Warning - You can use engine oil on your chain. - Page 3 - SV650.org

07-02-06, 12:47 PM

From the suzuki manual

CLEANING AND LUBRICATING
Wash the chain with kerosene . If the chain tends to rust quickly,
the intervals must be shortened .
CAUTION
Do not use trichlene, gasoline or any similar fluids :
These fluids have too great a dissolving power for this
chain and what is more important, they can damage
the "O"-rings (or seals) confining the grease in the
bush to pin clearance. Remember, high durability
comes from the presence of grease in that clearance .
After washing and drying the chain, oil it with a heavyweight
motor oil .
CAUTION
* Do not use any oil sold commercially as "drive chain
oil" . Such oil can damage the 0-rings (or seals) .
* The standard drive chain is DID525V8 Suzuki recommends
to use this standard drive chain as a replacement.

07-02-06, 01:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by thor

So it doesn't matter if the plates have a (very light) dusting of rust?

Indeed. The outside of the plates don't move against anything.

embee · 07-02-06, 01:16 PM

It's not a good idea to have any rust on a chain, rust can lead to fatigue cracking especially in high tensile or hardened steels. Having said that we all live in the real world.

I like to use a little spray lube (Castrol Chain Wax is good for this) wiped over the side plates just to protect them from rust, and rely on a Scottoiler for proper lubing. Occasionally wipe the chain with an oily rag to clean off some dirt, or if it's really grubby a wash with paraffin (kerosene), leave to dry, and spray/wipe again.

This is a readable "real world" bit of advice about chain maintenance
http://www.motorcycle.com/mo/mcnuts/chain.html

Most important is not to overtighten the chain.

When I had the suspension links apart to grease the bearings, I checked the full suspension travel vs chain slack. I reckon on a curvy SV you need around 30mm minimum slack when the bike is on its sidestand, as a guide that's like 2 links held flat on the rubbing strip on the underside of the swingarm (at the front end). It might seem quite loose, but that is all taken out when the suspension compresses, any less slack and it'll heavily load the chain/sprockets/bearings on bump.

northwind · 07-02-06, 01:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BillyC

Perhaps the problem is that engine oil is thin... and is flung off easily, leaving your chain without any protection.

This sounds like good sense...

07-02-06, 03:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by northwind

Quote:

Originally Posted by BillyC

Perhaps the problem is that engine oil is thin... and is flung off easily, leaving your chain without any protection.

This sounds like good sense...

I use Automatic Transmission Fluid in my scottoiler, very light viscosity, high in detergents, in winter I thin the AFT with about 25% kerosene for better flow when riding in sub zero temps

I find heavier weight lubes make sand & other grit stick to the chain

07-02-06, 07:38 PM

If you're going to use engine oil, I'd definately use diesel oil.

07-02-06, 08:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dirtydog

fit a scott oiler, i had one on my sv and hardly ever needed to adjust the chain and it lasted ages!

Seconded 11k and never needed to adjust.

Mark_h · 07-02-06, 09:03 PM

Does anyone else use chainsaw oil? I used to use it all the time until I got a scottoiler. Great stuff. Costs nothing and sticks to the chain like magic. I still use it on my mountain bikes. If it is designed not to fling off of a chainsaw blade it isn't going to fling of your bike too much.

I may however have caused untold damage to my previous bike and my mountain bikes and stand to be corrected by the experts.

Sid Squid · 07-02-06, 09:03 PM

Engine oil is just fine for oiling the chain - only problem is it doesn't last any time before it's gone.

If the chain broke it wasn't 'cos the oil used was wrong, possible causes are lack of lubing, or simply doing it wrong - it's possible to slather the chain in oil and miss all the bits you need to get, not saying you did this, but I see it surprisingly commonly. Of course it is just possible that there was a fault with the chain but this is very rare these days - even quite cheap chains are pretty good.

I'm surprised at your dealer, that's iffy advice at best.

Despite fitting all the chain drive bikes I have with chain oilers, I keep a can of spray chain lube and occasionally squirt a bit on a rag and wipe it along the side plates of the chain thus stopping them rusting.

07-02-06, 09:11 PM

Engine oil being bad for your chain is as believable as being told the Pope was once under suspision of raping the Queen Mother!

Total b*llocks. I dont use it myself nowadays due to the "fling" problem associated with it,but apart from that it is completely safe.

07-02-06, 09:03 PM	#28
Mark_h Member Mega Poster Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Fleet, Hampshire Posts: 2,448	Does anyone else use chainsaw oil? I used to use it all the time until I got a scottoiler. Great stuff. Costs nothing and sticks to the chain like magic. I still use it on my mountain bikes. If it is designed not to fling off of a chainsaw blade it isn't going to fling of your bike too much. I may however have caused untold damage to my previous bike and my mountain bikes and stand to be corrected by the experts. __________________ Don't want to be the quickest; don't want to be the best; just want to be the one having the most fun. XL125Varadero -> Curvy SV650N-Y -> SV1000N-K3 -> Multistrada 1200s Twin-tastic stuff. Minister for Sustainability *Aliquid prudentissimus delectabiles et intelligentes in adamasset lingua.*

07-02-06, 09:03 PM	#29
Sid Squid No, I don't lend tools. Mega Poster Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Skunk Works, Nth London Posts: 8,680	Engine oil is just fine for oiling the chain - only problem is it doesn't last any time before it's gone. If the chain broke it wasn't 'cos the oil used was wrong, possible causes are lack of lubing, or simply doing it wrong - it's possible to slather the chain in oil and miss all the bits you need to get, not saying you did this, but I see it surprisingly commonly. Of course it is just possible that there was a fault with the chain but this is very rare these days - even quite cheap chains are pretty good. I'm surprised at your dealer, that's iffy advice at best. Despite fitting all the chain drive bikes I have with chain oilers, I keep a can of spray chain lube and occasionally squirt a bit on a rag and wipe it along the side plates of the chain thus stopping them rusting. __________________ If an SV650 has a flat tyre in the forest and no-one is there to blow it up, how long will it be 'til someone posts that the reg/rec is duff and the world will end unless a CBR unit is fitted? A little bit of knowledge = a dangerous thing. "a deathless anthem of nuclear-strength romantic angst"

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07-02-06, 12:47 PM	#21
scooby2102 Guest Posts: n/a	From the suzuki manual CLEANING AND LUBRICATING Wash the chain with kerosene . If the chain tends to rust quickly, the intervals must be shortened . CAUTION Do not use trichlene, gasoline or any similar fluids : These fluids have too great a dissolving power for this chain and what is more important, they can damage the "O"-rings (or seals) confining the grease in the bush to pin clearance. Remember, high durability comes from the presence of grease in that clearance . After washing and drying the chain, oil it with a heavyweight motor oil . CAUTION * Do not use any oil sold commercially as "drive chain oil" . Such oil can damage the 0-rings (or seals) . * The standard drive chain is DID525V8 Suzuki recommends to use this standard drive chain as a replacement.

07-02-06, 01:16 PM	#23
embee Member Mega Poster Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Warwickshire Posts: 2,802	It's not a good idea to have any rust on a chain, rust can lead to fatigue cracking especially in high tensile or hardened steels. Having said that we all live in the real world. I like to use a little spray lube (Castrol Chain Wax is good for this) wiped over the side plates just to protect them from rust, and rely on a Scottoiler for proper lubing. Occasionally wipe the chain with an oily rag to clean off some dirt, or if it's really grubby a wash with paraffin (kerosene), leave to dry, and spray/wipe again. This is a readable "real world" bit of advice about chain maintenance http://www.motorcycle.com/mo/mcnuts/chain.html Most important is not to overtighten the chain. When I had the suspension links apart to grease the bearings, I checked the full suspension travel vs chain slack. I reckon on a curvy SV you need around 30mm minimum slack when the bike is on its sidestand, as a guide that's like 2 links held flat on the rubbing strip on the underside of the swingarm (at the front end). It might seem quite loose, but that is all taken out when the suspension compresses, any less slack and it'll heavily load the chain/sprockets/bearings on bump.

07-02-06, 07:38 PM	#26
Saint Matt Guest Posts: n/a	If you're going to use engine oil, I'd definately use diesel oil.

07-02-06, 09:11 PM	#30
Peter Henry Guest Posts: n/a	Engine oil being bad for your chain is as believable as being told the Pope was once under suspision of raping the Queen Mother! Total b*llocks. I dont use it myself nowadays due to the "fling" problem associated with it,but apart from that it is completely safe.