all

Clutches

The clutch in your chainsaw is rotated by the crankshaft, and in turn, it will turn the sprocket, which allows the chain to turn during operation. Similar to the clutch drum, if the clutch itself is damaged, it will not allow the chain to turn properly, and this will result in poor performance. In some cases, the engine will be running, but the blades will not be spinning, and therefore the chainsaw will not cut. The clutch assembly contains several parts, so you will need to determine which part is causing the symptom, or replace the entire assembly.