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Scottoilers, good, bad or indifferent?

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Shaft
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PostPosted: 21:10 - 27 Aug 2025    Post subject: Scottoilers, good, bad or indifferent? Reply with quote

What-ho my dudes, long time no speakee.

Picked up a new bike recently and, while getting to know it, I've identified a few things I need to take care of, one of which is what appears to be some sort of vacuum/air leak.

I've done absolutely no investigation as to what might be the cause or causes, but I have noticed it's got a Scottoiler (or something similar) that has what seems to be a plastic air tube that's not connected and I understand they operate by being connected to the vacuum system.

I've never had anything of this sort fitted to any of my bikes, so I don't have any experience of them, but I seem to remember reading various opinions as to how effective and/or reliable they are.

My gut feeling is, I won't miss what I've never had and I should remove the whole shooting match, put it in a box somewhere and eliminate it from the equation, but what does the team think, is it worth fixing up, or just bin it and put the bike back to standard?

TYA
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stinkwheel
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PostPosted: 21:18 - 27 Aug 2025    Post subject: Reply with quote

The pipe coming out of the very top connects to a vacuum stub. Usually a thin, black pipe. There is also the dilivery tube the oil goes down which goes to the wheel and a breather that goes to a rubber grommet type thing on the side of the oiler.

If it's the breather, it's fine for that to be disconnected. If it's the vacuum line, it shouldn't be and if it was, it could cause a vacuum leak. If it's connected, it shouldn't. It just sucks open a diaphragm to open a valve in the same way as a vacuum fuel tap does, there isn't some fancy vacuum operated pump or anything like that that. The vacuum of the engine running pulls aghainst the diaphragm which opens a needle valve and oil runs out under gravity, the adjuster determines how far the valve opens.

They work well, they make a mess. It can be cleaned.
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Shaft
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PostPosted: 22:40 - 27 Aug 2025    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks Stink, that confirms my understanding of how they work

There is a pipe zip tied to the swinging arm. with the exit pointed at the chain and a series of witness marks on the floor under where it is when I park it each day, so obviously that's the delivery nozzle.

The other is waving around in the air and looks to disappear under the seat somewhere, so I'm guessing that's the vacuum feed and it needs connecting to something.

While I've got your attention, what are your thoughts on 30+ year old fuel/vacuum hoses and modern ethanol fuels, or is that another thread entirely?
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stinkwheel
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PostPosted: 06:43 - 28 Aug 2025    Post subject: Reply with quote

Shaft wrote:


The other is waving around in the air and looks to disappear under the seat somewhere, so I'm guessing that's the vacuum feed and it needs connecting to something.


Yes, usually to one of the vacuum ports on the inlet manifold you'd connect vacuum guages or the fuel tap vacuum line to. They sometimes T into the fuel tap vacuum line instead. If the vacuum isn't connected to anything, oil shouldn't run out though. If you look at the oiler as you press the starter button, you should see the plastic rod in the middle of the oiler move up slightly. If it does, the vacuum is connected.

Quote:
While I've got your attention, what are your thoughts on 30+ year old fuel/vacuum hoses and modern ethanol fuels, or is that another thread entirely?


I think the fuel lines would be potentially dodgy on E10. Depends on the manufacturers advice regarding E10. That said, 30 year old fuel lines can be ropy anyway so it's mostly down to condition. My 97 VFR is still on the original fuel lines. Its apparently fine to run it on E10 but I always make sure the last tank is E5 so it's parked with E5 in it.

I'd be more concerned about the needle valves if they aren't ethanol "safe".

Vacuum lines should be fine as long as they aren't perished because they don't have fuel in them.
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to v or not to v
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PostPosted: 06:56 - 28 Aug 2025    Post subject: Reply with quote

have you still got the Interceptor?
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Ayrton
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PostPosted: 12:29 - 28 Aug 2025    Post subject: Reply with quote

I never saw the point in them, it only takes a few minutes to clean and oil the chain and it's one less thing on the bike to worry about causing problems. I don't like the idea of the chain being oiled but never really cleaned either.
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MarJay
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PostPosted: 17:12 - 28 Aug 2025    Post subject: Reply with quote

I never saw the point in them until I had one, and I loved it. Cleaning and lubing the chain is a PITA. If you're going touring it's well worth it. They also extend chain life and keep them cleaner.

However, I'd probably go with a TUTORO or Lubeman or whatever equivalent cheaper version is out there.
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virus
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PostPosted: 17:32 - 28 Aug 2025    Post subject: Reply with quote

tutoro for the win, cheaper, simpler, less hassle.
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Kawasaki Jimbo
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PostPosted: 17:43 - 28 Aug 2025    Post subject: Reply with quote

I haven’t cleaned an (o-ring) chain in years, I lube infrequently and I still get phenomenal mileage. Just apply gear oil generously with a 1-inch paint brush, then wipe off excess by running the chain through a rag in your fist (engine off Hand Rolling Eyes)

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The Tot
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PostPosted: 19:50 - 05 Sep 2025    Post subject: Reply with quote

I'd go with Tutoro, personally. Not because I know Nick, the creator of Tutoro, or the fact that it's made 5 minutes from my house at Lydney Harbour, but the fact that it's survived 9 years of abuse across 3 different bikes and 80k miles of year round use.

If anybody from BCF has known me over the past 15-20 years, you'll know that I run everything on neglect and abuse. Alas, today, I swapped the auto oiler over from my Fazer 1000 which I just P/X'd for a Z1000SX.

Relatively easy to do, with no hard wiring or tapping into your bike's system.

The delivery tube has been refined over the years, now with the tried and tested coat hanger wire to be able to mount and guide your delivery nozzle.

I've also tried and tested various products by Tutoro, such as a twin nozzle and a manually primed system which was at the prototype stage.

The current range does the job very well.

https://scontent.flhr2-4.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t39.30808-6/541799035_1867567464104276_4019838863066712472_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpegr_tt6&_nc_cat=105&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=f727a1&_nc_ohc=2SgUw0stSssQ7kNvwEaxnWr&_nc_oc=Adl0stEHQXT5zyGWc5re6C-N-cgEPcQL6MWJ5vzVxJ4c1kh7yGGwbR_TGV9H10UW95hT9dl7y9ZXO5IlHUtMGANM&_nc_zt=23&se=-1&_nc_ht=scontent.flhr2-4.fna&_nc_gid=DrYbxSWVfXha0O24aqqIIQ&oh=00_Afac2ixND1LIs5e-8nLbKUt3m36BJaae4QxBhxFzKr1gzg&oe=68C0F777

https://scontent.fbrs4-2.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t39.30808-6/543391094_1867567507437605_1979451509453277561_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpegr_tt6&_nc_cat=103&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=f727a1&_nc_ohc=ZvuB5RxmPN8Q7kNvwGxicsC&_nc_oc=AdmywUNQWdYzNxVcC6U9dUkPd9luMxhfikANdcf8VcJodUSDaH5N-l5WIy9NrewoJlAPiCx83x8nSWB7P15fhrbD&_nc_zt=23&se=-1&_nc_ht=scontent.fbrs4-2.fna&_nc_gid=GgmX10J090iXuch4koqozA&oh=00_AfaM8fvlWixWvqpnMWwh9CFrNGAetAjJ5RtrZH46TSKldQ&oe=68C0E0D0

https://scontent.flhr2-4.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t39.30808-6/542419012_1867567374104285_2072337452977257017_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpegr_tt6&_nc_cat=109&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=f727a1&_nc_ohc=lOd7t5lu04wQ7kNvwEdzWJD&_nc_oc=AdnNJXOTS-iS074wu2mGywsgDF4rBEHNEsSdEU50Vp7h9iH92ijvCcGj7iHFNaeHDuu2iwgWZuYLU1-tf3pDBpG8&_nc_zt=23&se=-1&_nc_ht=scontent.flhr2-4.fna&_nc_gid=rJOADEaYr70ji_nxbYbt5A&oh=00_AfZAUKbfrUPiv_NySpQZeMMTmOUVu6WDevR1hrCkw-1wkQ&oe=68C0F48E
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DJP
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PostPosted: 20:05 - 07 Sep 2025    Post subject: Reply with quote

Kawasaki Jimbo wrote:
I haven’t cleaned an (o-ring) chain in years, I lube infrequently and I still get phenomenal mileage. Just apply gear oil generously with a 1-inch paint brush, then wipe off excess...


Exactly what I do and I now have 29,000 miles on my Bandit 1250 chain and it's nowhere near the adjustment limit.
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