Scotoiler

[struan80]

Fitted a Scotoiler. Never had one on any bike before. I'm not overly impressed with the oil splattered over my tyre and rim. Also, a small puddle of oil is on the ground when it's parked up. Tempted to remove it. Oil on the rim I can handle but not oil on the tyre.

What flowrate do you set you Scotoiler at? I've got the less expensive vacuum one set at 1ml per minute, I'll reduce it. Still wouldn't expect it to drop on the ground when the bike is at a standstill.

Thanks

[Kawasaki Jimbo]

William Heath Robinson was an English cartoonist, illustrator and artist who drew whimsically elaborate machines to achieve simple objectives.

[stinkwheel]

It should only be dropping out when the engine is running. If it's dripping when parked, you either have the flow rate way too high so residual oil is dripping off the chain or there's something wrong.

From experience you usually set flow rate so you're only just getting a bit of oil on the wheel. The manufacturer suggest 2 drops per minute as a good starting flow rate. A drop is roughly 0.05ml so at 1ml/min you have 10X the recommended flow rate. This is probably the problem.

If it's dripping when the engine is off, it's probably one of very few things.

The oiler itself is very simple, it has a needle valve in the oil reservoir, normally held shut by a spring which stops oil running out. The needle valve is attached to a diaphragm. When the engine is running, vacuum from the carb sucks the diaphragm open which in turn opens the valve. Oil can then run down the tube to the chain. The turning of the top of the oiler sets how far it opens. That's it.

If oil is running out with the bike stationary:

The needle valve could be being held open, possibly by a bit of dirt.

The valve isn't springing fully closed.

There is an air leak somewhere in the delivery tube allowing the oil that's in there to continue running out when the valve at the top is closed. It should be reasonably obvious where because the delivery tube would be empty from the leak down after it's been sitting for a while. It would ordinarily remain full of oil.

There's an air bubble in the delivery tube, it needs to be primed so it's totally full of oil.

The delivery tube is running too near something hot which is causing the oil to expand and run out of the end when parked.
____________________
“Rule one: Always stick around for one more drink. That's when things happen. That's when you find out everything you want to know.”
I did the 2010 Round Britain Rally on my 350 Bullet. 89 landmarks, 3 months, 9,500 miles.

[ZebraDriver]

I have run Scotoilers on most of my bikes. All of the points made by Stinkwheel are relevant, however if the tube has emptied it should probably stop working as it tends to use the oil in the pipe in a siphoning action.

I have never managed to get a correct flow of oil with any of mine, its either too much or not enough, and the flow rate changes with the air temperature. I mounted one of them too close to the engine and found out that as the day went on the flow rate doubled as the oil thinned.

I now use a touring version and have the flow directed at the front sprocket. I turn the flow up for a couple of miles and then set it back to zero for the rest of the day. I know that this is a bit of a faff, but it seems to work for me.

Also bear in mind that modern "o" ring chains dont require a lot of lubrication, all you are oiling is the contact between the chain and sprockets.

[struan80]

Thanks guys that's really helpful.

[Kawasaki Jimbo]

I wasn’t.

[Polarbear]