Best Thing to clean chain with?

[Jools]

Hi all,

have read the recent chain about a snapping chain, Scary!!

I just wanted to check if Kerosene is the same or equivilant to parafin. Wanted to give my chain a once over and wondered whether parafin is going to get all the crap off.

Also if anyone can suggest something better to clean the chain with i am up for suggestions.

Thanks

[chunkytfg]

parafin is all i use. nail brush and a small pot and it takes about 10 mins to do the whole chain

[jambo]

Yep Parafin's fine, I have an old toothbrush but thinking of upgrading to a nail brush to save time :wink:

[timwilky]

I use parafin and the wifes toothbrush. Give it a good wash afterwards and put it back (Toothbrush that is)

[drumwrecker]

Also read somewhere that WD40 is good for cleaning the chain. Never tried it though as I use parafin as well.

[thor]

It says kerosene in the manual.

[Viney]

There is nothing wrong with using WD40 to clean the chain, its just that Parafin is better and cheaper and its a perfect degreaser for the rest of the bike.

[mysteryjimbo]

Soap, water and elbow grease!*


*This is not recommended. Anyone who follows this advice shouldn't have a motorcycle and should perhaps consider never leaving the house alone.

[Viney]

Soap, water and elbow grease!*


*This is not recommended. Anyone who follows this advice shouldn't have a motorcycle and should perhaps consider never leaving the house alone.

You have no choice though :wink:

[Quiff Wichard]

parafiin is ace it just all falls off...

[mysteryjimbo]

Soap, water and elbow grease!*


*This is not recommended. Anyone who follows this advice shouldn't have a motorcycle and should perhaps consider never leaving the house alone.

You have no choice though :wink:

Thats very true...... :wink: :oops:

[Jools]

Thanks for the info. :thumbsup:

One question though, are parafin and kerosene the same thing?

I am off to get stuck in with the misses toothbrush. :lol:

[Tigerrrr.......]

Mmmmmm.......

Once you've removed all the crud with paraffin/parasene, do you just wipe all the excess off then apply a good lube? Do you wait in between?

I presume you don't wash it off with water, then dry, then lube?

Is that right?

Cheers.

[Quiff Wichard]

parasene it is called now... its well sheap from B and Q..

I clean it off with parasene... then an old rag/towel and owel it all off.. take the bike for a spin to warm the chain up first .
then lube.

[ujoni08]

After the toothbrush and kerosene/parafin treatment, you'll need to remove the (now loosened) dirt and grit. I use a hose or jetwash, then blast-dry the chain with a compressor and airline, then re-lube. I don't have to do this too often with my Scottoiler. (I know someone will say the water isn't good for it, but I doesn't seem to penetrate the O rings, and besides, if you rotate the wheel on a paddock stand without removing the parafin and grit, it sounds very crunchy and gritty).
Jon.

[northwind]

Allegedly WD40 can attack the o-rings. That's a big allegedly though... The only thing I've ever seen to back it up is the fact that the makers don't recommend it for bike chains- but neither do they say it's not safe. They just steer cleer of the topic entirely.

I say don't use WD40, because it's absurdly expensive for the job... But then, I've always got parascene around for the heaters so it's not like I need to make a special trip to get it. It can be pretty hard to find sometimes.

[ophic]

anyone tried white spirit? or will this knacker the chain? it does seem to dissolve oil rather well.

[Cloggsy]

Can I just point out that 'Parasene' is a trade name for paraffin...

Americans call paraffin 'Kerosene' :!:

So, basically, paraffin is paraffin is paraffin :!:

Just thought I'd point that out :roll:

I bought a 5 litre tub of Paraffin from my local hardware shop for £2 odd & it does the job just fine :!:

[Caddy2000]

Thanks for the info. :thumbsup:

One question though, are parafin and kerosene the same thing?

I am off to get stuck in with the misses toothbrush. :lol:

:shock: Nope!!! Definately not! Parafin is what they use in Diesel to stop it freezing, and Kerosene is what they use in the Jet engine (well, one of the costituents). Try running a jet engine on parafin alone is fun and running a diesel on kerosene is explosive!!!!

Prob do the same job on the chain, but one's slightly more volatile than the other.


Oh, and WD40 is useless as a lube, and I wouldn't use it anywhere that lube has to stay. It's not an oil, it's properties are more akin to a solvent or petrol. Brilliant at dispersing oil, but then it dries out on you and leaves grit and small particles in place - no good if your new chain lube can't get that far in..... Only thing it's good at is keeping my points free of water!

IN MY HUMBLE OPINION

[Caddy2000]

Thanks for the info. :thumbsup:

One question though, are parafin and kerosene the same thing?

I am off to get stuck in with the misses toothbrush. :lol:

:shock: Nope!!! Definately not! Parafin is what they use in Diesel to stop it freezing, and Kerosene is what they use in the Jet engine (well, one of the costituents). Try running a jet engine on parafin alone is fun and running a diesel on kerosene is explosive!!!!

Prob do the same job on the chain, but one's slightly more volatile than the other.


Oh, and WD40 is useless as a lube, and I wouldn't use it anywhere that lube has to stay. It's not an oil, it's properties are more akin to a solvent or petrol. Brilliant at dispersing oil, but then it dries out on you and leaves grit and small particles in place - no good if your new chain lube can't get that far in..... Only thing it's good at is keeping my points free of water!

IN MY HUMBLE OPINION

[Caddy2000]

Thanks for the info. :thumbsup:

One question though, are parafin and kerosene the same thing?

I am off to get stuck in with the misses toothbrush. :lol:

:shock: Nope!!! Definately not! Parafin is what they use in Diesel to stop it freezing, and Kerosene is what they use in the Jet engine (well, one of the costituents). Try running a jet engine on parafin alone is fun and running a diesel on kerosene is explosive!!!!

Prob do the same job on the chain, but one's slightly more volatile than the other.


Oh, and WD40 is useless as a lube, and I wouldn't use it anywhere that lube has to stay. It's not an oil, it's properties are more akin to a solvent or petrol. Brilliant at dispersing oil, but then it dries out on you and leaves grit and small particles in place - no good if your new chain lube can't get that far in..... Only thing it's good at is keeping my points free of water!

IN MY HUMBLE OPINION

[Caddy2000]

I sometimes hate the internet - sorry all

[Jools]

Attacked the chain with parafin and an old rag today, and bobs your uncle a fresh clean chain. Took it for a spin :riding: then re-lubed. :thumbsup: perfecto

Thanks for all the knowledge

[johnny ro]

I ruined some sintered brass bushings (vintage Vornado fan) by lubing with wd40 instead of obsolete unobtainable 20wt non-detergent oil like the sticker said.

Local GURU explained wd40 goes in real fast, dissolves whatever it finds (not reliably enough to use for serious cleaner though) then runs out and evaporates, leaving a dry formerly lubed assembly.

This is not far cry from an o-ring chain, the stuff would tend to get past the o-ring, and if it didnt harden the o-ring, it would carry out some of the lube-for-life grease.

My favorite pare - "As a desperate last resort, follow Suzuki suggestion."

Wonder what Parrafin is in US-speak. In US it sounds like what you make candles out of. This was actually a suggestion on some long forgotten 30 year old Norton article, melt the wax in your missus favorite pan, dunk clean chain in, let saturate, remove, cool, reinstall. Works with non-o-ring chains, esp sintered.

[Caddy2000]

Wonder what Parrafin is in US-speak.


Nepalm? :shock: :lol:

[northwind]

I think that's right, paraffin is the main ingredient in traditional candles isn't it? Also the main ingredient used to turn coca into cocaine.