Creaky chain

[ricksavery]

I bought a Shimano HG-53 9-speed chain a couple of weeks ago. Went for a ride this morning and there was a terrible grinding feeling coming from the bottom bracket.
After thorough cleaning, couldn't find anything wrong, so oiled and re-fitted chain. Grinding back! Realised the chain was creaking at every joint really bad - almost sounded as if it was bone dry and filled with grit. It was lubed when I first fitted it and again after cleaning today. I have put it in some white spirit to soak and hopefully get rid of any gunk, but I wouldn't have thought it would creak so bad after a couple of weeks. Never had this problem before - but never had this Shimano chain before. Anyone else had similar problems and give me some advice please? Or should I just get a new chain?
Thanks

Update: Just took chain out of white spirit, gave it a wipe - no creak. Sorted, I thought. Put Finish Line dry lube on (which I have always used on my chains) and it's creaking like a dry crisp bag again!
Only mention this in case it helps anyone tell me what the blinkety-flip is going on. Last chain I had was on the bike for about 2 years () and using the same lube it never creaked at all.

 

[02GF74]

i don't get it - a new chain comes pre-greased - there is not need to clean or oil it - using white spirits will dissovle the grease in the links which is the next very difficult to replace = bad move.. do not clean chains, when they are running dry, spray on motorcycle chain lube, whcih contains solvent that evaporate so the grease dissolved in the solvent penetrates the links, then wipe off excess with an old rag.

 

[kopikat]

I've only used white spirit on a chain once, as a bath, not a wipe, it was unusable afterwards. But, i think the lesson is, if the chain looks like it needs cleaning that badly that you are considering a product like that, go and buy a new chain. I have to add that i use Shimano brand chains by choice, i have used others, but I just think that overall, they give the best package. Longevity, useability, availability and price, they will do for me.

 

[amaferanga]

White spirit is fine. What you need to make sure of is that you get rid of all the residue before reapplying oil. It could just be that the first couple of applications of oil don't last long, but reapply a few times and it should be fine. The two posters above seem to be making more of this than necessary. You certainly don't need to replace a chain because it gets dirty!

 

[Jimmy Doug]

Haven't you hear of the method?

 

[ricksavery]

Just read 'the method' - thanks Jimmy - I wonder how 'robust' these dicussions were
But honestly, if anyone had heard how loud this 'new' chain was they would have been worried. Clearly the factory grease had worn off damn quick, which is worrying in itself.
I take the point about white spirit. The reason I cleaned the chain with it was that it sounded like a load of crisp bags being scrunched - ie full of grit/rubbish. Considering how new it was and how little I have used it since installed, the factory grease on this example had done a pretty piss poor job of keeping it out - maybe unfair as that's probably not it's purpose. Chain didn't really look as if it needed cleaning, just de-gritting. Other than soaking in some solvent I'm not sure how I would have got rid of it - would motorcycle chain lube displace grit - I'm sure it does a great job of lubrication. Suspect chain slipped past quality control!
Thanks for your thoughts all.