New circular saw stalls in pressure treated lumber - need help!

Hey all, first post here. I just bought a used DeWalt 20V circular saw off marketplace and tried cutting some 2x6 pressure treated for a raised garden bed. The saw keeps stalling out and making a weird grinding noise. Battery is a 5Ah that came with it. I'm no pro, just a weekend DIYer. Any ideas? Don't want to burn out the motor.

Welcome Wendy! First thing - check your blade. Pressure treated is wet and gummy, especially if it's still green. A dull blade or one with too many teeth for ripping will bog down fast. Also, what blade is on it? A 24T framing blade is ideal. The grinding noise could be the blade slipping on the arbor if the bolt isn't tight enough. Also, try a fresh battery or charge that 5Ah fully. Old batteries can sag under load.

Also make sure you're not binding the blade. Pressure treated warps as you cut, so support both sides of the cut and let the saw do the work. Don't force it! And check the depth setting - you only need the blade sticking out about 1/4" below the wood. Too deep = more friction. And hey, wear eye and ear protection, that grinding could be a chunk of blade ready to fly.

That grinding noise is almost always the blade not being tight or a bent blade. Take the blade off and inspect the arbor for burrs. Also, check if the blade is on backwards - don't laugh, I've done it after a long day. And if the battery is old, it might not have enough guts for PT lumber. Try a corded saw if you have one, or a fresh 6Ah+. Also, what's the tooth count? Post a pic of the blade if you can.

Another thing - if it's a brushed motor, the brushes might be worn. But that's less likely on a newer DeWalt. Let us know what you find. Also, welcome to the forum!