Chain cleaning?

[Pussy]

I used diesel once and the chain was stuffed soon after. When my mechanic replaced the chain he told me that kerosene should be used, not diesel.

Your mechanic gave you very good advice

[Chooky]

Hmmm. I've always used JetA1 to clean the chain...
Works for me...

[Pussy]

Hmmm. I've always used JetA1 to clean the chain...
Works for me...

Really?? Where do you get hold of that??

[EJK]

Hmmm. I've always used JetA1 to clean the chain...
Works for me...

Where? Where??

[mister.koz]

I just use LOTS of chain oil, literally bathe the chain in it, roll it around a bit and then wipe it all off with a no-lint rag then apply the right amount, comes up shiny as hell

[cs363]

Really?? Where do you get hold of that??

As if YOU didn't know....


It's just overpriced kerosene anyway


Waits for full scientific/technical correction....

[cs363]

I used diesel once and the chain was stuffed soon after. When my mechanic replaced the chain he told me that kerosene should be used, not diesel.

As Pussy said, your mechanic gave you good advice - diesel has a relatively high detergent content which as noted previously is not good for keeping the grease between the O or X rings. I'd imagine it wouldn't be too good for the O/X rings either as it would probably cause them to swell like petrol does.

[Jcxss]

Same-same. You're only talking about a difference in ring shape.
There is a school of thought that says the rings (be they O or X) don't actually last more'n a fraction of the chain's life anyway, so in the Real World, the life of your chain's dependent on how you clean and lube it, rather than fancy engineering and seals.

The problem with using a degreaser is it's designed to take the grease off (duh), and the resulting emulsion can then be rinsed away with water. Having degreased the chain, there's nothing to protect the chain from the water you're applying!
When you clean the chain with kerosene, it takes off the bulk of the chain spooge, but leaves a slight oily residue, so your chain's not vulnerable to moisture. You can even leave it a while before reapplying the lube, although if the weather's wet, it would be desirable to re-lube it ASAP.

So if using Kerosene, do we need to brush it? or just spray it onto chain, leave then wash with water? or do we have to soak it in kerosene?

[Pixie]

Same-same. You're only talking about a difference in ring shape.
There is a school of thought that says the rings (be they O or X) don't actually last more'n a fraction of the chain's life anyway, so in the Real World, the life of your chain's dependent on how you clean and lube it, rather than fancy engineering and seals.

The school of thought seems to be wrong in the case of the 82,000 km old chain on my bandit

[mister.koz]

So if using Kerosene, do we need to brush it? or just spray it onto chain, leave then wash with water? or do we have to soak it in kerosene?

I would spray it on and brush away the dirt/grime etc with an old toothbrush, let it drip off, wipe any excess and then apply chain lube/wax.

Water is not a good go because it might dry the chain out too much and wouldn't help anyways because it wont combine with kero.

[cs363]

I would spray it on and brush away the dirt/grime etc with an old toothbrush, let it drip off, wipe any excess and then apply chain lube/wax.

Water is not a good go because it might dry the chain out too much and wouldn't help anyways because it wont combine with kero.

You're partly correct, up to the point where you've scrubbed with the toothbrush. You can hose it off because kerosene and water will emulsify (as in combine rather than mix) the water will wash away any dirt and grime yet will still leave a thin layer of oily kerosene on the chain. The chain should then be dried to get rid off remaining water and then lubed/waxed.(Even better, just go for a quick fang up the road, this will get rid of any remaining water and also warm the chain slightly which will help the lubespread and penetrate.
Applying lube straight over the top of kerosene is not a good idea as it will thin the lube, probably making it more likely to throw off.

Anyway, that's my 2c and how I do it - everyone seems to have their own ideas (which of course are wrong! )

[mister.koz]

You're partly correct, up to the point where you've scrubbed with the toothbrush. You can hose it off because kerosene and water will emulsify (as in combine rather than mix) the water will wash away any dirt and grime yet will still leave a thin layer of oily kerosene on the chain. The chain should then be dried to get rid off remaining water and then lubed/waxed.(Even better, just go for a quick fang up the road, this will get rid of any remaining water and also warm the chain slightly which will help the lubespread and penetrate.
Applying lube straight over the top of kerosene is not a good idea as it will thin the lube, probably making it more likely to throw off.

Anyway, that's my 2c and how I do it - everyone seems to have their own ideas (which of course are wrong! )

Sweet, there you go. I thought kero didn't emulsify with water, but then i hadn't tested that

[cs363]

Sweet, there you go. I thought kero didn't emulsify with water, but then i hadn't tested that

Yeah, it's actually the main ingredient in a lot of degreasers. Here's the low down: http://wiki.answers.com/Q/Separating_kerosene_and_water

If you put a bit of water and kero in a jar and mix it up, you'll see it turns into a creamy white emulsion. If left alone for some time it will eventually seperate into two layers as per above link.

[vifferman]

Sweet, there you go. I thought kero didn't emulsify with water, but then i hadn't tested that

Someone recently said (on yet another chain lubing/cleaning thread) that attending to you chain immediately after a ride when it's still warm was bollix, as the chain didn't warm up appreciably. Having taking this (like all the other expert advice on Kiwi Biker) as gospel, imagine my surprise t'other day when I sprayed some WD40 on my chain as soon as I parked my bike in the gargre. Was that evaporative vapour I spied rising from the chain?
Can't have been.
Must've been a pigment of my swine flu imagination, or Scotch Mist or summat...

Incidentally, I suspect I'm ferkin up my chains by lavishing too much care on them. They're lasting only 18 munce to two years of communtering before developing unevenness. Prolly doesn't help that while I wanted a DID chain, what was actually fitted was a Regina. Sounds a bit too koonty to me...
Can't be good having an Eye-talian chain on a Jap bike.
Wait....
Hmmmm...
Multinational bike: Originally Japanese, with:
British tyres, brakepads and handgrips (the latter made in China); Chinese confirminators and battery; Mrkn fusebox, C/F panels, shifter parts, Power Commander, airfilter, fork springs; Ozzie zorst, tank pad and speedo corrector; Swiss fork oil; Canadian rear shock and footpeg brackets; Churman instrument panel bulbs; Italian horns, tyre valves, engine oil and chain; NZ packrack, headlight guard, and toolkit bag; Swedish rear brake pads...
I've probably overlooked summat somewhere, but it sounds a right blardy mongrel...

[mister.koz]

Yeah, it's actually the main ingredient in a lot of degreasers. Here's the low down: http://wiki.answers.com/Q/Separating_kerosene_and_water

If you put a bit of water and kero in a jar and mix it up, you'll see it turns into a creamy white emulsion. If left alone for some time it will eventually seperate into two layers as per above link.

Mean, you learn something every day cheerz!