Scottoiler

I'm considering buying one of these as chain maintenance is really becoming a pain. I don't have a garage or yard to do my maintenance in; I have the busy street in front of my downtown apartment - not the greatest place to do any kind of maintenance.

I have a few questions for Scottoiler owners:

• Is it worth $130 (with the exchange rate, that's about what it comes to right now)?
• What is your general impression of the Scottoiler?
• What kind of oil do you use with it?
• How often do you service your chain (cleaning/adjusting tension)?
• How long has your chain/sprockets lasted?
• What kind of riding do you do (aggressive, commuting, touring...)?
• How easy is it to remove the oiler?
• Is the oiler rather messy? Will a chain gaurd prevent oil from getting on your pants/gear?
• Is there an alternative to a scottoiler (product or brand)?

[Sid Squid]

Originally Posted by TheLeprechaun

• Is it worth $130 In our money they're about £70, a new chain and sprockets will be approx £100+, so yes, as correctly used it'll at least double the life of the chain and sprockets.
• What is your general impression of the Scottoiler? I've had several, they're well made and durable.
• What kind of oil do you use with it? There is specific Scottoil, not expensive and certainly cheaper than spray lube, if you're really skint you can use just about anything, chainsaw lube is quite cheap, even used engine oil can be used, that's not official advice but many couriers do.
• How often do you service your chain (cleaning/adjusting tension)? Never clean - if it's set right - a chain will need adjusting the same amount of times during it's life but that'll be less often as the chain will last longer, still reflects your specific usage of course.
• How long has your chain/sprockets lasted? SV1000 has 13,000 miles, adjusted once, ZX6 original chain and sprockets lasted 53,000 miles.
• What kind of riding do you do (aggressive, commuting, touring...)? Everything.
• How easy is it to remove the oiler? Very, but why would you want to?
• Is the oiler rather messy? Will a chain guard prevent oil from getting on your pants/gear? Adjusted correctly oil fling isn't a problem.
• Is there an alternative to a scottoiler (product or brand)? Yes, there is the Loobman, and there is an oiler called, (IIRC), the Chaintec. The Loobman is manually operated though, so it needs to be fitted somewhere you can give it a squeeze every so often, works but not as conveniently as the Scottoiler. the Chaintec, (if that's it's right name), is electrically operated and can be sited anywhere you like, fitting is no easier or harder than the Scottoiler, works well, but is unadjustable unless you buy a separate adjuster unit.

[BillyC]

To follow Mr Squid's excellent prose:

Originally Posted by TheLeprechaun

• What is your general impression of the Scottoiler? A well made piece of equipment, the design of which has clearly been thought of as it has evolved over the years.
• What kind of oil do you use with it? Scottoil's blue oil, about £6 a bottle ($10 ish) - that's 500ml
• How often do you service your chain (cleaning/adjusting tension)? I only fitted the oiler for my new chain and sprockets, which have not yet been adjusted. However, they do now need adjusting after their break-in period. I don't think this is a reflection on the Scotty, just that they've done their initial bedding in.
• How long has your chain/sprockets lasted? The original set lasted me about 15k miles. I wasn't particularly good about keeping them lubed, as it was generally a faff.
• What kind of riding do you do (aggressive, commuting, touring...)? Day to day commuting through Central London streets - can be quite agressive; and longer rideouts varying between "touring" and agressive paces.
• How easy is it to remove the oiler? I don't know why I would, but very easy indeed - unscrew the mountings, remove the tubes, and pop the seal back on the vacuum point.
• Is the oiler rather messy? Will a chain gaurd prevent oil from getting on your pants/gear? I've never had any go on my clothes, but have had quite a build up on the chain guard and wheel. However, I think it's a common misconception as to just how much you oil you need. I'm certain I've always had the Scotty turned up too high, and all you really need is a drop litterally every minute or so, just to keep the chain moist and coated.
• Is there an alternative to a scottoiler (product or brand)? Yeah, as Squid says there are others, however the Scotty has few moving parts, doesn't need a power connection, and closes itself off when the engine's not running.

Well worth it scotoilers are.

Hello there cheesehead (at least that's what I recall my Wisconsin born colleague calling himself when I lived in the States).

I have a scottoiler on mine

- keeps chain clean, you can always see a nice thin film of oil on the important parts.
- Official oil is expensive, use thin engine oil, maybe 0W-30. I know some people fill with used engine oil but that's false economy in my book. Besides engine oil is cheap as chips stateside.
- No problem with oil on clothes, but as stated above it does accumulate inside the front sprocket cover in the form of sludge.
- Does leave a few small splats on rear wheel due to 'fling off' of excess. I guess you could back the valve off till this stopped, but I'd rather have a little excess. Besides it's an easy indicator: no splats = time to refill oiler reservoir.
- Haven't had the thing on long enough to tell comment on long term durability of chain and sprockets, but all the folks I know who have fitted them swear by them.

Hope this helps Cheers Keith

Wot they all said

I'm curiuos as to how easy it is to remove the system becuase I plan on going to the track more often next year. I'm sure the governing body at the track will not allow anything that drips oil to leave the pits.

Originally Posted by TheLeprechaun

I'm curiuos as to how easy it is to remove the system becuase I plan on going to the track more often next year. I'm sure the governing body at the track will not allow anything that drips oil to leave the pits.

You don't have to remove it for that, turn it down to the lowest setting and remove the oil if necessary.

[BillyC]

Originally Posted by TheLeprechaun

I'm curiuos as to how easy it is to remove the system becuase I plan on going to the track more often next year. I'm sure the governing body at the track will not allow anything that drips oil to leave the pits.

The ease of removing the system depends on how you fitted it in the first place; obvious I know, but it needs saying.

The system comprises of two tubes - one to the vacuum point on the throttle body, and one to deliver the oil to the rear sprocket; and two mounting points - one to mount the reservoir, usually under the rear seat, and one to mount the delivery tube to the rear paddock stand bobbin bracket.

Cable ties can be avoided totally if you route the tubing appropriately. This means removal could be as simple as:

• Remove vacuum tube and replace stopper on throttle body - 2 minutes
• Undo jubilee clip holding delivery nossle - 1 minute
• Unthread tubes - 2 minutes
• Undo reserver retaining bolt - 1 minute
• Job done - Total 6 minutes

It really is as simple as that, assuming you've got the tools to hand - ie: one small flat screwdriver, and one 8mm socket.

Originally Posted by Valman

You don't have to remove it for that, turn it down to the lowest setting and remove the oil if necessary.

Agreed, on the lowest setting nothing at all comes out of mine and that's with a vertically mounted resevoir (should be fastest flowing).