[woobie]

Hmmm looks like a possible winter mod .

[SweetLou]

Same here, as if I don't already have enough planned...

[kwebbel]

A few other thoughts...

I just found out that most of the aerosols in spray oil and paraffin (chain wax) products isn't very healthy for the seals; the manufacturers' lobby for these products recommend spraying after riding instead of before, so the VOP's/aerosols evaporate again before the chain starts moving. By using an auto-oiler, you eliminate this issue altogether (since it uses a liquid), and depending on where you live -- temperature-wise -- you can use anything from your used motor oil to gear oil straight from the bottle fill it up. Finally: oil is inherently a better agent between load bearing surfaces than paraffin waxes, aside from it's self-cleaning nature (aka inherent tendency to fling & take dirt with it).

Cheers
=-= The CyberPoet

You should use any CLEAN motoroil, halfsynth, fullsynth or mineral, gearoil or chainsawoil could be used too but do have some disadvantages comparing to motoroil. (higher consumption, more fling-off, more expensive)
You can read it in the (very complete) userguide which comes with the system.
As a matter of fact the userguide states any clean motoroil is the best choice while the online faq doesn't.
I mailed those guys about this, just to be sure. (common sense tells me motoroil is the proper oil to use)

[The CyberPoet]

(common sense tells me motoroil is the proper oil to use)

I would think that thickest oil the pump will readily move (i.e. a gear oil, such as an 80 weight, during the summer) would be the best for the chain, as it would be the best at standing up to the pressures exerted (logically).

Cheers
=-= The CyberPoet

[kwebbel]

The testing results and remarks on this concluded by the people of Pro-Oiler..

Motor oil
+ Great wetting power (spreads well, good hydro-capilary characteristics)
+ Self regenerating (not sticky, so dirt and dirty oil remains do not stick to the chain.
+ Produces best (leanest) consumption
+ 100% guaranteed compatibility with NBR seals in pump and chain's o-rings
+ Cheap
- less resistant to washing action in wet conditions, meaning:
- delivery must turned up quicker and higher when roads are wet

Gearbox oil
+ Extreme Pressure characteristics , so theoretically better protection at the pin-roller contact area
- Wetting power not so good, so needs a richer setting
- More fling-off

Chainsaw bar oil
+ Adhesive (but see below)
+ Good performance in the wet, as it doesn't wash off as easily as motor oil, delivery doesn't need to be turned up as high or as promptly as with motor oil.
+ inexpensive
- Wetting power not as good as motor oil, so richer settings required
- Adhesive, picks up dirt, only selfregenerating at rich settings.
- NOT GUARANTEED compatible with NBRseals and o-rings! (we have encountered oils which attack the seals!)
- Not allways easy to find the right type (mineral, not biodegradable, which can rot in lines and pump)

Specialized industrial chain oils
+ Great lubrification qualities
+ Self regenerating
+ Hydro capillary qualities (penetrates quickly)
+ Guaranteed compatible with NBRseals and chain's o-rings
- flings off easily (however this keeps the chain clean)
- delivery has to be turned up higher and more quickly in wet conditions
- expensive

Bottom line:
Motor oil is by happy coïncidence the oil type that delivers the lowest consumption and least fling-off.
Want proof? During initial testing and calibration, Pro-Oiler used Stihl chainsaw bar oil, and the values of the tables were matched to this oil, later when testing motor oils, the consumption dropped by close to 20%.
In fact all the richer tables became completely redundant, and have now been dropped.

Do I need thinner oil in winter like in gravity feed systems?

No
The Pro-oiler's delivery is not affected by temperature.

Can I use penetrating oils like WD40?

Unfortunately, no

Those qualities that make oils like WD40 so good at their job, also mean the oil runs past the pump's seals, and leaks out of every joint in the lines!

[The CyberPoet]

Can I use penetrating oils like WD40?

Unfortunately, no

Those qualities that make oils like WD40 so good at their job, also mean the oil runs past the pump's seals, and leaks out of every joint in the lines!

I suspect the problem with WD40 is the 45 to 50% stoddard solution (dry cleaning solution to normal people); I don't believe the stoddard solution is good for your rings anyway... The rest of the product primarily is mineral oil.

Cheers
=-= The CyberPoet

[kwebbel]

Update after a good month riding and 2300Km's up on the odometer.
Riding-conditions varied from soaking-wet to dry and cold (up to +3 Celsius), riding itself varied from commuting till 5 fast trips to and in the twisties.(concerning distances 600km commuting, rest on trips)
Chain is nicely lubed and clean, hardly any noticeable fling-off, even the sprocket stays clean.
The chain is still not noticeable stretched or worn, untill now I still did'nt have to adjust it.

The Pro-oiler used about 15 cc's of motoroil...

I'm happy 8)

[kwebbel]

Update after 4730 km's in partly frosty almost allways wet circumstances on salted roads, I had to fill up the little oil-container just once, have the commander set on a much higher level (3 steps up) to add some extra protection against salt.
Swingarm, hugger and rim are nicely oiled
Still did'nt have to adjust for a stretching chain, it looks still like a new one despite off the harsh circumstances....
In terms of economics it's clearly "a must-do" apart from the nice hi-tec looks.

[The CyberPoet]

Update after 4730 km's... Swingarm, hugger and rim are nicely oiled

Probably a good thing, given the weather and roads. You can always get it off easily enough with a bit of dish detergent

Cheers
=-= The CyberPoet

[kwebbel]

yeah that's why I set the commander 3 steps up Mark, mainly for protection against the salt.
With a little WD40 it will come off with no effort at all.

[Black_peter]

Chain oilers have been very popular in Europe for ages.. They never seemed to catch on here.
Odd.

[The CyberPoet]

Chain oilers have been very popular in Europe for ages.. They never seemed to catch on here.
Odd.

Actually, what I find odd is that so rarely do the manufacturers include it in their new motorcycles. I could see skipping it on a GSXR, but if you ride a tourer or sports-tourer that uses a chain drive, I would think including one would be just good engineering (and a point of sale over the competition). There have been a few motorcycles over the years that had factory-supplied chain oilers, but the last one I can remember is a dirt bike from the mid-1980's.

Cheers
=-= The CyberPoet