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View Full Version : The Loobman chain oiler - 15 months on



Flyingpony
20th June 2005, 16:32
Edit #1: 20/06/2005: This is my first product review and is my 100th post!
Edit #2: 28/06/2005: Added more comments regarding D.S.D head.
Edit #3: 28/06/2005: Added tools required.
Edit #4: 08/07/2005: Minor adjustments made after three weeks usage.



LOOBMAN: simplicity saving you time, money and chain life!

Loobman - http://www.chainoiler.co.uk/
Price (includes postage): £18.99 - I bought during a special @ £16.99 (~NZ$46)
Estimated D.I.Y install time: 2.5hrs (took my time)
Delivery time: 8 business days from UK (ordered on Sunday, 2nd Wednesday it arrived).
Sorry: don't own a digital camera so no pictures.

Required tools:
Hot water for softening up the plastic tubing.
Sharp pliers for cutting metal wire and zip ties (I used two - one with cutting blade and another with long nose).
Sharp knife for cutting plastic tubing.
Small battery drill with 5.5mm bit if you make the same modification I did.



After having lost the factory RK chain and sprockets at under 10k because of the spray on o-ring safe chain wax, it was time for something better - an oiler.

After checking out and eliminating many products due to their features, size, install requirements, price, or lack of a dual sided delivery head, the winner was Loobman. [The Scottoiler was priced a mini fortune at $280 (Universal Kit-£69.95 + Dual Injector-£19.95 + Postage-£19.95)].

The week following unit purchase my new toy was here! After a quick flick through the 4-page instruction manual and ensuring the kit was complete, next thing to do was wait for new chain/sprockets to be fitted.

Weeks ticked by and then finally one Friday - new chain and sprockets.

Spread over the following weekend and in between other mandatory bike maintenance duties, the Loobman got installed and on very first attempt the dual sided delivery (D.S.D) head oiled both sides of the rear sprocket, the chain and my garage floor.

The D.S.D Head uses the ends of two tiny zip ties for guiding oil onto the rear sprocket - rest of zip tie is used to attach these onto D.S.D Head. Given the quantity of zip ties supplied, there's no need to buy replacements immediately after the first set wears out and because zip ties are common enough, your local hardware/electrical store should stock them for a few dollars. They’re a cheap and easy to replace consumable item.

Constructing and fitting the Loobman isn't difficult. Assembling the D.S.D head was simple, fitting the oil reservoir bottle to the pillion foot peg was straight forward, but fitting the metal wire used for supporting the D.S.D head onto the swing arm required plenty of patience and two pliers for bending. Do triple check before you bend the wire. Avoids repositioning your bend 5mm to the side or in the opposite direction!
Fitting the various sized plastic tubing with an air temperature of 8-degrees was impossible because they refused to slide into each other. That required a venture into the kitchen for a cup of hot water.

As the Loobman allows usage of any oil of choice and having just switched brands and hence onto a lighter winter weighted value oil, I've got 800ml of fully synthetic 15w-50 motorcycle engine oil for exclusive Loobman use. Did find filling the oil reservoir bottle tricky because of it's tiny opening but filling won't happen frequently, maybe every two to four months estimated by my current oil consumption rate.

Given the Loobman only requires Mother Earth Gravity, there's no wiring loom to cut or a carburettor to drill into. By mounting the bottle directly above the chain, getting the tube to run continuously downhill was a breeze and required only about 30cm of tubing between bottle and D.S.D head. The tubing zigzags through a gap in the chain guard and I've used a plastic zip tie to ensure it doesn't accidentally meet the nearby chain.

With the catchment chamber being positioned 2-3cm away from the rear wheel, it will get water/muck splashed onto itself when the road is wet. To counter this I've made one modification by attaching an E2 sports water bottle cap over the top of the catchment tube and forced the oil reservoir feed tube through it (first drill a 5.5mm hole).

The Loobman is a simple gravity feed system, so if you squeeze too much or ride not enough, oil will continue to flow after your ride has finished until the tubing and D.S.D head are empty. Have given thought about adding a mini 4mm garden sprinkler tap into the system, but the tubing is empty at my destination so any excess oil is therefore coming from what's still inside the D.S.D head - not much I can do about that besides trying to squeeze for less oil. There is no concept of oil drops per minute, all the oil flows out immediately until it's dry and will then require the rider to recharge the system. For me this isn't a problem, 99% of riding is commuter based. For long distant riders, fitting a segment of smaller tubing will make the oil exit slower.

After one week of service, the Loobman works great. The chain appears to have a nice thin evenly spread oil film coating. Actually some other sections of the bike are oil spotted too, namely; rear wheel, chain guard, and WOF holder mounted on rear of number plate. Never mind.

You get what you pay for, the Loobman is a great system for the price paid and I look forward to the benefits of a well oiled chain and hopefully this will translate into a long extended chain life.

All pictures are from Loobman website or their email correspondence:
The bike picture is a Suzuzki SV 650 S; this what my install is based on and looks like.
The other two pictures detail how the D.S.D Head looks like and how it should be positioned relative to the rear sprocket.


After three weeks of usage:

The rear sprocket and chain are always covered in a nice layer of oil, even the o-rings are!
Reduced the length of tubing between bottle and D.S.D head because noticed when sitting/riding on bike, a segment of tubing effectively goes horizontal, reduces oil flow rate. By removing 3cm, all the oil is now distributed beyond the D.S.D Head after travelling 5km.
To reduce the amount of oil dispatched per squeeze and hence drip at destination, cut a few mm off the bottle feeder pointy tip.
To catch any excess oil after parking, made a tiny clip on catcher from the base of a shampoo container. This clip on gets positioned just about where the chain meets sprocket. Function over fashion because it's bright white.

wari
20th June 2005, 16:44
NIce werk and post mate ... :clap: :clap: :clap:

I Gotta loobman too ... :yeah: .. ack-tually I Bought 5 forda price of 4 ... justin case I Needed morren one a-tempt ... I LIke to think a-head ... :scratch:

BUttt upon in-stall I LOstta couple-a my plierrs overr da naye-boors fence .. :wait:

OH Yeah ... some-how the tube and wirre gott tangled up inda chain and back sprockett feerst up test .. :scratch:

SOrrted now tho' ... mate came a-round and diditt .. :wari:

Silage
20th June 2005, 21:15
I installed a Loobman oiler to the 1200 a few weeks back alos. Am pleased with it so far. Not hard to remember to give it a squeeze before a (long enuf) run. I made up a new bracket to hold the delivery head wire in place as it looked very fiddly to do it how the instructions say. Will post a pic when its day time.

I am using straight SAE50 (chainsaw bar oil) as it takes its time to get thru the feed line and hopefully won't fling off too much. Seems to work. The bracket thingy that the reservoir bottle fits in is good as it allows easy release to let yo fill the bottle off the bike.

Overall however I reakon it would be dead easy to build one from bits. Just need a way to deliver a slug of oil into a tube that gravity feeds above the chain. A fancy one could split to drop oil onto each side of the chain. But then the 16 quid is cheap enuf and the concept is worth supporting.

Silage
21st June 2005, 17:42
Pics below show the reservoir bottle strapped to the faring frame beside the dash and the second is the business end showing the custom head holder (short length of bar with a nut welded to it with the head wire passing through the base of the nut). Holder allowed me to use an existing nut on the swing-arm and it holds it well.

At the oiler head, the oil runs down two plastic strips that run one each side of the main sprocket. It is all too simple.

XTC
21st June 2005, 20:30
I'm gonna get one...... I see if you buy 3 you get one free.... Anyone else want one??

Silage
9th August 2005, 20:41
This is a bit of a (bump) update

After the glowing remarks I made a wee while back, I have a little negative comment to balance this up. I have only done a few hundred ks since installing the oiler and found that the plastic strips that convey the oil to the sprocket have both worn off and are about 5mm shorter than before and quite clear of the sprocket. It might be how I mounted the head but it seems ok. Will replace them and keep an eye on it.

XTC
9th August 2005, 22:34
1200 km's on mine so far and no wear on the strips. Instructions are all over the place but easy enough to follow after reading them a few times. Pics show tubing down the outside of the swing arm. I have since re-routed it to the inside of the swingarm ensuring a more consistant fall to the head. You'd not even know it's there now. You do have to be careful removing and reinstalling the wheel. I have founf it best to remove the head from it's bracket before removing the wheel.

Flyingpony
8th September 2006, 13:04
It’s been installed on my bike for some 15 months now, and I'm very impressed with this NZD$50 purchase (www.chainoiler.co.uk). It's so simple, operates so flawlessly and requires so little maintenance.

Here (http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/showthread.php?t=13426) is a link to my original Loobman thread.

During these past 15 months it has operated without any major hassles and operating costs have been minimal. (Mine is mounted on the left passenger foot peg with a short hose running down through one of the chain guard gaps to reach the D.S.D head mounted on inside of swing arm).

Just last month both of the original zip-tie tips used to distribute oil onto the rear sprocket were replaced and during the past 15 months it has applied some 300-400ml engine oil onto chain.

Oil fling is minimal once I learnt how much oil can be safely applied per squeeze and how to read when the chain requires more oil. For the record, I've never suffered tyre traction loss or rear brake fade due to over oiling.

Have noticed that the oiler can become self-excited under certain conditions, these are:
- Be careful when mounting helmet on seat lock, it can push on the oil bottle reservoir.
- Best keep oil bottle more than half full because temperatures swinging more than 10degrees or parking in front of A/C units, means it'll expel oil due to the air inside the bottle expanding/contracting.

Every second time the chain gets cleaned with kero, the D.S.D head is removed and washed,,, there,,, excluding replacing the zip-tie tips, all the required maintenance is done.

Because it's using inexpensive zip-ties to deliver the oil onto both sides of the rear sprocket, there is no risk of oil flow getting blocked and should the assembly happen to move causing excessive wear, they're easy to replace and easy to obtain from the hardware store.

The oil currently being applying to the chain is Shell Advance 4 Fully Synthetic bike oil. It flows nice & quickly and seems to do the trick. Being able to pick any oil for use in the Loobman is outstanding; it's not tied to a particular brand or grade. When this left over old oil is gone, think I'll buy some cheap mineral stuff.

The fitted o-ring chain is looking mint and should have a long life. The sprockets also look mint.

So, do I have any spray on chain-wax at home: Yes.
Is it new or used: Both, have two spray-cans.
Brand: Don't know but the spray can is that popular golden coloured one.
Have I touched them recently: Yes
And why: Because they were standing in front of my car wash-n-wax bottle.

Would I buy the Loobman again: Yes.
Would I consider replacing it with the Scott Oiler: No.

So there you go, a good all round product, worth purchasing.

ogr1
9th September 2006, 03:41
I concur......bought one of these two weeks ago, fiddly, but not half as much as the other well known brand.
Two weeks down the line, I'm impressed.
Once you get the hang of a gentle squeeze every 100/150 miles or so, this simple, but very effective device sorts itself out and let's you get on with the ride.
Early days yet, but I have noticed that if the weather warms up and the oil that is left in the trap (at the point of no return) will dump a small amount of oil on the floor, directly where the plastic ties lock onto the sproket when parked up.
On the whole a very simple, cheap & effective piece of kit, and no... I don't work for "Loobman". :rockon:

Pixie
9th September 2006, 13:00
The oil currently being applying to the chain is Shell Advance 4 Fully Synthetic bike oil. It flows nice & quickly and seems to do the trick.

That's overkill.
It's chain lubrication for god's sake.Use warehouse 20w40

I use 20w40 with 25% kero...keeps things nice and clean.

Let me know when you get sick of the manual system and want to upgrade to a pixie oiler

xsive-rider
9th September 2006, 21:31
i think it looks bloody ugly!!!
wouldn't want that on my bike.
surely theres gotta be a better system than this?

xsive-rider
9th September 2006, 21:35
were can i get a pixie oiler. i think that other systems looks homemade & ugly.
would not want that on my bike unless it was an old rat bike..LOL

Ixion
9th September 2006, 21:38
were can i get a pixie oiler. i think that other systems looks homemade & ugly.
would not want that on my bike unless it was an old rat bike..LOL

From a pixie of course. I still intend to get one , I have just been delayed by the miserable incompetance of the IRD

HungusMaximist
21st December 2007, 08:25
This is an old thread that I digged up but I need other people's opinion on Loobman compared to the other stuff at the moment going for 5 to 6 times the price of Loobman.

Seeing it's only $50 bucks and that it could save your sprockets and chains ($200-$300) , I reckon it's a friggin worthy investment.

Any stories you'd like to share?

Morcs
21st December 2007, 09:10
I disagree.

Lubing you chain when you should ( I do every 2 weeks ) keeps my chain and sprockets pretty good.

Mental Trousers
21st December 2007, 10:06
Had one on my bike. It was great. The biggest problem was lubing too often and too much at once. When you figure that out it's a great product. Would get one again.

I suggest using a very thick oil though. A thin, 15W50 or whatever flows quickly but also gets flung off easily.

HungusMaximist
21st December 2007, 12:59
It suppose to be manual right, so just give it a squeeze when you need to aye.

But I guess that the only con that I have been hearing, that it tend to overflow.

oldrider
21st December 2007, 14:07
I think the "Pixie" lube system is an excellent innovation for tarmac bikes and certainly would have installed one if I did not frequent dusty gravel roads etc.

I have bought and installed a "Pro-Oiler" on my Tiger. (Delivered: EUR 175.50)

I am amazed at the amount of chain condition control that it gives me.(Without having to stop or get off the bike)

I am now confident about the state of my chain, no matter what conditions I find myself riding in.

Very economic on the amount of oil actually required and very revealing about the type of oil most suitable to do the job effectively!

Before installing the Pro-Oiler I was always lamenting not having a drive shaft bike but now I would select a chain drive over a shaft drive, in a heart beat.

My pick for chain care and control is "Pro-Oiler" www.pro-oiler.com ( info@pro-oiler.com ).

My bias is driven by product performance!

Without doubt the best bit of bling I have ever put on a motorcycle! :first: Cheers John.

sinned
21st December 2007, 14:40
I fitted a Loobman to the SV1000 and removed it when I traded the bike. Still have it but not going to fit to the S3.

I don't think I will bother with another oiler and certainly not until I had some hard evidence of the cost benefit.

The Loobman is a dirty beast with oil on the head and lots of other places. The zip tie feeders wear out quickly and it is a dirty job replacing them and adjusting the head. Also it looked ugly on the SV.

My riding is up to 400kms a day, so I reoil the chain when I get home. That only takes a few minutes and the good stuff sticks and doesn't fly around like oil from an oiler. I guess if a bike was being used for touring an oiler would be a good investment - but the benefit is questionable for my rides.

I have read the reports on how long a chain will last with an oiler but - what lubrication routine were they comparing it to? How much more does an oiler extend the life of a chain and sprockets if compared with a chain that is oiled after each day ride or 300 - 400 kms? And is the cost saving in chain and sprocket life worth the investment, ugly fitting and mess?

Pixie
21st December 2007, 19:18
I have read the reports on how long a chain will last with an oiler but - what lubrication routine were they comparing it to? How much more does an oiler extend the life of a chain and sprockets if compared with a chain that is oiled after each day ride or 300 - 400 kms? And is the cost saving in chain and sprocket life worth the investment, ugly fitting and mess?

I lubed my chain on every ride on my first bandit.Chain was rooted at 19,000 km.-without an oiler
My current bandit has 50,000 km,I've adjusted the chain twice,little sign of wear,regularly replace tyres without needing to adjust the chain-with an oiler

Bike-aholic
21st December 2007, 21:15
[QUOTE=oldrider;1350594]I think the "Pixie" lube system is an excellent innovation for tarmac bikes and certainly would have installed one if I did not frequent dusty gravel roads etc. QUOTE]

Is there a web site for that Pixie lube system or pics somewhere.
Cheers

oldrider
21st December 2007, 21:19
[QUOTE=oldrider;1350594]I think the "Pixie" lube system is an excellent innovation for tarmac bikes and certainly would have installed one if I did not frequent dusty gravel roads etc. QUOTE]

Is there a web site for that Pixie lube system or pics somewhere.
Cheers

PM Pixie on the post above yours. Cheers John.

sinned
22nd December 2007, 06:47
I lubed my chain on every ride on my first bandit.Chain was rooted at 19,000 km.-without an oiler
My current bandit has 50,000 km,I've adjusted the chain twice,little sign of wear,regularly replace tyres without needing to adjust the chain-with an oiler

Thats sounds convincing. Maybe I should look into the pro-oiler?

Squiggles
23rd December 2007, 16:40
I lubed my chain on every ride on my first bandit.Chain was rooted at 19,000 km.-without an oiler
My current bandit has 50,000 km,I've adjusted the chain twice,little sign of wear,regularly replace tyres without needing to adjust the chain-with an oiler

I would be interested to know if the 19,000k's was on a factory chain, or the same chain with which the old one was replaced.

Fair comparisons cant be made otherwise!

oldrider
24th December 2007, 10:45
Just buy a "Pixie Lube" or a "Pro-Oiler" all others are are OK if you like to settle for less! :shit: Your choice, my opinion. Cheers John.

sinned
28th December 2007, 16:31
It is about time bike manufacturers provided factory designed oilers for their bikes. Then the installation should be tidy and without the need of zip ties etc.

I wonder why they don't provide an oiler as an option?

Dances With Poultry
11th March 2008, 02:48
For those who can't wait the couple of weeks to get one from England, want to support a local business, or want better support, there is now an NZ agent... Me!
Kiwi Biker Forum members get the low rate too. $50 a kit. By the time you add credit card foreign exchange fees etc, I'm probably cheaper too.
I always have some listed on Tarde-Me but they start at $55 due to their charges... rip-off bastards.

PM or email me for further details.

Cheers,

Nigel Marx
LoobMan NZ
loobmannz@ihug.co.nz

HungusMaximist
11th March 2008, 15:10
Hey ah, I've bought the loobman off yah on Trade Me a few months back but haven't bothered to chuck it on yet.

Will be letting you know if I have any troubles!

oldrider
12th March 2008, 21:09
It is about time bike manufacturers provided factory designed oilers for their bikes. Then the installation should be tidy and without the need of zip ties etc.

I wonder why they don't provide an oiler as an option?

Probably because the chain manufacturers would then charge more for their chains because they would be lasting longer and replaced less often.

Then we would have to pay more for our new bikes too because of the increase cost to the manufacturer! :eek5:

Business is business and aftermarket suppliers need the business too!

Look at all the different brands/prices of oiler choices there are now too.

If the bike manufacturer put one on, that would be it, take it or leave it but you pay for it even if you don't like it.

That's why driveshafts are soooo expensive as an alternative to a chain and when they break down! :gob:

So far, my personal choice of Pro-oiler is because it (IMHO) is the best option and most cost effective alternative to a driveshaft.

It could be improved quite a bit yet too, without increasing the cost either, I reckon. :yes:

I began motorcycle riding when chains were the absolute pits not like the quality trouble free chains you can buy now.

If a Lubeman suits you, get one from "Dances with Poultry", he's offering a good deal by the sounds of it. :niceone: Cheers John.

rext
1st April 2008, 07:17
;) Fitted my Loobman soon after purchasing it. It had done 11,000km at the time & now after 34,000km now have to replace the factory o-ring chain & sporockets. I ride this bike just about everyday (both for commuting & long rides)so basically am very pleased with its performance. Will replace the chain with a gold x-ring RK chain so hopefully will get even more distance out of it.

Dances With Poultry
1st April 2008, 08:38
Good to hear you are happy with your LoobMan. I'm sure you would have got more distance out of the chain if it had not done 11,000km without one. Even so , 34,000km is a very respectable distance and very hard to achieve without some sort of mounted lubrication system. What bike was it on?

Kind regards

Nigel Marx
LoobMan NZ

rext
1st April 2008, 17:57
It's on a 2000 VTR1000F

Winston001
11th January 2009, 00:55
Time I tried a chain oiler and the Loobman looks a contender. Any updates?

sinned
29th January 2009, 21:16
Scott oiler appears to be the benchmark. But I am still not convinced I need an oiler and will see how many kms I get out the chain on the new bike with my regular lube program. The busa is reported to eat chains so it may not be that long before the first replacement.

MTW
29th January 2009, 21:30
Time I tried a chain oiler and the Loobman looks a contender. Any updates?

I've been using the loobman for about 8 months, done about 8,000k's on my chain and still looks as good as new. Hasn't required any adjustment and that's with mostly 2-up riding.

Only problem I have is that your supposed to squeeze the bottle when you want oil, mine seems to self lubricate when there's oil in the bottle. So I just fill the bottle when doing a long trip and it comes out over the course of a long trip. Keeps the chain wet but makes a heck of a mess to my lovely white wheels. :crybaby:

There are cable ties which distribute the oil onto the sprocket then chain, these have worn considerably. All in all I'm happy.

Winston001
30th January 2009, 13:24
Just received my Loobman in the mail so will add to the thread as time passes.

I've read a fair bit on the net about chain oilers, including homemade ones. It appears reasonably simple to make one but at $50 for the Loobman, hard to justify the effort except for the satisfaction.

I already have some ideas to improve the Loobman but they need to wait until its installed. It could be fine just as it is.

One issue is continued oil dripping as MTW says - sounds like capillary action or siphoning from the reservoir bottle. Some users make a pinhole at the top of the bottle to allow air in to stop this. Personally I think a tap close to the end would be the most effective solution - seen one made from an aquarium air bubbler.

Dances With Poultry
30th January 2009, 14:55
Yes, the fix for the small dribbles (caused by the pressure in the reservoir changing with air temperature) is fixed by burning a very small hole in the internal tube, just below the cap, with a red hot needle. It's a fix I do on all the LoobMan kits I install. The hole is too small for much oil to escape when you squeeze, but works like the altitude compensation jet in some Honda carbs. It's a standard mod detailed in the installation instructions.

There are plenty of easy arguments about the pro's of fitting a chain lubricator, but the ease of lubing and the very low cost of ordinary engine oil compared aerosol sprayers and genuine Scottoil means a LoobMan Kit will pay for itself about the end of your second can of spray lube.

And Dennis, what is the money saved if you get even 1/3 more life out of your chain and sprocket set for a 'Busa? More than the cost of a LoobMan kit is my guess.

I still have plenty of stock for anyone who wants a kit.

Kind regards

Nigel in Chch

TygerTung
29th February 2012, 20:26
I was thinking about getting one of these for when I get a running motorcycle going.

I was thinking however, that it might be better to use vegetable oil on account of the mineral oil being not so hot for the environment, seeing as the oil will end up on the road, then that oil will run off into the waterways.

Do you think olive oil would be best? Or maybe just plain budget old canola would be ok. Rice bran oil might be good as it is a high temp oil? Coconut oil would have a lovely smell.

So many oils to choose from!!!

:scooter:

Flip
3rd March 2012, 16:43
There are two problems with vege oil.

They are not a very good lubricant and they relatively quickly oxidise, become acidic and turn into a thick varnish like substance.

slofox
3rd March 2012, 18:17
There are two problems with vege oil.

They are not a very good lubricant and they relatively quickly oxidise, become acidic and turn into a thick varnish like substance.

Castrol R was castor based...

Sable
3rd March 2012, 22:59
Pretty sure the 10,000km was neither the chain, bike's or lube's fault. Just saying.

TygerTung
16th March 2012, 17:09
I think you can only use castrol R for a certain time in your crankcase before it goes bad.

I think you can get vegetable oil based chain/bar oil for chainsaws now, maybe that would be a good choice? It is very sticky though.

pete376403
16th March 2012, 21:02
Castrol R was castor based...

And it was awful shit to clean out if it was allowed to stand. I ran Castrol R (and Shell Super Heavy - both bean oils) in my speedway bikes but they got stripped right down at the end of each season. I bought a motor that had run R and been allowed to stand for a couple of years. Filled the cases with petrol and put a very big wrench on the end of the crank to free it up to the point where I could get it apart. After I got sick of the mess and the expense of bean oils I used Shell rimula X 50 mineral oil - worked just as well.

slofox
17th March 2012, 06:38
And it was awful shit to clean out if it was allowed to stand. I ran Castrol R (and Shell Super Heavy - both bean oils) in my speedway bikes but they got stripped right down at the end of each season. I bought a motor that had run R and been allowed to stand for a couple of years. Filled the cases with petrol and put a very big wrench on the end of the crank to free it up to the point where I could get it apart. After I got sick of the mess and the expense of bean oils I used Shell rimula X 50 mineral oil - worked just as well.

You're not wrong...

I ran "R" in my velocette road racer - for a while. Like you, I got sick of it pretty quickly - especially the cost - and reverted back to mineral oil. Made no difference to the way the bike ran (badly, most of the time...).

TygerTung
17th March 2012, 10:22
I used to like to use it in a bucket racer engine which was burning a bit of oil for one reason or another as I figured that it would burn nicely in the combustion chamber.

I have some old castrol R lying around, maybe I'll try that on the chain?

Flip
17th March 2012, 21:48
I think you can only use castrol R for a certain time in your crankcase before it goes bad.

I think you can get vegetable oil based chain/bar oil for chainsaws now, maybe that would be a good choice? It is very sticky though.

They also make a special castor oil based hydraulic oil, like the chain bar oil they are special biodegradeable lubricants for use in sensitive (drinking) water catchment areas. When they biodegrade they become thick with sludge and as the long carbon chains break they become acidic with FFA free fatty acids.