► Chains, oilers, sprockets

[siwhite]

Chain Oilers - when and how much?

Please excuse the noobie question....

My F800GS has a Tutoro chain oiler fitted (in fact I bought it from the chap who invented the Tutoro...) but I'm unsure how to use it correctly.

If I leave it to drip about a drop per minute the bike ends up filthy with oil spots. Should I give it a lube at the start of every ride, then turn it off, or should it be allowed to work constantly but slowly?

Thanks in advance for help.

 

[Dave Ett]

I bought it from the chap who invented the Tutoro...) but I'm unsure how to use it correctly.

Er, has it occured to you to ask the guy that invented it?

 

[skywalker]

Really don't know why folk bother with chain oilers. All they do is oil dirty chains, get forgotton to be filled up etc.
Get an rag soaked in an appropriate chain cleaner and clean the chain thoroughly every week if the bikes' used all week for commuting etc.
Adjust the tension and apply an appropriate chain lubricant - Simples.
I would think the consenses is because "ive got an oiler fitted its another thing I don't have to worry about"

 

[Blobby]

This doesn't answer your question but I used one on my GS and found the oil flow so hit and miss and the nozzle kept getting blocked that I concluded it was more trouble than it was worth (well they cost v little) so threw it in the bin and returned to Wurth High Performance Chain Oil. Lost count of the number of times I forgot to turn it on/off. I'm sure others love them but it wasn't for me. Hope it works for you

 

[phooey]

Sounds to me you are over lubricating the chain. Some oil is going to end up on the wheel but it should be absolutely minimal. O-ring chains are sealed at manufacture and provided you don't allow the rubber seals between the links to dry out and crack they should last you for 1000's of miles.

Adjust the flow of oil so that the grooves where the individual links pivot remain just lightly oiled ie somewhere between dry and moist - you dont want them looking like they are in a bath


Alternatively, get a proper GS - one with a shaft

HTH.

 

[Dave Ett]

Alternatively, get a proper GS - one with a shaft

HTH.

And spend your money on a replacement shaft in a few thousand miles instead! Or on a seal, or on fuel having had to drag the extra weight of that shaft everywhere with you.

I use a Scottoiler, and it works just fine. Get the flow rate setup to suit your fitted location, and there is very little excess flung about - certainly less than when spraying oil all over the thing while the chain whizzes round.

I have it mounted in sight, so I can tell how much is left at a glance, and filling it takes 15 seconds - less time than getting the bike on the stand, then grovelling round trying to squirt lube in the right places without covering the disk...

 

[ianboydsnr]

I have a loobman, connected to a scottoiler twin injection at the sprocket, which is ace, I have a tutoro but its relegated to the shelf, Ride did a report on chain oilers and the Tutoro came out top, which was just plain daft, but

I have a few bikes that I just loob the chain with a brush and some engine oil, works fine, but

I have a couple of shaft drive bikes and they seem to be even easier

 

[MrsGUZZZI]

I've got an Electronic Scotoiler and it's set to drip once every 90 secs, seems to work fine for me, plus I can set it so it only works when I'm travelling over a certain speed, say 10mph so it doesn't carry on dripping when I'm slow moving or stationary.

 

[Micky]

Got to agree with Skywalker here ... never bothered with a chain oiler system at all. Just clean my chain with a propriety O ring friendly cleaner and then use a good chain spray ... as and when required.

I use the Polo spray (buy it in Germany) great stuff, fully recommended by all the German press, doesn't fling off ... bloody great

Back of my bike is actually cleaner than most 1200's what with their final drive oil leaks... and the chain lasts just as long as anyone elses for sure

In fact t'other day I was privvy to see a chain driven bike fitted with a ScotOiler ... the bike was disgustingly filthy with oil everywhere ... and the chain was well fecked. About 4" up and down movement

 

[nig5]

Got to agree with Skywalker here ... never bothered with a chain oiler system at all. Just clean my chain with a propriety O ring friendly cleaner and then use a good chain spray ... as and when required.

I use the Polo spray (buy it in Germany) great stuff, fully recommended by all the German press, doesn't fling off ... bloody great

Back of my bike is actually cleaner than most 1200's what with their final drive oil leaks... and the chain lasts just as long as anyone elses for sure

In fact t'other day I was privvy to see a chain driven bike fitted with a ScotOiler ... the bike was disgustingly filthy with oil everywhere ... and the chain was well fecked. About 4" up and down movement

Well Iv`e got a scotoiler, no mess on the bike, just set it to lightly oil the chain. During the winter turn it up, any scotoil on the bike can be washed off with car shampoo unlike chain spray. Bike has done 5,500 miles and haven`t had to adjust the chain!

 

[Ross Dean]

I have a standard Scottoiler fitted by Ocean in Plymouth as part of the package when I bought the bike (see below).

After re-filling with oil for the first time I just kept adjusting the oiler slightly until the oil thrown on the back wheel was minimised - the process took about three days. The setting is now memorised

Scottoiler's advise is wipe the chain with a rag and some of their oil after cleaning the bike (which I do with a power cleaner ).

A Scottoiler or similar product does not reduce the need to check the chain every few hundred miles, just how often you need to get dirty

 

[Big Den]

I bought 2 of the Tutoro oilers, they are also on the shelf not a good buy. Bought the bespoke Scotoiler kit for the GS and its been fine after a few words with Scotoiler about their fitting instructions .
Every bike i have fitted a Scotoiler to has only needed minimum and rare chain adjustment, i rate them very highly.

 

[GunZenBomZ]

I've got an Electronic Scotoiler and it's set to drip once every 90 secs, seems to work fine for me, plus I can set it so it only works when I'm travelling over a certain speed, say 10mph so it doesn't carry on dripping when I'm slow moving or stationary.

Got an e-scotoiler myself, wish I had saved the £200 tbh.

Even when the bike is parked up, some mornings I'd come out & find it had emptied the contents all over the wheel. Think it was due to been connected directly to the battery rather than on the canbus system.

I fell for the oww sooo cooolll blue screen & tinkering ability whilst riding along.

 

[Jonnie Boy]

MY 800GS has 12000mile on the OE chain, which is looking a bit raggerdy now so I'm looking for a replacement in the not to distant future!

Preferably DiD, and preferably with a split link as opposed to a rivet link!

Been round in circles a bit searching!

Anyone used this lot? http://www.motorbikesandparts.co.uk/did-chain-sprocket-kit-for-bmw-f800-gs-p-23513.html

Can you get a 525 X ring DiD chain with a split link?!

Or is it possible to get a suitable split link seperate and fit it instead of the rivet link as supplied.

What is the mania for rivet links anyway!?

 

[John O'Kane]

Help! Problem fitting Scottoiler

While removing the plug under the airbox I broke the spigot that the plug was on.

Any suggestions on coping with this - no joy when I phoned Scottoiler.

Or how do I get at the airbox.

Hoping-------

 

[John O'Kane]

scottoiler - fitting problem

I have a bike-specific(F650GS twin) kit bought this week. While following the instructions to remove the plug on the spigot below the airbox the spigot broke. A phone call to Technical support at Scottoiler yielded nothing useful. Any suggestions?

Fitting a Scottoiler
Alarm bells should have sounded when the dealer said, "Let us know how you get on, we've not fitted one yet."

The installation instructions instally appear comprehensive (you can view them online at http://www.scottoiler.com/bmw-kit.asp), but a serious omission is a parts list so you can identify just what is meant when the instructions say, "press the black vacuum tubing into the 8mm damper elbow provided." There's a short bit of black tubing in the same shrink pack as what I believe to be the damper elbow, so I used that.

I've now come to the conclusion that was wrong. There's a long stretch of black tubing wrapped up with the transparent tubing that I think goes to the chain, so I'm about to try using that.

Although I've never fitted a Scottoiler before I think I'm right in saying the vacuum tube has to be connected to the oil reservoir. Guess what, that's missed out of the instructions!

Although at one stage the instructions say to route the oil delivery tube (in the chain area) to the oil reservoir, it doesn't actually say how and where to connect it.

It also talk about securing the oil reservoir breather assembly pointing downwards but doesn't say how to do this. There are three cable ties included with the parts, is this a clue?

Also there's a washer missing which is needed when the regulator rectifier is reattached. The diagrams show the oil reservoir with its metering valve neatly installed on the frame. I'm having some real problems getting it in place so that you can still access the valve.

And whilst I'm having a moan, the T30 torx wrench that you need to install the kit isn't part of the F650/800 toolset.

For a supposed custom produced bit of kit I am not at all impressed. It's just as well I'm not paying BMW workshop rates whilst a mechanic tries to sort this out!

Tim



OK, so there's two documents effectively missing, a 'general arrangements' to explain the concept behind the unit, and a parts list/diagram.

The final straw on the instruction sheet was where is says to adjust the oil flow but doesn't mention that the engine (presumably?) must be running at the time.

Tim

 

[Greggers]

Any pics? I know it's going to be a little dark under there, but it's worth a try.

I had a similar problem with a Saab 9000 Turbo I had a few years ago - the brass spigot on the inlet from the turbo just fell out, so I had incredible whoooshing noises coming from under the bonnet, but no va-va-voom --- I ended up using JB Weld to stick it back in. It is pretty good stuff and works well under a wide range of temperatures, so I'd be tempted to say you could 'glue' the broken bits back together as they're not stressed or loaded in any way.

It's been a while since I did mine, but I remember it being a bit of a biatch getting underneath it in situ, but if push comes to shove it's a fairly straightforward operation to remove the airbox anyway ... repairing it off the bike will be a piece of cake. Just lift off the 'tank' cover, unscrew the airfilter box top and have a look inside - you may even be able to get at it without lifting the airbox out. If you can't then you'll just need to remove the battery then the airbox itself comes away with just a couple of bolts. It's pretty obvious when you're there.

HTH

G

 

[Greggers]

MY 800GS has 12000mile on the OE chain, which is looking a bit raggerdy now so I'm looking for a replacement in the not to distant future!

Preferably DiD, and preferably with a split link as opposed to a rivet link!

Been round in circles a bit searching!

Anyone used this lot? http://www.motorbikesandparts.co.uk/did-chain-sprocket-kit-for-bmw-f800-gs-p-23513.html

Can you get a 525 X ring DiD chain with a split link?!

Or is it possible to get a suitable split link seperate and fit it instead of the rivet link as supplied.

What is the mania for rivet links anyway!?

I've used a spring link without problems for the last 2 years ...

 

[Dave Ett]

I'm not sure JB weld / epoxy glues will work very well on the airbox.

My solution would be to drill a hole down the centre of a bolt and screw that into the box (from the top/inside obviously, having taken the filter out first!).

 

[Greggers]

Dave - from memory the spigot is a good 8-10mm diameter so it might not be that simple, then of course you still have the problem of closing the hole and joining the vacuum tube to the 'new' spigot.

In my experience JB weld sticks like sh1t to just about anything apart from teflon and polythene and I've used it to repair a broken composite plastic radiator mount as well as the LH heel protector ... As said, it might just be worth a try!