I was cleaning, lubricating and about to adjust the chain tension now and am wondering whether using degreaser was a bad idea? I was reading through the manual and it says not to use gasoline because it has too great a dissolving power, but use kerosene instead. I have no idea how powerful the degreaser is. It was a $3 can called heavy duty degreaser.
I have already lubed the chain and am about to start the tensioning. Some of the degreaser also got on the tyre wall and rim which I washed off, not sure what the effect of that is on the tyre.
I may be wrong in this, but the using degreaser can lead to the rings on the chain to degrade and fail. That's why it's not recommended.
Uh oh...
:o I use degreaser on the chain. Leave it for 1 minute and wash it off using a 3 sided brush . Hmm works for me. ( I don't soak it or over spray )
I didn't soak but I DID spray like some 350ml - 400ml, not all of it was for the chain and sprocket, was using it elsewhere on the bike to get rid of grease. Used a fair bit as I wanted to get it really clean.
I don't want to discover this is bad for the chain going at 110 km/h on the freeway. :dunno_white:
I can't imagine a catastrophic failure coming from using degreaser. Just check your chain before every ride for the next month or so. If the orings start to dry out / disappear, you'll see it.
You might have knocked a thousand miles of life out of that chain, but I'd run it and find out.
Degreaser would work ok,kerosene would be better....it's not harsh & leaves an oily residue.
Mine is an aerosol can degreaser and I slightly spray the chain from the rear while spinning the week ( 3 full rotation of the chain) should be all ok gs500f2004. Maybe not so much lol (350ml)
I was on the look out for kerosene earlier, but it's pretty expensive the way they sell it here at the hardware store, otherwise I'd have gone for that. I asked the guy at the counter whether degreaser was OK, he said it "should be", next time I should consult here before engaging in random methods.
How do I inspect the O-Rings/Chain for abnormal wear?
I also have another query, I didn't adjust both sides of the tensioner equally (12 mm bolts) -- they both line up the same markings, but when I was adjusting I did the LHS first making sure the chain tension was OK and then moving to the RHS.
When doing the RHS, the plate I found was a bit loose when I was adjusting to the marking. Put the bike on the centre stand, and then tried moving the wheel so I could make the plate tight again, it seemed to work somewhat. Tightened the main wheel nut back to spec (96Nm) and rechecked the chain tension. It seemed ok ~ 1.25 inch or so, I'm a fairly light guy so I thought I'd rather leave it as it was than hunt for the extra 0.05 inch.
Would what I have done be OK? I usually follow the manual to a dot, I even watched slipperymongooose's video before I did the adjusting, but it slipped my mind to have done both sides equally. I can't really tell whether the tyre is out of alignment, it looks OK to me and I don't hear any unnatural noises from the chain. Took it for a spin and ran it hard for a few minutes, seems to run fine to me.
I had my OEM chain on Suzi go bad at 8000 miles. I used degreaser to clean things and lots got on the chain. I keep the chain oiled. The degreaser seems to have caused some o-rings to swell so there were links that wouldn't move.
Listen for grinding sounds as you ride. When you hear them, examine the chain for bad links.
Keep the chain well oiled right now. You might be OK.
I use degreaser on th epigs chain. but also oil frequently using gun oil. versus chain wax. works great, with no ill effects thusfar
Scottoiler & laser chain aligner....perfect. :)
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Universal-V-System-Scottoiler-Chain-Lube-System-/190320204572?pt=UK_Motorcycle_Parts&hash=item2c4ff7db1c&_uhb=1
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Profi-D-CAT-Motorcycle-Chain-Alignment-Tool-Dot-Laser-Type-/150872819791?pt=UK_Motorcycle_Parts&hash=item2320b8884f&_uhb=1
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O rings dont like bleach. Your degreaser had bleach that = bad.
Cool.
Buddha.
Buy some kero. Put it in an empty Spray and Wipe trigger bottle rag it off or use an old toothbrush if you want to be really over the top. Use it instead of degreaser on your chain. WD40 works well too.
you can also use mineral spirits in the future to clean the chain. just pour some in a container and dunk your brush in it.
Quote from: supersilas on September 29, 2013, 06:45:55 AM
you can also use mineral spirits in the future to clean the chain. just pour some in a container and dunk your brush in it.
+1 Works about as good as kerosene, is cheaper, and easier to find.
i use....
http://www.jazzmotorsports.com/motorex-chain-clean-degreaser-p-327178.html?gclid=CO7R6ojf-7kCFSbNOgodDz0AQA
and
http://www.jazzmotorsports.com/belray-super-clean-chain-lube-p-326460.html?gclid=CLXunLHf-7kCFROZ4AodznkACQ
the lube leaves my chain looking white, however it is well lubricated and lasts for quite some time.
Paraffin and toothbrush to clean chain. Scottoiler (with touring kit on my bike) to keep it lubed. Job jobbed. Really does take the pain out of keeping the chain in top condition. Also reduces the number of times you need to adjust it - and I am checking it regularly when I do the tyre pressures.
Some degreasers do affect the x/o rings rubber, causing stiff (oooeeerrr) links on chain. You can also just use old engine oil to clean and lube the chain. Give it a good wipe down afterwards to avoid any excess fling. Depends how you want to make your savings.
I always just buy the Chain Cleaner in an aerosol can from the local shop. $5, lasts me about 4 months. Specifically designed for motorcycle chains. Also a great hand cleaner, takes the chain lube right off your hands lol