Multigrade engine oil as chain lube?

[rouxtjie]

I have not used Smoove but when I was using Squirt and a wax product Go (from Bearing Man) I used to use hot water and sunlight liquid to clean the chain. Leave it to soak for 10 minutes then a couple of hot rinses!

 

The chain is the easy part...its the cassette, chain rings and jockey wheels that gunk up to the point where its loads of admin to clean

[dirtrider]

More is always better...

 

Remember,

 

Too much lube never hurt anyone, thats what it's there for

 

NOT !!!

[dirtrider]

More is always better...

 

Remember,

 

Too much lube never hurt anyone, thats what it's there for

 

I could never figure why everybody gets wax buildup when using a wax based lube . And here the answer stares me in the face . Drown your GS in oil

[DACoetzee]

I could never figure why everybody gets wax buildup when using a wax based lube . And here the answer stares me in the face . Drown your GS in oil

 

Cycling Pick-up line #43

Hey baby- You want some lube on your cluster?

[ChUkKy]

I have not used Smoove but when I was using Squirt and a wax product Go (from Bearing Man) I used to use hot water and sunlight liquid to clean the chain. Leave it to soak for 10 minutes then a couple of hot rinses!

 

Same stuff essentially, different spelling on the bottles.

Same gunk to clean off

[IH8MUD]

Hi, I hope this is not off topic.

 

With all the lube advice, perhaps some advice with the following.

 

On long gravel-travel rides of 50km plus

(think dry dusty district roads, with lost of Land Cruisers racing past)

 

I start with a clean well lubed chain but after about 50 to 60km is caked in fine dust,

and seem to need a re-lube.

Just wiping it down and adding extra lube won't work, because it is not clean enough and will just make a nice grinding past.

If lubed, the fresh lube will attract even more dust.

 

Any advice? (expect shorter rides or road cycling)

Or just live with it?

Edited May 14, 2014 by Sopbeen

[jcza]

Hi, I hope this is not off topic.

 

With all the lube advice, perhaps some advice with the following.

 

On long gravel-travel rides of 50km plus

(think dry dusty district roads, with lost of Land Cruisers racing past)

 

I start with a clean well lubed chain but after about 50 to 60km is caked in fine dust,

and seem to need a re-lube.

Just wiping it down and adding extra lube won't work, because it is not clean enough and will just make a nice grinding past.

If lubed, the fresh lube will attract even more dust.

 

Any advice? (expect shorter rides or road cycling)

Or just live with it?

 

If its noisy lube it, if not leave it

[Vangar]

Hi, I hope this is not off topic.

 

With all the lube advice, perhaps some advice with the following.

 

On long gravel-travel rides of 50km plus

(think dry dusty district roads, with lost of Land Cruisers racing past)

 

I start with a clean well lubed chain but after about 50 to 60km is caked in fine dust,

and seem to need a re-lube.

Just wiping it down and adding extra lube because it is not clean enough and will just make

a nice grinding past.

If lubed, the fresh lube will attract even more dust.

 

Any advice? (expect shorter rides or road cycling)

Or just live with it?

 

This is my opinion and what I've found to work. I love the Finish line Wet lube(Green One) sticks for a long time, dead quiet drivetrain, but attracts dust like mad. So what I do is wash the drivetrain, lube chain with the Finish line wet lube. Leave it to soak a bit, wipe off excess, so only remains in the links, then I use the Finish line wax lube (black and silver) in between washes, sticks well, lubes well and keeps dust and gunk off.Not the cheapest and I'm sure there's better but worked for me so far.

[GoLefty!!]

Multi grade oil is too thin for a chain lube application. It will leave small black spots all over your chainstays and areas surrounding your chain.

 

I have been using 80W90 gear oil for more than a year now. It is a lot heavier than multi grade and it does not spray any oil when you apply it, nor does it create strands.

 

I apply it the evening before a ride, and wipe the excess off the next morning, completely (as in COMPLETELY). My chain runs smooth, and quiet for 100km easily. It does not attract dirt or dust (because you wiped the excess off). There will be a little bit of black residue on the chain rollers and on the tips of the cogs after a ride, but it is cleaned off very easily.

 

The biggest advantage is that there is no gunk build up as with wax based lubricants, and the drivetrain remains smooth quiet for a long ride.

 

Most important thing, wipe excess off before your ride. I usually ride for 500m inside the complex and shift through all the gears, and wipe the excess off after that.

 

Anyway, that is my experience and opinion, please don't spitbraai me online because of it.

 

LOL..... 80w 90 gear oil is the exact same viscosity as a 15W 40 PCMO

Only difference is the addition of a high dose of EP additive to displace base (as in pH) number additive (gearboxes don't have to deal with combustion inside)

 

 

BTW 80w 90 is also a multigrade...

[Brian Fantana]

LOL..... 80w 90 gear oil is the exact same viscosity as a 15W 40 PCMO

Only difference is the addition of a high dose of EP additive to displace base (as in pH) number additive (gearboxes don't have to deal with combustion inside)

 

 

BTW 80w 90 is also a multigrade...

 

So in your expert opinion, why does 15W40 spray spots all over my rim and frame during application, and 80w90 gear oil does not?

[GoLefty!!]

how should I know without knowing what else you're doing.

 

Look up SAE J300. Its a table that lists ISO viscosities for oils in the SAE classification ranges.

 

The only difference is the additive package in the gear oil. the oil you're using may contain more tackifier than the PCMO oil you tried.

 

Hard to help you explain whats happening with the very light anecdotes you provided.

[amoryns]

I use gun oil

[SwissVan]

Do u get motor oil that glows in the dark?

 

It really helps when you need to check how much lube is still on your chain in the dark

[backtrail]

Do u get motor oil that glows in the dark?

 

It really helps when you need to check how much lube is still on your chain in the dark

Muccoff supply a small UV light with there one dry lube, so that you can see how much you apply etc.

I have tried engine oil out of desperation on a holiday trip. It picks up a lot of sand and grime.

[SwissVan]

Muccoff supply a small UV light with there one dry lube, so that you can see how much you apply etc.

I have tried engine oil out of desperation on a holiday trip. It picks up a lot of sand and grime.

 

Exactly, Muc Off is much more sexier than Castrol GTX

[Cassie]

LOL..... 80w 90 gear oil is the exact same viscosity as a 15W 40 PCMO

Only difference is the addition of a high dose of EP additive to displace base (as in pH) number additive (gearboxes don't have to deal with combustion inside)

 

 

BTW 80w 90 is also a multigrade...

 

@Lefty...how about using chainsaw chain lube instead? Or is this again too visous?