Opinions on used engine oil as chain lube...

[Cookiemonster...]

It's free since it's waste and some people say it does a good job although I've never tried it myself yet others say stuff sticks to it.

I'm just tired of having to keep buying WD40 Specialist Motorcycle Chain Wax.
I've already ditched their specialist chain cleaner for either Petrol or a mix of acetone +atf. Now I need a cheap replacement for the lube because the consumables are such a killer especially these ones being the most commonly replaced (and quickly too cos run out so quick).
I have so much used engine oil it'd be so good if I could make use of it.
Interested in people's thoughts on this...

[linuxyeti]

It's fine as a chain lube, not so environmentally friendly, gear oil and chainsaw oil work well also.
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[Cookiemonster...]

Wow chainsaw oil looks really economical! £1.50 per 400ml on ebay as opposed to £7 of WD40 Specialist 400ml.

Given it's in liquid form though- how do you apply it on the chain? with a brush?

[linuxyeti]

Brush, or, I use a Tutoro auto oiler on a couple of bikes..
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[Ste]

Sounds like you need a Scottoiler.

[ADSrox0r]

I used to use chainsaw oil, but only because I had a metric fuckload of it lying around. It's thick and sticky, makes a royal mess and shit sticks to it like...well, shit.

I sometimes give the chain a smear with used engine oil in winter to add to the Scottoiler. Nay bother.
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[Grubscrew]

Yep, chain oil is goodtogo, gear oil is also pretty good. The chain wax is not a very good product in my opinion.
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FJR1300/CBR1000F

[Sister Sledge]

Remember too with chainsaw oil you can get environmentally friendly stuff that's bio-degradable. I used to use that stuff in conservation areas.
I don't use it for bike chains - will watch this closely for when I run out of what I currently have.
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CCM 404 DS

[Kawasaki Jimbo]

I gave up on commercial aerosol oils and waxes years ago and use 90W gear oil instead. Brush it on and wipe off any excess with a rag. No problems with it at all.

Used engine oil will have all sorts of nasty stuff in it which won't do O-rings any favours.

[Teflon-Mike]

What bike/Chain type?

O or X ring chains have a seal on the rollers to keep factory fitted grease between the roller and the pin; in theory they are sealed for life and dont need much if any real lube... all chucking oil at them is going to do is 'maybe' give a bit of grease between the roller and the sprocket,when the link of the chain is picked up by the sprocket, that is intended to wear out anyway, and help it wear out a bit quicker sticking grit to the chain to act as grinding past.

On a plain link chain, as used on a light-weight, usually cheaper 125's, dirt bikes and competition track-bikes; there's no seal between the roller and the pin or plates... but for lube to be any use, it has to get past that end-plate between the roller and pin, to be any good....

Squirty can lubes use solvents.... often not very good for rubber seals, if an O or X ring.... but that solvent has to dissolve the grease, carry it through the tiny gaps into the space between roller and pin... and then evaporate off.... if the solvents good, then the lube should be pretty thin, and creep between roller and pin... but, if its too good, its likely to take that lube with it when it bludgers off.... if its not so good? Well, it probably wont carry much grease with it, and it probably wont get it anywhere very useful..... all you'll do is put a nice sticky layer on the outside of the rollers to gather grit and make a grinding past to wear out sprockets.

Pays your money and takes your choice.......

Old fashioned ways about, on plain, non seal chains, was to hot dip in axle grease. Works well TBH, but you have to be pretty meticulous about cleaning, or you are just flushing the grit that wears out the sprockets into the links to wear out the pins and rollers.....

Old engine oil? Hm,mmm... its come out of an engine, where its been cooked by the engine heat a few times, and collected up all the swarf from metal on metal rubbing bearings, as they wear out.... which is WHY you took it out the engine to begin with.... Gives it a nice head start to turn into grinding past on the sprockets and chain, I suppose... but, err... it IS sort of like suggesting using dirty washing up water to rince your hair!

Key either which way about, is to be careful about chain and sprocket cleaning, before you use lube, then if its a ring-seal chain avoiding solvent based lubes that might damage the seal, and just using enough lube to give a little for pick up on the sprockets, and hope your cleaning is good enough to get rid of any accumulation of grinding paste. On non-ring plain chain; you want the lube to flow twixt roller and pin, and pre-boiled treacle like used engine oil, carrying a nice grinding paste with it, probably isn't going to flow too well, and be rather like the stuff you have just cleaned out.... with metal swarf added!

Your call... but it's not an idea that carries a lot of merit if you think about it....
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[Fisty]

[ThatDippyTwat]

It's what I use. It's free, and I have lots of it. At least once a week, more if it's bad weather. Takes maybe a minute to oil it.

Apply with a 1/2" poundland paintbrush. Use a cheap cleaner brush thingmy if it's manky beforehand.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/RBM-As-Mentioned-Motorcycle-cleaning/dp/B00LJYAESY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1546801422&sr=8-1&keywords=bike+chain+brush
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[Teflon-Mike]

[trevor saxe-coburg-gotha]

[kramdra]

I use a squirty can, 5-10 squirts every 60-100 miles (daily), enough to saturate the chain and drip, which is caught by cardboard on garage floor. The result is that I never clean the chain, and is always shiny, clean, and lasts a very long time.

The fling is the main advantage, it cleans the chain. You do not want a thick, sticky paste.

[Cookiemonster...]

[kramdra]

https://images.ffx.co.uk/tools/TP05.V2.jpg?w=1280&h=960&scale=both[/i]

And the subject of this thread..

[linuxyeti]

[pepperami]

[Ste]

[Teflon-Mike]

You'd be surprised how little rocket science is applied to rocket science....
We developed missile guidance systems with bits of string and sticky tape.... scissors? You got teeth aint-cha!?
We once played after hours curling with a couple of the cleaners brooms and a control module down the main corridor after every-one else had gone home, one night, and I had to write up the report that made it sound like we did something sensible!
Crazy days....
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My Webby'Tef's-tQ, loads of stuff about my bikes, my Land-Rovers, and the stuff I do with them!
Current Bikes:'Honda VF1000F' ;'CB750F2N' ;'CB125TD ( 6 3 of em!)'; 'Montesa Cota 248'. Learner FAQ's:= 'U want to Ride a Motorbike! Where Do U start?'

[Cookiemonster...]

[trevor saxe-coburg-gotha]

Any plastic bottle with a proper fitting screw top will do. Grip a pin with some pliers, heat the pin up a bit and when hot enough, pierce the screw top (somewhere in the middle). The little hole should be enough to let 10w40 out in a fine stream. If it's not a big enough hole, reheat the pin and widen it a bit.
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[trevor saxe-coburg-gotha]

[stinkwheel]

Don't use acetone to clean your o-ring or x-ring chain. It will knacker the rubber seals.

Paraffin is fine.

Used engine oil is also fine. It's used, but it was also constantly filtered through a paper element and removed while still in an adequately good state for lubricating the pressure-fed plain bearings inside my 12000rpm, 100bhp sports bike. I'm pretty sure there's still enough slipperiness left in it to lube my chain for half an hour.
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