Chain oiler noob questions

Woodswoman

Member
I'm a complete noob when it comes to chain oilers. I bought one -- a gravity-fed Nemo unit -- but have not yet installed it. However, now I'm laying plans for a riding vacation in May, and the oiler would be very handy to have up and running for that.

Please, may I ask some very ignorant questions about chain oilers?

1. What kind/weight of oil is most suitable to use?

2. Do I have to completely clean my chain before deploying an oiler? Right now, I lubricate as needed with spray-on chain wax. Should I strip all that off first?

3. How much dripping should I expect when parked? For example, should I keep newspaper or something handy in my saddlebags, to whisk under the oiler nozzle once my kickstand is down?

4. Is it necessary to engage the oiler for every ride? Or can it be skipped for, say, a six-mile run to the gas station and back?

5. If I forget to engage the oiler, and I don't realize my goof until I've ridden 100+ miles, have I conceivably done damage to my chain?

See, I really am ignorant about this. Experienced advice would be sincerely appreciated.

Thanks!
 

casper

New member
Hi woodswoman. I and a bunch of others have the tutoro. So that one has its own formula that is also gravity fed. I'm sure a similar chain oil would work fine, but in this I'll stick with their oem. It's cheap enough.

No you don't HAVE to clean the chain before you start using the oiler. I would just to give it a good start. Just wipe it down with a cleaner and a brush, and you are good to go.

Mine has a auto valve, so there is no dripping. It works by road movement. Bouncing around opens it, stopping closes it. I'm not sure if the Nemo has this feature, or is always on or off. It would be silly for that while it sat for days if you left it on. That doesn't make sense to me. All you'd do is lose your oil. I'd guess a 10-30 or 40 would be fine. Nemo will tell you what to fill it with.

If you've kept it oiled, a short ride won't hurt it. Neither will a 100 mile run as it'll just be a bit more chain wear than if it was oiled. You'll be fine. The key is to set the flow so you don't put that much on, or too little. The tutoro takes a bit to dial in. Too much is better, but you do get some fling. I dial it based on temps. Colder I open it up more for more flow. Warmer I close it down a bit. Really warm I may have it open only a 3/4 of one turn. Colder may be as much a two, or more open turns. I also mounted it so I can change it on the fly for wet conditions. You'll be able to tell if your chain looks wet if it's about right without too much fling. You can tell that by looking at the rear wheel buildup.

Hope this helps. It's not a science by any stretch. But I will tell you I've not cleaned my chain ever, in 9600 miles. There's no gunk in there either. So it must be working.
 
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Woodswoman

Member
@casper, thank you very much for your input.

The Nemo oiler does not turn itself on or off. The rider does that, from a handlebar control, before taking off or after parking.

That's why I wondered about leakage while parked. I certainly expect any such dripping would be minor, but no points for messing up the corner of my garage where I park Flicker, a friend's driveway, the employee lot at work, etc. If I wanted to be the butt of oil slick jokes, I'd buy a Harley. <Evil Grin!>

And that's also why I am wondering what happens if I ride off and simply forget to turn the oiler on. Turning on the Nemo will be an entirely new habit for me to get into.
 
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ponydrvr

Member
Each of the questions you ask are the exact reasons I chose to go with a Pro-Oiler. None of those issues are of concern. I can use any weight oil anytime of year, never had any puddles due too failure to shut off, it turns on/of with the state of the ignition switch, easy to adjust the oil flow if I ride in wet conditions, and can't forget to turn it on.

It is not the least cost oiler available, nor is it the most expensive. I've had mine installed for a bit over two years with no issues. I use about 125ml of oil per 7,000 miles of travel. And the oil I use is used motor oil.
 

randy1149

New member
I'm a complete noob when it comes to chain oilers. I bought one -- a gravity-fed Nemo unit -- but have not yet installed it. However, now I'm laying plans for a riding vacation in May, and the oiler would be very handy to have up and running for that.

Please, may I ask some very ignorant questions about chain oilers?

I have a Tutoro gravity feed oiler.

1. What kind/weight of oil is most suitable to use?
I use 80W-90 in the summer and 10W-40 in the winter.

2. Do I have to completely clean my chain before deploying an oiler? Right now, I lubricate as needed with spray-on chain wax. Should I strip all that off first?
No you do not have to clean the chain, the chain oiler will self clean the chain as it drips on the chain.

3. How much dripping should I expect when parked? For example, should I keep newspaper or something handy in my saddlebags, to whisk under the oiler nozzle once my kickstand is down?
The bike parked just for a short period (an hour or so) I don't do anything. Parked for an extended period over night I close the oil flow valve.


4. Is it necessary to engage the oiler for every ride? Or can it be skipped for, say, a six-mile run to the gas station and back?
If the chain is oiled and you stop you go to your OEM maintenance spec.

5. If I forget to engage the oiler, and I don't realize my goof until I've ridden 100+ miles, have I conceivably done damage to my chain?
No, if you forget the oiler, again, the chain will go to it's OEM maintenance specs.

See, I really am ignorant about this. Experienced advice would be sincerely appreciated.

Thanks!

How much oil you apply is up to you. I apply a LOT of oil which keeps the chain very wet and very clean. I do have to wipe off the fling oil on the chain guard. I've got over 10K on the chain and NO slack take up has needed. How much oil you apply is your decision. Not enough is always a lot worse than too much.
 

Woodswoman

Member
Good feedback, ponydrvr and randy1149. Much obliged to you both.

All of this has me re-thinking the Nemo; it might not be the right solution for me. It didn't cost me all a jillion dollars, so writing it off and starting over would not break the bank.
 
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Woodswoman

Member
No, if you forget the oiler, again, the chain will go to it's OEM maintenance specs.

By the way, this ^^ is extremely helpful. To be honest (and a bit abashed), I didn't understand this. I mistakenly thought I had to run the oiler every time I took a ride.
 

Shanghai Dan

New member
Each of the questions you ask are the exact reasons I chose to go with a Pro-Oiler. None of those issues are of concern. I can use any weight oil anytime of year, never had any puddles due too failure to shut off, it turns on/of with the state of the ignition switch, easy to adjust the oil flow if I ride in wet conditions, and can't forget to turn it on.

It is not the least cost oiler available, nor is it the most expensive. I've had mine installed for a bit over two years with no issues. I use about 125ml of oil per 7,000 miles of travel. And the oil I use is used motor oil.

I followed Pony and bought a Pro Oiler too! It's great. I have it dialed in to use 0.2L of oil every 8000 miles. Yes, I buy a gallon of oil, use most of it for my 8K oil change (I always change both filters - they're cheap), and the balance is used up oiling the chain. I live in Ventura, CA and it is NOTORIOUS for eating chains. Salty air, sand, not a lot of rain (so your chain collects everything). I get 15K+ out of my chains, about double what would normally be expected for a WELL maintained chain in this area. For not much more than the cost of a chain, I have an oiler I never have to worry about.
 

randy1149

New member
By the way, this ^^ is extremely helpful. To be honest (and a bit abashed), I didn't understand this. I mistakenly thought I had to run the oiler every time I took a ride.

The chain doesn't know where the oil came from. A spray can or an oiler. As a matter of fact... I had about 1K miles on the bike when I put the oiler on and here's something I noticed.

I had cleaned and oiled the chain with the sprays prior, with it's normal slack. After about a week or so with the oiler in operation I checked the slack and found the slack was all gone, the chain was tight as could be. How did the chain get so tight? The slack is made up of all the spaces in between the pins and rollers on the chain. As the oiler dripped it's oil into the chain all the space between the rollers and pins got full of oil, taking up all the slack. So I concluded the auto oiler is doing a much better job than me with the spray cans filling up the metal to metal spaces in the chain. And still with thousands of miles on the chain it has not needed an adjustment.
 
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MJC

Super Moderator
Well, what I do is, and only because I do not like the idea of oil dripping and going onto the road:
I installed Shanghai Dan's block/oilier part, and hook up a hose to it with a small bottle of oil, then ride over to my friends home, a block away and in his gravel/dirt driveway, push on the bottle, go walking speed for about 1/4 mile, get to his home, remove the bottle/hose, place rag under chain and visit with him. When I leave I clean off any drips (using a 2nd rag) and go home.

By the time I get home, park, look for any oil drips etc, clean up any and it is all good for 4 to 500 miles. If I am going on a long trip I take the hose and oil bottle with me.( in the bottle I use, new/opened motorcycle oil, from leftover oil changes)

At oil changes, I check chain, no adjustments yet, while I am down there, clean and brush on new chain oil.

Honda, says oil chain every 500 miles or so. And I believe chains are made a lot better then years ago.

With all that said, I understand why people use oilers and like oil dripping onto the chain all the time, I get it.

Just not for me.

So far this has worked for me, but I only do this because like I said I do not want oil dripping even if it is controlled, just do not like the idea.

Woodswoman, if you want to hook up the oiler you got and use it like I oil my chain, that unit would be fine. But if you want controlled/auto oiler get a Pro Oiler.

just my 2 cents, mj
 

randy1149

New member
There's nothing stopping me from controlling the Tutoro oiler by open and closing the oilers valve in a controlled process as you describe. I'm just not as concerned of the oil that's flied off while riding. I don't loose any sleep over a dripped ounce of oil spread over 100 miles.
 

mtvic

Member
I'm only a pleasure rider and good weather if I can help it, around 3-4k miles a year on each bike. Not a maintenance junkie. I use the Dupont spray and do it when I remember, which is less than the book suggests. No issues, quite chain. May not go 20k but not trying to set a world's record. Since I don't ride in rain or muck much, haven't cleaned chain either. It all depends on amount of riding, conditions, speed and type of riding.

As for the junk brush, I'm in the camp of staying away from it. Bristles can come off and get stuck in chain, and harsh on "o" rings. A good spray and clean up, then lube. An oiler would be nice if I used the bike for commuting.
 

casper

New member
Randy. Since you also have the tutoro, you've been good in the summer with 80/90 vs their oil? No issues with the seals or flow? How many turns open do you have it set for normally. Thanks man.
 

randy1149

New member
I use from 1 to 1 1/2 turns on the oil flow depending on the ambient temp. It's probably a little high but as i've said I want a wet and shinny chain. I have no seal or flow issues.
 

kujawskir

Member
The rider does that, from a handlebar control, before taking off or after parking.
...
If I wanted to be the butt of oil slick jokes, I'd buy a Harley. <Evil Grin!>

I can't imaging forgetting on short trips could be worse than some who don't oil at all for thousands of miles, though I wouldn't want to be too far into that crowd. Much like the turn signal, I'd expect at first when whatever distracted us cleared we'd either notice or remember and correct it. As time and practicing corrected actions become habit, I rarely if ever miss clearing the signal, and expect the oiler to be like that.

For my part, I'd try to remember to cut it off a few blocks before home or work, more or less until all dripping ceased. Then I could start leaving the newspapers behind.
That pro-oiler with auto shutoff sounds nice, but it looks like you already made your choice. I see no reason it can't work.
 

Woodswoman

Member
That pro-oiler with auto shutoff sounds nice, but it looks like you already made your choice. I see no reason it can't work.

I actually bought one (via a discounted 'group buy' on another forum) without understanding much about it. So it might not be the best choice for me.

However, thanks for all the helpful input I've gotten on this post, I'm feeling more confident that I can make the Nemo oiler work for me without being a nuisance.
 

randy1149

New member
I actually bought one (via a discounted 'group buy' on another forum) without understanding much about it. So it might not be the best choice for me.

However, thanks for all the helpful input I've gotten on this post, I'm feeling more confident that I can make the Nemo oiler work for me without being a nuisance.

There is no reason why you can not use that oiler and without being a nuisance. A 90 degree twist of the cap gives you a measured amount of oil to the chain and that's it. No more oil until you twist the cap again. The amount of oil discharged by how many 90 degrees you turn. Turn it 180 degrees and you get 2 measured amount. You have total control of the oil flow... there's nothing to concerned about.
 

casper

New member
Thanks randy. In the warmer summer I'm at about 3/4 to one turn. Warm and wet days bump it to 1 1/2, at about there in cooler weather. This spring, when I start riding in about 35 degrees or so, it'll sit at 2 until it gets above 60 regularly. When I run out of their oil I may use the 80/90. My car takes 0-40 so I may use that as well for a thin flow.
 

randy1149

New member
Thanks randy. In the warmer summer I'm at about 3/4 to one turn. Warm and wet days bump it to 1 1/2, at about there in cooler weather. This spring, when I start riding in about 35 degrees or so, it'll sit at 2 until it gets above 60 regularly. When I run out of their oil I may use the 80/90. My car takes 0-40 so I may use that as well for a thin flow.

The flow rate of the Tutoro varies because it's a gravity oiler, which makes the oil flow affected by the loops and horizontal installation of the tubing. I mix 10-40 50/50 with the 80-90 to thin it out during cool weather.
 

12MANY

New member
I have a Nemo 2 and like it a lot. Its easy to install and bullet proof. The design is so simple there is little that can go wrong with it.

1. I use 80w-90 gear oil.

2. Do I have to completely clean my chain before deploying an oiler? Right now, I lubricate as needed with spray-on chain wax. Should I strip all that off first? No, I don’t think so. But if it has been freshly waxed the wax might repel the oil so I would just ride it until it looks like it needs oiled again then use the oiler.

3. How much dripping should I expect when parked?
I give it a ¼ turn when I first start out on a stretch of road where I don’t have to stop for 3 minuets and don’t have any dripping on the floor when I return and park. I would use the newspaper until you get used to using it. My understanding is ¼ turn gives a 3 min drip then it stops completely. You can get dripping from over oiling.

4. Is it necessary to engage the oiler for every ride? Or can it be skipped for, say, a six-mile run to the gas station and back? Oh no, I can go on 1 or 2 60 mile rides before I give it another dose. I take a paper towel and check a small area of the chain to see how much oil comes off to decide if it needs another dose or not before riding. After using it for a while you will know what it likes. Over oiling in my area attracts a lot of sand and grit that can destroy the o-rings

5. If I forget to engage the oiler, and I don't realize my goof until I've ridden 100+ miles, have I conceivably done damage to my chain? I don’t think so. My understanding is the lube for the rollers is sealed in by the o-rings. The oil is to lube the outside link plates and inner roller link plates and also prevent corrosion and keep the o-rings between the plates from drying out and failing.
IMG_NEMO.jpg
 
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