Motor oil or chain lube?

[HungusMaximist]

I have always been applying a aerosol based chain lube on my drive chain but yesterday while going through the Haynes manual it suggested that I apply 20W-50 Motor oil and in brackets next to it it reads "(not chain lube)". :shit:

What's the meaning of this motor oil on my chain?

Do I keep applying chain lube on my drive chain or do I start squirting motor oil now?

[vifferman]

Ignore the manual - engine oil is messy and designed for lubing engines, whereas chain lube is designed specifically for lubing chains. While the engine oil will work OK, it tends to fling off WAY too readily, which while it's good in that it carries spooge off with it, also means the chain's not protected.

Use whatever you like, Dude! You know you will anyway...

[McJim]

When I bought my bike it had a crack in the engine casing where a snapped chain had hit it.

This meant the engine leaked oil directly onto the front sprocket.

cheaper than a scottoiler. :rofl:

[Coldrider]

Even the chain manufactures and MB handbooks recommend engine oil.

Any lube is better than none, but the reality is that it is the tensile strength of the links that determine wear rates, if the chain is kept clean.
O ring chains just happen to have a higher tensile strength which is what you are actually paying for, the o rings are a bonus.
Std chain tensile is about 6,500 lbs, O ring 7,500 lb and 630 about 8,500.
If you had a Std chain with a tensile strength of 7,500 ibs (you pay more)
if it was well cleaned & lubed should last as long as an O ring chain.
I use PJ1 (the blue stuff) incidentally, & apply it at the end of a ride, when the chain is warm, soaks it like a spounge and sets.

[HungusMaximist]

Even the chain manufactures and MB handbooks recommend engine oil.

Any lube is better than none, but the reality is that it is the tensile strength of the links that determine wear rates, if the chain is kept clean.
O ring chains just happen to have a higher tensile strength which is what you are actually paying for, the o rings are a bonus.
Std chain tensile is about 6,500 lbs, O ring 7,500 lb and 630 about 8,500.
If you had a Std chain with a tensile strength of 7,500 ibs (you pay more)
if it was well cleaned & lubed should last as long as an O ring chain.
I use PJ1 (the blue stuff) incidentally, & apply it at the end of a ride, when the chain is warm, soaks it like a spounge and sets.

Sweet thanks.

I take it when you clean your chain, you use Kerosene?

The normal rotate chain by hand and scrub method?

[vifferman]

Yeah, kero is best for cleaning chains, although occasionally I use WD40.

[cowpoos]

I used to use on my dirt bikes...chain bar lube...and sticky oil for lubing chain saw bars...it doesn't fling off like regular oil...I currently use chain wax...thats because..its what I have...lol

I personally wouldn't use straight engine oil...as it gets flung off and on to your tyre...thats not a good thing :)

[slopster]

I once tried to be cheap and fill a scottoiller with engine oil. Made a hua of a mess but I guess it worked ok.

[ManDownUnder]

I have only ever used chain lube, the RF is currently on 35,000 out of the chain and sprockets and is good for another 15,000 at a guess.

I wouldn't use Engine Oil on the chain for love nor money... It's called "Engine oil" for a reason... not "Chain Oil".

[Coldrider]

The chain manufactures don't promote any proper chain lubricants, i guess they don't want the chains to last too long, OEM chains are usually not that good as MB manufacturers cut the cost of new MB's.

Petrol and white spirits are carciogenic ( cancer link) so you should not get it on your hands, unburnt kero is not carciogenic, but defats your skin.
Kero is slightly harder to ignite.
There is some other degreasing agent called electrosol, very safe you can stub a ciggy out in it, & doesn't evaporate away quickly, but I have never seen it available in small quantities.

Safe cleaning & lubing=happy chains

[Pancakes]

Keep it clean with whatever you have, dirt and anything (water, oil, lube) = grinding paste, real good for opening up the close tolerances on any chain. You don't need tons of lube on the centre of the chain but don't clean it and forget to do a little drop between the links. Once the lube covers the moving parts any excess will just fling off, hold dirt and crud and cost more, lube after riding and let it set-up not before.

[HungusMaximist]

Petrol and white spirits are carciogenic ( cancer link) so you should not get it on your hands, unburnt kero is not carciogenic, but defats your skin.


Yea man, wear your rubber gloves while cleaning.

[delusionz]

I've never used chain oil myself, the motorcycle dealer I purchased my bike from uses chain oil and it's always flung onto the side of my rear tyre. I use blue mobil grease (texture is like spreadable margarine), is this ok?

[Pancakes]

If you like grease on your tyres it's fine:bye:

Use the right shit, you'd be lucky to get through two $15 cans a year and save that in chains, sprockets and loss of power. Clean is good and with lube, a little bit often is the trick.

[babyblade250rr]

i use motul aerosol lube and that stuff is great buy mine from motomail it's around $22 a can and last approx six months i use it every 500-1000k's and things seem to be moving freely

[F5 Dave]

Perhaps its a hangover from the introduction of o-ring chains that some older chain lubes may have contained solvents that could harm the o-rings. This won't have been the case since the 90s every chain lube will have o-ring safe formula.

Some chain lubes stick better than others, some are messy. But most people put it on before riding (me included) because they are too stupid to remember to put it on after the ride which is the correct way as long as you do it regularly. One day I'll make a big sign in the garage telling me to lube the chain when I get home.

[xwhatsit]

i use motul aerosol lube and that stuff is great buy mine from motomail it's around $22 a can and last approx six months i use it every 500-1000k's and things seem to be moving freely

<hints id="hah_hints"></hints>Same here, except it's flaming sticky shit. Don't get it on your fingers lol.

Also, being so sticky, it tends to pick up a fair bit of road crap. For this reason I clean the chain with WD40 and toothbrush every 500kms.

It also makes an ugly mess on your rear tyre if you don't wipe the excess off.

[Coldrider]

The worst stuff I ever bought was Rocol chain lube, comes out like foam, made a mess as far as it could throw, and kero wouldn't move it, had to use petrol to clean it up.
Will put a scottoiler on my next MB, will see how far a chain can really go.

[bimotabob]

Hi

I have tried many many brands of chain goop and only one was any good.
By good I mean wont fling off - they all say that on the can but it's rubbish.

Silkolene chain gel $20 (goes on white and is easy to tell when you need more)

Note they have 3 types at least - havent tried the fully syn version $45!!!

If you guys havent tried it - you wont be displeased it's magic.

Engine oil or grease on chains??? - them be powerful drugs you be on!

I also had a good run with a scott oiler on my last 2 stroke bike, just the fitting and setting up that was taxing.

Regards

[xwhatsit]

Hi

I have tried many many brands of chain goop and only one was any good.
By good I mean wont fling off - they all say that on the can but it's rubbish.

Silkolene chain gel $20 (goes on white and is easy to tell when you need more)

Note they have 3 types at least - havent tried the fully syn version $45!!!

If you guys havent tried it - you wont be displeased it's magic.

Engine oil or grease on chains??? - them be powerful drugs you be on!

I also had a good run with a scott oiler on my last 2 stroke bike, just the fitting and setting up that was taxing.

Regards

<hints id="hah_hints"></hints>I, too, have heard great things about the Silkolene gel, but when I was in Motomail a KB member steered me onto the Motul. Next time around I'll get the Silkolene, I like the idea of being able to see the goop visually so I know how much I'm putting on.

Engine oil... well that's an old one. Boil the chain in used engine oil, gets in-between the bearing surfaces while it's hot. Wouldn't just pour it on, though.

I did hear about another guy who runs non-O-ring chains on his race bike (don't want the extra friction of an O-ring chain). He heats them up on a hotplate, then dunks them in engine oil and leaves them to soak for a period of days. Then the night before the race event, he hangs each chain up on a nail on the garage wall to let the excess drip off.

[Pancakes]

I know a mechanic who has a tin of stuff, it's not think oil, more like the the thickness of parrafin. You put the chain in the tin in the oven (not boiling, just hot) for a while, gets in behind the seals etc.

[slowpoke]

With the introduction of O ring chains I can't see the point of lubing the chain while it's hot. Surely this a carry over from the pre-o ring days when the only lube getting into the pins/rollers was from an external source? Nowdays with the lube sealed into the pins/rollers by the O rings I reckon we are effectively only lubing the contact area with the sprocket. Just spray on whatever non-fling lube you've invested in wait a couple of minutes for it to go tacky and ride off into the sunset.

[bimotabob]

With the introduction of O ring chains I can't see the point of lubing the chain while it's hot. Surely this a carry over from the pre-o ring days when the only lube getting into the pins/rollers was from an external source? Nowdays with the lube sealed into the pins/rollers by the O rings I reckon we are effectively only lubing the contact area with the sprocket. Just spray on whatever non-fling lube you've invested in wait a couple of minutes for it to go tacky and ride off into the sunset.

I don't think this is the case here at all.

The orings stop the lubricant getting out between the outside of the inner plate and the inside of the outer side plate.
The inside edge of the inner plate is not sealed where the roller touches it.
The roller can spin freely on the bushing and has side play.
Lubricant can easily get in here and run along the bushing - so can moisture etc.

Adding aerosol spray lube when the chain is hot surely must give better penetration also it can allow the product to harden before your next ride resisting fling off more desirably.

When I have examined wear on my previous used worn chains I notice the pins themselves seem to be very visibly affected - "chain stretch" as its often called refers mostly to the longer length of the chain not the actual wear process.
I agree with all who support the old school method of chain soaking as it gets right through the chain.
With modern oring chains and rivet links so common now you don't hear much about it.
I used a product in a round tin you used to get that sat on your element till it melted then your dipped your chain in - it was magic stuff.

Regards

[Coldrider]

Interesting web page on chains, there is a sales pitch but you can out what you believe.http://www.quality-cycle.com/truth_about_motorcycle_chains.htm

[robertydog]

I use Belray chain lube. Spray it on and leave it for an hour and it wont fling off. Good stuff.

[Coldrider]

Belray is good, and its'white so you can tell when the chain needs a good clean.

[Steve 555]

Ok hows this today I scrubbed my chain down with soapy water (Mothers) gave it a good overall clean. Dried it off made sure all the crap was of it. Then used CRC chain lube sprayed it on the chain then rotated the wheel to work in the lube. Is this ok>>>

[Coldrider]

Hi Steve 555 I haven't seen CRC chain lube but any lube is better than none.
Once i cleaned my bike down after a brass monkey, left the bike dry, and never lubed the chain. I didn't use the MB for a considerable period of time, at which a couple of pins rusted, they swell and cause tight spots, effectively ruining the chain.

[Pancakes]

I was about to mention that ColdRider, I have had and seem bazillions of bicycles in my (not that long) time and always lube after a ride then wipe off any excess. You are making sure the chain is being stored ready for next time. Give your chain a clean and leave it for a few days, rust will get going in no time!

[scracha]

I've never used chain oil myself, the motorcycle dealer I purchased my bike from uses chain oil and it's always flung onto the side of my rear tyre. I use blue mobil grease (texture is like spreadable margarine), is this ok?

Grease doesn't tend to penetrate into the bits that need lubricated properly and also tends to pickup salt, grit and other $hit and form a nice grinding paste. Chain lube is has anti fling gubbins into it so it's probably best....the white silkolene stuff is good. Oh, and it's best to lubricate your chain just after a ride.

[jonbuoy]

You'd think after 100 odd years of development all chaindriven bikes would come with something like a Scotoiler system from the factory. Would add a whole 400grams and about $40 to the build cost. Crazy. The early CB750's had a bleed from the drive sprocket that dripped a little engine oil onto the chain, I think it was mostly too much or too little - they could have got it about right by now.

[xwhatsit]

You'd think after 100 odd years of development all chaindriven bikes would come with something like a Scotoiler system from the factory. Would add a whole 400grams and about $40 to the build cost. Crazy. The early CB750's had a bleed from the drive sprocket that dripped a little engine oil onto the chain, I think it was mostly too much or too little - they could have got it about right by now.

<hints id="hah_hints"></hints>I want to know what happened to full chain enclosures. They disappeared after they were deemed `unfashionable', probably due to the racers dictating fashion as usual (no point having a chain enclosure on a race bike really, added weight too).

When was the last time your primary drive chain wore out? Or, what kind of kilometres do you get out of your average cam chain (not a Honda, lol), that does far more revolutions (more stress too? Perhaps not, but it's much less heavyweight) than your final drive chain. You get much more use out of primary drive chains and cam chains because they're immersed in oil and isolated from road grit etc.

If you ran a full chain enclosure, modern chains would last forever. Pity they went out with fork gaiters.

[rudolph]

My old BSA blows oil out a breather pipe onto the chain for lube,:sunny: then up the inside of your leg and back

[jonbuoy]

<hints id="hah_hints"></hints>I want to know what happened to full chain enclosures. They disappeared after they were deemed `unfashionable', probably due to the racers dictating fashion as usual (no point having a chain enclosure on a race bike really, added weight too).

When was the last time your primary drive chain wore out? Or, what kind of kilometres do you get out of your average cam chain (not a Honda, lol), that does far more revolutions (more stress too? Perhaps not, but it's much less heavyweight) than your final drive chain. You get much more use out of primary drive chains and cam chains because they're immersed in oil and isolated from road grit etc.

If you ran a full chain enclosure, modern chains would last forever. Pity they went out with fork gaiters.

True - they could make them out of carbon fibre and still look trick and racey. Sportsbikes are the worst for chain lubing with no centre stand for cleaning/lubing. Laborious and knee damaging..

[delusionz]

Just got myself a can of motul chain lube road, so i attacked my chain with crc until all the gunk was off, left it for a while then applied the new lube. all set now :D

[slowpoke]

I don't think this is the case here at all.

The orings stop the lubricant getting out between the outside of the inner plate and the inside of the outer side plate.
The inside edge of the inner plate is not sealed where the roller touches it.
The roller can spin freely on the bushing and has side play.
Lubricant can easily get in here and run along the bushing - so can moisture etc.



Fair comment. Can't say I've thought about it too much....you can tell can't you?