Multigrade engine oil as chain lube?

[FC&P2C]

I mix chainsaw oil and motor oil 50/50. Have been riding all my bikes (mtb, road, bmx, track, cyclocross and tandem) for over two years like that and wont buy anything else again in my life. Last week during sani I re lubed once on day 1 and day 2 but wasnt necessary to re lube on day 3 during the ride.

[shawnvan]

Read this thread, and inparticular the PDF doc attached in there somewhere by Johann Borman...

 

https://community.bikehub.co.za/topic/109516-the-great-chaincassettegears-thread/

[Helpmytrap]

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

It is too heavy an oil for bicycle chain purposes. It strings when it is applied but can be diluted with other oil to achieve a desired viscosity.

 

Chainsaw chains operate at elevated temperatures due to all the friction, this additional heat most likely lowers the viscosity of the oil allowing it to lubricate the chain "better." That's my logic understanding.

[Mojoman]

Using oil on a chain need not be a dirty affair, this is my chain, I will clean the cassette when I next do the wheel bearings. I use gear oil on each link, wipe down, and wipe again after a ride. I wash the chain in paraffin every 3-4 rides.

[shawnvan]

Jeez - cassettes needs to be cleaned way more often than redoing wheel bearings!

[Mojoman]

Jeez - cassettes needs to be cleaned way more often than redoing wheel bearings!

I check and do the wheel bearings every couple of months so its not that long for a thorough clean in solvent for the cassette.

 

But the cassette actually gets 'cleaned' everytime I take the chain off, I have an old spoke which I bent and flattened the one end of so I can get inbetween the gears and fish out grass and muck etc. However since I stopped using a wax lube I no longer seem to get a build up of muck everywhere.

[GoLefty!!]

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

 

 

By chainsaw lube do you mean 2-stroke oil or do you mean the sticky oil thats applied to the cutting chain?

 

If the latter, there is way too much tackifier in there for you to be able to apply it properly. If you can mix it with another lube like a engine oil then it will work. The tackifier is helpful but there will be a mess.

 

Problem with mountain bikers is that they see a messy chain as a bad thing. As long as the dirt is not inside the chain theres no real big problem with the dirt. Externally it is not going to create much haovc since it will just get squeezed out. Dirt inside the chain roller is the problem.

 

But we mos don't like all that dirt on our bling bling

[IH8MUD]

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...

 

There will be no point in arguing.

 

Go and buy a 80W-90 and 15W-40 oil. Then pour both of them into/onto something (the floor perhaps)

Look at what you see. Then read again what you posted.

(possibly your understanding of viscosity differ from everybody else)

Or, do it this why, go and pour the 15W-40 oil in your cars differential and 80W-90 in your engine.

 

Both is Multi Grade. That is correct.

The "W" stands for WINTER and not Weight.

Example: 15W-40 means at cold (winter) temperature it will have the viscosity of 15 weight oil.

As the engine reach operating temperature , instead of viscosity lowering (along the graph of a 15 weight oil) with increase in temperature like a mono grade oil (SAE 30 od SAE 80) , the 15W-40 oil will have the viscosity of a 40 weight oil at operating engine temperature.

 

Thus the viscosity is more the same across the temperature range. Hens the name MULTIGRADE oil.

That is why the same car will run best on 5W-30 in Canada winter and 20W-50 in Botswana summer.

A Monograde oil like SAE 10 weight or 20 or 50 or 80 ext. The viscosity change with temperature change.

[shawnvan]

I check and do the wheel bearings every couple of months so its not that long for a thorough clean in solvent for the cassette.

 

But the cassette actually gets 'cleaned' everytime I take the chain off, I have an old spoke which I bent and flattened the one end of so I can get inbetween the gears and fish out grass and muck etc. However since I stopped using a wax lube I no longer seem to get a build up of muck everywhere.

 

Phew - good! sounded like it only got 'cleaned' every few months...

[GaryvdM]

Sorry if I'm repeating stuff. Haven't read the whole thread.

 

See the attached pdf for some scientific testing of different chain lubes. Note that what the are measuring is power efficiency, not the life of the chain, but there is probably a strong correlation between the 2.

 

How you lube the chain is probably much more important than what lube you use. This page is a must read: http://sheldonbrown.com/chains.html

 

My personal procedure:

• Remove chain from bike.
  
• Wash chain thoroughly in petrol.
  
• Dry chain with a hot air gun, to ensure that all petrol inside the chain has evaporated.
  
• Place chain in a mixture of melted wax and a high viscosity oil (If I recall correctly I've got a 80w90.) Giggle the chain until the air bubbles stop.
  
• Remove chain an wipe as soon as possible to remove as much wax/oil from the outside of the chain as possible (be careful not to burn yourself here.)
  
• Return the chain to the bike.
  

velo-friction_facts_lube_test.pdf

[goodluck Phil danger]

Anyone used the Wurth pressure resistant silicone lube yet? Thoughts?

 

I know it is not cycling specific, but it seems to be working well

[IH8MUD]

Wurth makes good products.

Friend of mine use a spray of Wurth on the chains in his Forklift business.

But I will have to go and check if it is the Silicone one you mention.

[GoLefty!!]

There will be no point in arguing.

 

Go and buy a 80W-90 and 15W-40 oil. Then pour both of them into/onto something (the floor perhaps)

Look at what you see. Then read again what you posted.

(possibly your understanding of viscosity differ from everybody else)

Or, do it this why, go and pour the 15W-40 oil in your cars differential and 80W-90 in your engine.

 

Both is Multi Grade. That is correct.

The "W" stands for WINTER and not Weight.

Example: 15W-40 means at cold (winter) temperature it will have the viscosity of 15 weight oil.

As the engine reach operating temperature , instead of viscosity lowering (along the graph of a 15 weight oil) with increase in temperature like a mono grade oil (SAE 30 od SAE 80) , the 15W-40 oil will have the viscosity of a 40 weight oil at operating engine temperature.

 

Thus the viscosity is more the same across the temperature range. Hens the name MULTIGRADE oil.

That is why the same car will run best on 5W-30 in Canada winter and 20W-50 in Botswana summer.

A Monograde oil like SAE 10 weight or 20 or 50 or 80 ext. The viscosity change with temperature change.

 

 

You're not making any sense.

Viscosity is not the issue, the understanding of what constitutes a 15W40 or a 80W 90 is more than viscosity.

A base oil meeting 15W and 75W/80W are very similar in ISO viscosity.

BAse oils meeting SAE 40 and SAE 90 are similar in ISO viscoisty.

SAE differenttiates between a PCMO and a gear oil by changing the classification of the oils in their J300 table.

 

Pouring the oils out you will find the engine oil and gear oil will flow similarly. they will not flow similarly once they hit a surface though because the gear oil has been modified with a different additive package and the gear oil has more tackifier. This changes the the way the oil is behaving against that surface.

It does not change the fact that the 15W 40 and 80W90 or 75W 90 are blended with the same base oils!

 

I used to put the base oils, additives and soaps together to make all kinds of oils and greases for a very large multinational oil company. I think I know a little bit about how to make a lubricant.....

[igknot]

Regarding the Velonews - Friction Facts test.

They did another test this year and our local friend Squirt came out on top. As soon as I find the article I'll add it

[GoLefty!!]

Anyone used the Wurth pressure resistant silicone lube yet? Thoughts?

 

I know it is not cycling specific, but it seems to be working well

 

 

do you have a name for it?

[igknot]

Regarding the Velonews - Friction Facts test.

They did another test this year and our local friend Squirt came out on top. As soon as I find the article I'll add it

 

http://www.squirtlub...News2014-01.pdf

 

2.3Mb Too big to attach.

Edited May 21, 2014 by igknot