Chain Oiler

Wonder how much of a mess this would be.
www.scottoiler.com/

I'm guessing it would be a mess. Chain lube normally goes on relatively wet and then sets up to a thicker consistency so it doesn't sling off. If the lube is wet enough to be applied to the chain it will be wet enough to sling off before it sets up if the bike is moving. My old BSA had an automatic chain oiler that was simply a small hose that vented the crankcase onto the chain, It made for a constant mess. Ed

Remember these on the original 1973 Z1 :woohoo:



Per Dave Marsden:
[Original text in all caps]

ANOTHER FIRST ON THE Z1 WAS THE FITTING OF AN AUTOMATIC CHAIN OILER. UNDERNEATH THE LEFT HAND SIDE PANEL WAS A WHITE PLASTIC TANK WHICH HELD SAE 90 GEAR OIL. A RUBBER RETAINING STRAP HELD THIS TO A BRACKET. A DECAL WAS STUCK ONTO THE TANK STATING WHICH OIL WAS TO BE USED TO FILL IT UP WITH.
ON TOP OF THE TANK WAS A BLACK, SCREW-ON, FILLER CAP AND A BLACK RUBBER DIPSTICK FOR CHECKING THE OIL LEVEL WHEN THE SIDE PANEL WAS FITTED.
A BLACK VINYL OVERFLOW PIPE RAN UPWARDS FROM THE TOP OF THE TANK, OVER THE SIDE OF THE TOOLBOX AND DOWN TOWARDS THE SWING ARM. A SMALL FILTER SCREWED TO THE BOTTOM OF THE TANK AND FROM THIS LED A BLACK VINYL PIPE. THIS FED A SMALL PUMP IN THE RIGHT HAND ENGINE CASING WHICH IN TURN SPLASH FED THE FRONT SPROCKET WITH OIL. THE DRIVE FOR THIS PUMP CAME FROM A SMALL PIN SITUATED IN THE END OF THE GEARBOX OUTPUT SHAFT.
THIS IN TURN LUBRICATED THE DRIVE CHAIN. THIS PROVED TO BE A VERY MESSY SYSTEM, BUT THE PUMP WAS ADJUSTABLE AND COULD BE REGULATED TO A MERE TRICKLE. OWNERS PREFERRED THIS SETTING BECAUSE THEIR PRIDE AND JOY LOOKED A LOT CLEANER. HOWEVER, THE PRICE TO PAY FOR THIS WAS EXTREME EXCESSIVE WEAR ON THE DRIVE CHAIN. SOME OWNERS WERE APPALLED TO FIND OUT THEY NEEDED TO REPLACE THE CHAIN WITHIN 5000 MILES! KAWASAKI CAME TO THE RESCUE AND REPLACED MOST CHAINS UNDER WARRANTY. IT BECAME APPARENT TO THEM HOWEVER THAT THEY WERE ON A LOSER, SO A REVISED INFORMATION STICKER WAS ATTACHED TO THE BIKES ON THE PRODUCTION LINE STATING THAT A REPLACEMENT CHAIN WOULD ONLY BE ALLOWED ON MACHINES THAT HAD COVERED UNDER 3000 MILES! ONLY ONE CHAIN PLUS THE ORIGINAL WAS ALLOWED PER BIKE.
MOST OWNERS RAN THE OILER DRY AND RESORTED TO MANUALLY LUBRICATING THE CHAIN THEMSELVES.


IN MARCH 1974, KAWASAKI RELEASED A SERVICE BULLETIN CONCERNING THE REPLACEMENT OF THE DRIVE CHAIN OIL PUMP. DUE TO DIFFICULTIES IN ADJUSTING THE PUMP BY SOME OWNERS, KAWASAKI MODIFIED IT GIVING IT THE NEW PART NUMBER 16082-056. THIS PUMP WAS MUCH EASIER TO ADJUST.
KAWASAKI FITTED THE NEW PUMP TO ALL BIKES ON THE PRODUCTION LINE FROM FRAME NUMBER Z1F-039150 ONWARDS.


[1975 Z1-B]

REAR DRIVE CHAIN AND SPROCKETS:
DUE TO COMPLAINTS OF THE DIFFICULTIES IN USING THE AUTOMATIC CHAIN OILERS OF PREVIOUS MODELS, THE Z1-B WAS FITTED WITH AN O`RING CHAIN. ANOTHER FIRST FOR KAWASAKI. THE NON O`RING CHAIN WAS NOT REALLY UP THE JOB ANYWAY, SO THIS WAS A GOOD MOVE.
THE WHOLE OF THE CHAIN OILER SYSTEM WAS REMOVED.


Good Fortune!

eddiem wrote: Wonder how much of a mess this would be.
www.scottoiler.com/

Actually, they are not. I just bought another, cheaper brand oiler, and this will be my first. I researched many brands, and some come with a high cost. When researching them, I see a lot of positive comments in regards to little chain adjustment over mileages in greater excess of those normally done with spray can lube maintenance. Other favorable comments include: much longer life from your chain and sprockets (uniform, no hit/miss application of lube, while riding in all conditions), no sticky mess on your rim and wheel (usually from applying too much, or missing the chain wben applying spray lubes), no expensive, spray cans anymore (many oilers use engine oil, how cheap is that?, and you don't need to carry a spray can with you on a trip, you'll have already, or can access engine oil readily on the road ), their reserviors hold plenty of capacity in their small size for long distances..., and on and on.

Sure, oilers have their cons, like their high, initial cost, depending on brand and bells and whistles. However, if you're going to own your bike for a long time, get sick of cleaning, adjusting, and lubing your chain on the more frequent spray can lube schedule, value your expensive (I just bought a good brand chain that was north of $150) drive components, and when you throw your leg over your bike, usually the ride is at least 250 miles, then look into an oiler.

Yes, you can buy many cans of good quality spray lubes (and I have over many years) for the price of an oiler, and it takes little time to spritz the chain with a spray can, but for my reasons, and comments from others who own and swear by them, I bought an oiler. To early to tell for me, but the pros seem to outweigh the cons.

If I was doing real long rides on a duel sport I might consider it.

I switched over to a modern 530 chain 4-5 years ago and use chain wax every 500 miles or so,
after the first adjustment I haven't had to really adjust it out at all in 30,000 plus miles, maybe a little.

I always do it after a good ride while the chain is still warm and I take a clean rag and wipe off the dirt first.

I did get a cool tip from their site on where to oil though, makes sense to me anyway

I remember the Z1 oilers. We'd park after a long ride for a bite, then come out, Jim and Larry's bikes would have pools of oil under them and not a spot under mine. " Looks like you're riding a Harley :lol: :lol: :lol: " They both got O ring chains. For the last two years I've had standard chains. I hate the mess on my wheel, the constant adjustments and noise caused by them. Have a new O ring set up and look forward to 20,000 miles of clean riding. I'll pick up a can of chain wax at Chaparral next week on my way to my daughter's and then on to the central valley for business. This time it should be a fun trip with no worries.
Steve