Cheap parts chain oiler

[Flash]

I built a simple Amazon parts electric solenoid chain oiler. Ig involved splicing into the diagnostic lead for keyed power. That pulls in a 12 volt relay. The relay is fed from battery thru a 15 amp fuse. That is then split off to a cig plug in the dash. On that item an inline fuse holder with 10 amp fuse. The headlight bu⁷cket connector was used to power heated grips. Another splice feeds full 15 amps to rear luggage rack connector in which one line is switched on relay other is hot all the time. Connector used is an XLR three pin mic plug female. The oil solenoid is a 12 volt mini cube style version. 1/4" line feeds oil from air box mounted reservoir output is metered by a 90° micro needle valve for 5/32 air line. Also spliced in a hacked Gamin GPS cig adapter fused at 1 amp. There is ond bolt under the center panel to mount relay to. Solonoid sits nicely just enough barely room for all this hardware. Oil reservoir was for a pedal bike but is nice anodized alluminium. Fit nicely under seat area. Needle valve set to 1 drop of oil every 5-6 minutes. Works good around town. Drop point under front sprocket cover with simple eyelet wire crimps and tiny weld rod to hold postion secured to an 8mm bolt in the area. An oiled chain is a happy long life chain. Only brave skilled at soldering should attempt these mods as it is very tight area. It took a long time in the design phase. Amazon had all the pieces. Total cost less than $150. Look close at photos. It fits and works.

 

[Flash]

I built a simple Amazon parts electric solenoid chain oiler. Ig involved splicing into the diagnostic lead for keyed power. That pulls in a 12 volt relay. The relay is fed from battery thru a 15 amp fuse. That is then split off to a cig plug in the dash. On that item an inline fuse holder with 10 amp fuse. The headlight bu⁷cket connector was used to power heated grips. Another splice feeds full 15 amps to rear luggage rack connector in which one line is switched on relay other is hot all the time. Connector used is an XLR three pin mic plug female. The oil solenoid is a 12 volt mini cube style version. 1/4" line feeds oil from air box mounted reservoir output is metered by a 90° micro needle valve for 5/32 air line. Also spliced in a hacked Gamin GPS cig adapter fused at 1 amp. There is ond bolt under the center panel to mount relay to. Solonoid sits nicely just enough barely room for all this hardware. Oil reservoir was for a pedal bike but is nice anodized alluminium. Fit nicely under seat area. Needle valve set to 1 drop of oil every 5-6 minutes. Works good around town. Drop point under front sprocket cover with simple eyelet wire crimps and tiny weld rod to hold postion secured to an 8mm bolt in the area. An oiled chain is a happy long life chain. Only brave skilled at soldering should attempt these mods as it is very tight area. It took a long time in the design phase. Amazon had all the pieces. Total cost less than $150. Look close at photos. It fits and works.

 

[Flash]

The parts required snd utilized. Among others. Milwaukee's pack out adapter plates to rear rack and standard travel trunk adapter plate to that for multiple versions of packable items.

 

[dmonkey]

Looks like a nice DIY setup. Did the oiler parts total $150 Canadian, or was that for the oiler and all the other goodies? Just curious as I've been back and forth on the idea of adding a Scottoiler vSystem Micro, but it's a battle of pros and cons where in the meantime it hasn't been too bad for me to manually maintain a sealed chain.

 

[Fishwishin]

Ok, this was a quite talented mod!

 

[NMCoyote]

Way cool! but why?

 

[m in sc]

Kawasaki H2s had these as well as a few other vintage bikes i've owned over the years, in various forms. Its a clever project for sure, but i never ran them on any of my bikes.

 

[NMCoyote]

I had oilers on my dirt and race bikes, but the CT just doesn't scream for an oiler. But it was a cool project for sure. This is the stuff I look for on this site!

 

[Flash]

Way cool! but why?

Chains last so much longer when continuously oiled. Scott oilers cost too much as do tutoro oilers, Plus I wanted more amps available to cig plug on dash and optional keyed power plus hot power to travel trunk. GPS cig plugs are unsightly and tend to vib out loose. I run a beverage cooler on the rear rack sometimes it draws 6 amps.

 

[Flash]

Looks like a nice DIY setup. Did the oiler parts total $150 Canadian, or was that for the oiler and all the other goodies? Just curious as I've been back and forth on the idea of adding a Scottoiler vSystem Micro, but it's a battle of pros and cons where in the meantime it hasn't been too bad for me to manually maintain a sealed chain.

I think it was even less than that. I had some surplus parts during the design phase. 90° needle valve worked better than straight. Reservoir is small and has design flaw of leaky "O" ring from inner to outer shell. Nothing JB weld can't solve plus I wanted to bore out internal for a tadd more reserve capacity. The 18inches of 1/4" feedline hose from res to solonoid helps with volume plus use clear line lets me see if res is mt without removing cover. Both the line and the relay power cable tuck in nicely under the side cover.

 

[Flash]

Ok, this was a quite talented mod!

Thanks.

 

[George]

In the first picture, there is a lot of sand on the chain, is that before or after your oiler?

 

[Flash]

In the first picture, there is a lot of sand on the chain, is that before or after your oiler?

That was before. I took photo the time it was installed. That would have been the factory white lithium type chain lube they used. Bike had 400ish km on it but I have driven thru dirt fields etc. It is a trail bike and that is what it was made for. Continuous light amounts of good chain lube deal with dry chain. Infortuntely it makes dirt stick a bit. In my experience it is desirable to have the chain oiled enough to not make rear wheel to dirty. If it is flinging oil off that gets wheel messy reduce flow rate. Chain rollers should look oiled not dry.

 

[AZ7000']

Chain rollers should look oiled not dry.

I had always heard the lube should be "in" the rollers, not on. Hence o and x ring chains? The oil on the outside would mainly attract grit to work on sanding the chainrings and premature wear the way my brain works...

 

[Flash]

I had always heard the lube should be "in" the rollers, not on. Hence o and x ring chains? The oil on the outside would mainly attract grit to work on sanding the chainrings and premature wear the way my brain works...

Over time keeping the chain oiled extends its life in my typical riding style. That is why they sell chain lube. I have put several different versions on many chain driven bikes. The extreme dirt rider guys use chain wax as to not attract dirt. I can not believe that not lubing chain is a life extender. Oh well. We agree to disagree. The system i built just costs way less then any of the commercial versions. It is for the creative installer type person who wants to oil their chain.

 

[AZ7000']

We agree to disagree.

Agree, I do lube the 7 motorcycles and the 10ish or so bicycles in the garage, I just wipe off the excess after an hour or so.

Suerte!

 

[Flash]

Agree, I do lube the 7 motorcycles and the 10ish or so bicycles in the garage, I just wipe off the excess after an hour or so.

Suerte!

In real world touring say, chains tend to get over lubed every now and then at the gas pumps or the end of the day. Then during use they get drier by the revolution until next application of lube. So from one extreme to another if nelgected. Auto chain luber's no matter who made them use the philosophy that continued oiling while in use is the best option to extend chain life. It might even have marginal possitive effect on efficiency having lube on the rollers to reduce friction. I bet there are some folks just run them to destruction without ever lubing them in the case of sealed o-ring chains...

 

[m in sc]

if its dripping on the chain as it running, it almost immediately gets slung off and doesn't get in the rollers, but does (some) get in between the plates. this of course means fuckall with an o-ring chain, which most new bikes have and why auto chain oilers aren't really widely used anymore. I don't see any downside, aside from the mess of having one, but i mean.. oiling your chain every 5-800 miles isn't hard to do, and thats all it needs. I run chain wax on all my street bikes, and it works for me. If dirt and contamination on the chain is a big concerns, an o-ring chain keeps the rolly bits cleaner and oil in where it needs to be. thats why they exist.