Discussion
Hi all,
Went to the BMF yesterday, thought it was a bit dead compared to past versions, anyway was tempted into buying a Scottoiler (automatic chain lubricator) well it was cheap so why not!
Anyone have any experience of these, are they any good? not fitted it yet but have always felt the principle is good, I generally tend to over-oil my chain but not often enough - so it suffers a drought followed by a flood which must be bad for it.
Also not sure where to fit it as there isn't much room on a 916 for oil bottles etc.
Just wondering if anyone has any advice or stories of praise/woe?
Went to the BMF yesterday, thought it was a bit dead compared to past versions, anyway was tempted into buying a Scottoiler (automatic chain lubricator) well it was cheap so why not!
Anyone have any experience of these, are they any good? not fitted it yet but have always felt the principle is good, I generally tend to over-oil my chain but not often enough - so it suffers a drought followed by a flood which must be bad for it.
Also not sure where to fit it as there isn't much room on a 916 for oil bottles etc.
Just wondering if anyone has any advice or stories of praise/woe?
I had one on a thundercat and it was great but had one one a zx6r and it was rubbish... could never get the flow right despite endless tinkering. The chain either dried out or the back wheel and tyre where covered in oil. I now use castrol chain wax every 200 miles (every other day) on my fireblade and the chain still looks great and hasn't required any adjustment in the last 11000 miles except, presumably, when the rear tyre was changed at 6000 miles.
Mark
Mark
mhibbins, do you lean your chain first or just apply the wax stuff ? I use that on mine, but my chain doesn't look in great condition, but I don't clean it first.
Does the scottoiler thing clean as well as lubricate?
I like the look of those gold chains does anyone know anything about them, like why they always look clean - do they not need lubrication or something ??
Does the scottoiler thing clean as well as lubricate?
I like the look of those gold chains does anyone know anything about them, like why they always look clean - do they not need lubrication or something ??
quote:Well, it looks ok to me, not new but not rusty. I never clean it, I just apply the wax every other day to the inside and outside of the chain. After 2 (or sometimes 3) days it does look a bit scabby but a quick lube sorts it out, there are no tight spots, it isn't too loose and just does its job. I do do 90 miles each day so it is quick possible that getting the chain warm for that long will allow the chain wax to penetrate the chain better than short journeys would.
mhibbins, do you lean your chain first or just apply the wax stuff ? I use that on mine, but my chain doesn't look in great condition, but I don't clean it first.
I have this piece of wood by the door of the garage and I put the bike on the side stand, lean over the bike, lift it by the rear left passenger foot peg (cleanest bit) to balance it on the front wheel and the stand and I then stick the bit of wood under the swing arm so that the bike is balanced on the front wheel, the stand and the bit of wood, then you can rotate the rear wheel and lube away without mucking around moving the bike back and forth. Dead easy.
Mark
>> Edited by mhibbins on Monday 16th September 13:35
Gold chains look good but they need just as much lubing as any other.
The benefit of a Scotoiler is that it maintains a constant dribble of oil, but there's no substitute for regular cleaning of a chain.
I used to use chain lube but the runny ones leave a horrible mess (and on one bike I owned the lube ran off the front sprocket and eventually dribbled down the gear lever onto my left boot). I then tried really sticky sorts of lube which don't make a mess, but everything sticks to the chain and you end up with a sort of grinding paste. That shortens the chain life considerably. So now I pour cheap engine oil onto the chain every 100 miles or so (or when I get home if its a long ride) and give the chain a good clean every 500 - 600 miles. Current chain and sprockets 15,000 miles old and chain hasn't needed adjusting for ages, unlike when using chain lube.
I've just re-read this and realised how open to innuendo this could be...? Serve me right for reading all about Mungo's weekend.
The benefit of a Scotoiler is that it maintains a constant dribble of oil, but there's no substitute for regular cleaning of a chain.
I used to use chain lube but the runny ones leave a horrible mess (and on one bike I owned the lube ran off the front sprocket and eventually dribbled down the gear lever onto my left boot). I then tried really sticky sorts of lube which don't make a mess, but everything sticks to the chain and you end up with a sort of grinding paste. That shortens the chain life considerably. So now I pour cheap engine oil onto the chain every 100 miles or so (or when I get home if its a long ride) and give the chain a good clean every 500 - 600 miles. Current chain and sprockets 15,000 miles old and chain hasn't needed adjusting for ages, unlike when using chain lube.
I've just re-read this and realised how open to innuendo this could be...? Serve me right for reading all about Mungo's weekend.
I think that as long as you don't let the chain get rusty, let it get really dirty or leave it standing around for ages the o-rings should stay supple and the chain should remain in good condition. If you let it get rusty or really dirty the o-rings will wear away/degrade/whatever and then your chains days are numbered.
Just out of interest how do you clean a chain? I assume as you do it so regularly it doesn't involve taking it off the bike.
Thanks,
Mark
>> Edited by mhibbins on Monday 16th September 14:26
Just out of interest how do you clean a chain? I assume as you do it so regularly it doesn't involve taking it off the bike.
Thanks,
Mark
>> Edited by mhibbins on Monday 16th September 14:26
I do it with parafin and a toothbrush (as recommended in my haynes manual)- not a big job, just give it a quick brush down then let it dry and use the chainwax.
Although my chain looks a little bit rusty close up it doesn't seem to have any tight spots so it's probably OK if I start to look after it from now on.
Although my chain looks a little bit rusty close up it doesn't seem to have any tight spots so it's probably OK if I start to look after it from now on.
Mmmmnn, have been thinking about this and it seems to me that if the Oiler over-oils then the oil drops on the wheel/tyre (very bad thing!) as the oiler is supposed to dispense on to rear sprocket, but surely if fitted to oil front sprocket most of any excess would run down sidestand (as chain lube does now!).
Also this will simplify installation as front sprocket is not springing up and down with wheel. and anyway oil on the chain will go to both sprockets - or am I missing something here?
BTW my chain has always had a tight spot but seems to be ok otherwise and sprockets are fine.
Also this will simplify installation as front sprocket is not springing up and down with wheel. and anyway oil on the chain will go to both sprockets - or am I missing something here?
BTW my chain has always had a tight spot but seems to be ok otherwise and sprockets are fine.
The flaw in your plan is that the oil delivery tube needs to be positioned on the bottom chain run, just before the rear sprocket, to oil the inside of the chain. If you put it on the top run before the front sprocket, the oil goes on the outside & gets thrown off.
Go on, ask me how I know this
Go on, ask me how I know this
I had a good look over my chain this morning before waxing it and it really is in very good condition after 11000 miles from new over about a year and a half in all weathers (not ice and snow and probably not much salt as I was out of work over winter) just using castrol chain wax and never cleaning it (the chain). There's absolutely no rust and the only crud on it is just slimey dirty oil of which there's a thin film from when I last waxed the chain last thursday (bike sat around all weekend).
In addition to this I have never cleaned the bike since I bought it new last April and, while the rear wheel is a bit dirty and there's a very thin layer of sticky oil and dirt, there's nothing like the build up of oil and cr*p that I got when using scotoilers or other chain lubes.
In short I'd thouroughly recommend using castrol chain wax every 200 miles even if you ride in the p*ssing rain as I do. I even use it to lube the sidestand.
Hope this is useful to someone.
Mark
In addition to this I have never cleaned the bike since I bought it new last April and, while the rear wheel is a bit dirty and there's a very thin layer of sticky oil and dirt, there's nothing like the build up of oil and cr*p that I got when using scotoilers or other chain lubes.
In short I'd thouroughly recommend using castrol chain wax every 200 miles even if you ride in the p*ssing rain as I do. I even use it to lube the sidestand.
Hope this is useful to someone.
Mark
You didn't just do a fly-by past me near Cold Ash did you?
Some people nod, some people flash their lights, some people wave but rarely do they drop a gear and pop up on the back wheel for a full on fly-by
If I could wheely and I wasn't pissing myself laughing so much I would have returned the compliment.
Good work that fella,
Mark
Some people nod, some people flash their lights, some people wave but rarely do they drop a gear and pop up on the back wheel for a full on fly-by
If I could wheely and I wasn't pissing myself laughing so much I would have returned the compliment.
Good work that fella,
Mark
Ha ha, nah i was in the cage today cos ive just got in and it gets a bit chilly at 1am on an unfaird bike above a ton when you have just done 150miles so no wheel hoisting from me must have been another Bandit bad boy.
I did get the best ever wheelie fly by from a fella on an R1 last yr he stood on the pegs popped the bitch up on the rear & changed gear (sounded like 1st to 3rd or 4th) and did a bloody dads army salute (cue give it to the fuzzywuzzies mr mannering etc) with his left hand.... how the bloody hell he did it I dont know
Sir I salute you you have tallent beyond that of even my rear wheel steering hero that is Gary Mcoy
I did get the best ever wheelie fly by from a fella on an R1 last yr he stood on the pegs popped the bitch up on the rear & changed gear (sounded like 1st to 3rd or 4th) and did a bloody dads army salute (cue give it to the fuzzywuzzies mr mannering etc) with his left hand.... how the bloody hell he did it I dont know
Sir I salute you you have tallent beyond that of even my rear wheel steering hero that is Gary Mcoy
I've got a Scott Oiler (touring version) on my VFR. The touring version has two reservoirs, one which feeds into the other, well it should, but it doesn't, if you see what I mean. Also getting the flow right is a bugger. Apparently there is a new version out which sorts the problems.
Thanks for all the answers.
I fitted it today - fiddly as there's not much room anywhere and I had to dismantle a lot of stuff to get at things, still I got to empty the insects out of the airbox, clean the throttle bodies, tighten up various loose bolts, re-position the alarm etc etc.
Have positioned the bottle under the seat, which gets a bit warm so I will need to set the thing after the heat's built-up, couldn't try it out properly though as I found that the front sprocket retaining plate (along with it's two bolts) is missing!...How the fcuk does this fall off? I've had bolts undo before but this thing was tight and is covered with a guard! (the guard is a bit chewed up) Even though it may have been like this for a while I didn't want to take it out as basically the sprocket is sliding up and down the shaft and "theoretically" could cause the chain to jam on something - bugger!
Still only £3.20 for a new one but dealer's not got one in stock - double bugger!
I fitted it today - fiddly as there's not much room anywhere and I had to dismantle a lot of stuff to get at things, still I got to empty the insects out of the airbox, clean the throttle bodies, tighten up various loose bolts, re-position the alarm etc etc.
Have positioned the bottle under the seat, which gets a bit warm so I will need to set the thing after the heat's built-up, couldn't try it out properly though as I found that the front sprocket retaining plate (along with it's two bolts) is missing!...How the fcuk does this fall off? I've had bolts undo before but this thing was tight and is covered with a guard! (the guard is a bit chewed up) Even though it may have been like this for a while I didn't want to take it out as basically the sprocket is sliding up and down the shaft and "theoretically" could cause the chain to jam on something - bugger!
Still only £3.20 for a new one but dealer's not got one in stock - double bugger!
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