Moter oil as chain lube
- Thread starter Wester
- Start date
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OP
OP
Wester
Guru
Motor oil I should have said
Big John
Guru
I'm not suggesting one oil or another oil but I do know that some of the bikes we get in for a service at the bike charity I work for have been religiously lubed with sump oil. Let's just say it's the blackest, thickest coating of gunk you could wish for. It takes an absolute age to remove and everything else on the bike (chainrings, cassette, front mech, rear mech and so on) is gunged up too. It even gets in the freehub on the rear hub and stops the pawls from releasing. This has to be shifted before we can even work on it. If it was up to me I'd refuse to accept the bike for service but we're a charity and we take on any old crap. I don't oil mine but I do occasionally drop a few drops of 3 in 1 oil on the chain and wipe with a cloth. I use GT85 most of the time and wipe off any excess. Seems to work.
ebikeerwidnes
Guru
- Location
- Z’ha’dum
When I was a kid everyone used 3-in-one or knicked some from the can in their Dad's garage that he used for the car
Vantage
Carbon fibre... LMAO!!!
- Location
- Behind everyone else, Bolton
I used motor oil for years. If you soak a rag with it and then run the chain through the rag it'll leave a thin coating on said chain. Go for a couple rides and then wipe the chain again with a dry rag.
It will attract muck and dirt etc but then so does specific bike oil. It'll be fine
It will attract muck and dirt etc but then so does specific bike oil. It'll be fine
Dogtrousers
Kilometre nibbler
Yes
Punkawallah
Über Member
I still do - surprised your dad hasn’t noticed by now :-)
ebikeerwidnes
Guru
- Location
- Z’ha’dum
Never a problem - I always made sure there was enough 3-in-one available as he used to ride a bike when he was a kid - and in the RAF - because he knew how things work
(although I suspect that the oil used on the RAF bikes was in many ways similar to that used on Halifax bombers for some reason!!!)
anyway - I doubt he would notice nowadays as we cremated him about 14 years ago
(note - he was dead at the time - the doctors said so!!!!)
Ming the Merciless
There is no mercy
- Location
- Inside my skull
Did you use 3 in 1?😳
I use Mobil 1, and get about 8000 miles on a chain before changing it. I use both a Park chain wear tool, and a steel rule, to check the wear. A chain is a machine, and should be lubed with a good oil.
Ming the Merciless
There is no mercy
- Location
- Inside my skull
On a bent?
ebikeerwidnes
Guru
- Location
- Z’ha’dum
Is it flammable??
never really thought out it for some reason
EDIT - probably just as well I DIDN'T think about it as a boy
I would have tried it
presta
Guru
There was someone on the radio yesterday morning telling us that God is 3 in 1.
bobzmyunkle
Über Member
As is marriage - a man , a woman and god.
Well that's what some vicar type said at a wedding I was at.
Sounds like it could get messy. As does using engine oil on a bike chain.
Whatever works for you, I guess.
