Chain oilers

keithu

Premier Member
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#1
For those few of us running chain drive bikes...

I plan to install an automatic chain oiler on my FJ-09. Does anyone have experience with both the Scott Oiler and Tutoro systems? Are there others I should consider?

Note: I previously had a terrible experience with Loobman and won't consider it again. Specifically: elevation changes caused it to over-lube and oil the rear tire.

I'm leaning towards the Scott Oiler xSystem, but the Tutoro is a lot cheaper. But since the Tutoro seems to be passive I'm worried that it will have problems with elevation changes like the Loobman.
 

Marc11

Premier Member
IBR Finisher
#3
I ran a Scottoiler for years on my Ducati ST4s, worked flawlessly and at 45k miles when I sold it the chain still looked great and had lots of adjustment life.
 
#4
I started using a Scottoiler on my SV650 twenty years ago, and continue to use one now on my V-strom
I have had best luck using cheapest automatic transmission fluid I could get, as lubricant, in winter, I thin about 25% with kerosene
summer, I set drip rate at 1 drip per 50 seconds, keeps the chain lubed & clean without significant splatter. in winter, I speed it up and don't worry about splatter, wanna make sure the chain does't retain any salt from road deicers

I did have a problem that I corrected, on the SV, I have the reservoir mounted for easy access on the rear fender, it was subject to contamination mostly rainwater, that would emulsify with the oil with all the vibration. I relocated the reservoir to a more protected but less accessible location in the tail
 

keithu

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#5
Excellent tips, especially about the oil. I'm curious why you choose ATF over regular 80w gear oil or chainsaw bar oil. I don't think the chain needs the additives normally in ATF.

On no... I just turned this into an oil thread.
 

Marc11

Premier Member
IBR Finisher
#6
Excellent tips, especially about the oil. I'm curious why you choose ATF over regular 80w gear oil or chainsaw bar oil. I don't think the chain needs the additives normally in ATF.

On no... I just turned this into an oil thread.
Too thick to flow at the rate you need, especially in the cold weather.
 
#10
imho, chainsaw oil is too sticky, it lubes, but it doesn't clean, and I couldn't get the drip rate to stay consistent cause the viscosity isn't consistent, yes, bar oil is cheaper than ATV, it works great lubricating the groove in my chainsaw bar, but I've had better luck with ATF on my motorcycle chains
 

DrNeo

Premier Member
#11
I had the Scottoiler eSystem (the electric one) on my previous 650 and found it to work great. Install was easy and it was nice to have a temp. gauge. I ran a 1 drop/50-60 seconds, and that seemed enough. I'd increase it after a heavy downpour for a while. My chain never really needed adjustment during the short time I had the bike. I did find that the "oil remaining" gauge was a little off, it would say I was out, but there would be ~20% left in the tube. I'm planning on installing the same system on my F800GS soon.
 

keithu

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#12
Update: I went with the Scottoiler vSystem. I've already used all six ports in my Fuzeblock FZ-1, and I figure maybe that's enough electric farkles for now. Getting vacuum was no problem, I just connected to a sync nipple on one of the throttle bodies. I have about 1200 miles on it and so far, so good!
 

CB650F

Premier Member
#13
I put a Scottoiler eSystem on my bike. So far, I've only had one issue with it in a few thousand miles. I did some traveling with the RV in tow and bike in the bed of the truck. The electronic system thought I was riding since it was moving at a steady pace. It left a bit of oil in the bed of the truck that I had to hose out. Not a big deal in the grand scheme of things, but annoying nonetheless. Now I have the system powered by a keyed source so that won't happen again. Just a heads up if anyone else is considering the eSystem and trailers the bike sometimes.
 

keithu

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#14
I think it would be a good idea to power the eSystem from a keyed source in any case. Otherwise I'd be worried about some parasitic drain on the battery.
 

EricV

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IBR Finisher
#15
Since we have this thread going, anyone using a Nemo chain oiler? I don't think I'd go this route for the IBR, but for just about anything else I like it's simplicity and that it doesn't need 12V or vac lines. LINK $95

You have to remember to do it, a disadvantage on LD rides and rallies, but for my casual needs like my FZ6, this would likely do well. I've just been doing day rides lately, so hitting it with some chain wax every 500-600 miles is easy.
 

keithu

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#16
The Nemo looks interesting, but I would need to be convinced that this is better than just lubing the chain manually in the garage once in a while. The Scott Oiler vSystem is only $40 more and it works automatically. Tapping into a vacuum source just isn't a big deal.
 

EricV

Premier Member
IBR Finisher
#17
Lubing the chain is lubing the chain. The Scott Oiler is a great product. But any chain oiler is only as good as how you have it aimed/directed. Both products have the advantage of the rider being able to add additional lubing for a specific event while riding. The Scott is continuous, which can be argued is not necessary or called for by any manufacturer. I haven't seen any real evidence that the Scott unit extends chain life over a properly lubed chain from another method. Just imho and worth exactly what you paid for it. :D

I like having the idea of having a mounted oiler that oils as you ride for several reasons. You get a nice even lube, you don't have to carry a spray can of lube that takes up space and you have the ability to lube on demand w/o stopping if you desire.
 

keithu

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#18
It is the "set it and forget it" aspect of the Scott Oiler that appeals to me. I suppose the continuous oiling may be considered overkill in many cases, but it is nice when the weather turns bad. I rode 1014 miles Saturday, about 1/3 of it through rain. Normally on a ride like that my chain would quickly develop rust if I didn't immediately lube it when I got home. This time when I got home all I did was crack open a beer and relax. Five days later, still no rust on the chain.

Another thing I like is that the auto-oilers use my preferred chain lube: gear oil. I don't want to turn this into a chain lube holy war, just suffice to say I'm not a fan of the spray-on lubes.
 

Baxter

Well-Known Member
#19
I had a Scottoiler e-system on my old bike, and I transferred it to my new bike. I've only had two issues:

Once, by coincidence on my first SS1K, I noticed that the reservoir display had not gone down despite the mileage. Upon inspection, the emitter had become plugged. A gas station paper towel solved that problem and I completed my certificate. Now I check the emitter each day on a trip and the problem has not recurred.

And the second issue was that the screen blanked and lost its memory on a trip. It turned out that this was the first sign that ye olde battery was failing. The problem has also not recurred.

I added a dual-tip emitter on the new bike. Scottoiler calls it the "Scorpion." Yea marketing! It has allowed me to reduce the application rate from one drop every 60 seconds to one each 80 seconds, and it was easier to fine-tune in order to reduce fling while keeping the chain lubed.
 

ibafran

Well-Known Member
#20
My experience with chain oilers was so onerous that I went back to rattle can oiling. IF...I was going to participate in the IBR or other multi-day rally, I would prolly fit a chain oiler again. I kept the best records that I could on my chain and sprocket life on 2 bikes for 200K. Tested a few lubes extensively. Tried 2 chain oilers and found them to be too fiddly trying to keep the lube dripping on the chain instead of missing it entirely or only lubing one side. The ATF seemed to work better than the fancy auto-lube stuff.

N.B. Different bikes wear chains/sprockets (c/s) differently. My first bike ate c/s every 25k miles no matter what I did. My 2nd bike was much better and c/s lasted 40+k miles. If a rider normally gets 20K miles out of c/s and adds an auto luber and then gets 40K miles out of c/s, it would very much make me wonder what he was doing with the rattle can?

I found that rattle can oil containing teflon was perfectly fine for a SS1K applied once before the ride and allowed to set-up/gel. Almost any rattle can chain oil works well enough if the rider applies it any time the rider takes food or rest break which allows time for the carrier to flash off and the oil to set-up.

fyi: Some 60s brit bikes had auto chain oiling coming off the oil return line and dripping via a tube on the counter-shaft sprocket. Very fiddly to get the metering adjustment screw right. But it worked surprisingly well when finally dialed in. Non-o-ring chain would last 20+K.

your fun may vary,
fran