Scottoiler oil

[Lawrence]

Just fitted a Scottoiler to my bike.  It came with a 250ml bottle of oil but given that it should last ~500-800 miles to a fill that'll last me about 5 weeks.  Is Scottoil stuff the only stuff to use or are there other things that are the same?  I remember someone mentioning chainsaw oil, is there any particular type?

Ta very much

[stevierst]

I found that chainsaw oil is a bit thick and sticky for a scottoiler. I've used engine oil in them for years with no drama. I even ran a 2mm drill bit down the brass spigot to increase the flow slightly. Scottoil is a bit thin and light for my liking, A good downpour if rain washes it off! :rolleyes

[born to be mild]

Lawrence, if you live anywhere near lincoln Ive got about a gallon of lube oil as used on powder coating conveyor track chains. Its too light to paint on a chain without flinging off over your back tyre but I think it is light enough to be applied by a scottoiler in its small amounts.

[Lawrence]

I'm not, but thanks for the offer   I've got loads of left over engine oil from my Land Rover so will put that to use once I run out.

[robby boy]

I use engine oil in my scotoiler, the only thing I find is you need to adjust the flow rate to suit the different.

[unfazed]

Just as a point of information here:
Scottoil is water soluble but engine oil and chainsaw oil are not. It wears off the tyres faster than engine or chainsaw oil if it gets onto them. The thin oil allows it to penentrate the chain more easily. I would be sure the Scottoil company would have researched this well and the brand they created was in line with safety of the motorcyclist.
Used engine oil is the wordst possible thing to use. The characteristic of engine oil change dramatically when used in a combustion engine and it as the more it is used the more acidic it becomes.
I would not think acid based oil would be a good lubricant for a motorcycle chain

[stevierst]

Just as a point of information here:
Scottoil is water soluble but engine oil and chainsaw oil are not. It wears off the tyres faster than engine or chainsaw oil if it gets onto them. The thin oil allows it to penentrate the chain more easily. I would be sure the Scottoil company would have researched this well and the brand they created was in line with safety of the motorcyclist.
Used engine oil is the wordst possible thing to use. The characteristic of engine oil change dramatically when used in a combustion engine and it as the more it is used the more acidic it becomes.
I would not think acid based oil would be a good lubricant for a motorcycle chain

I used to use old engine oil, but it makes the back wheel mingin really quickly, and I stopped doing it. I use new engine oil, and have done for the last few 100's of thousand miles I've ridden. I rarely have to adjust my chain, let alone replace it. And I never have to clean it, the oil does that for me. You need double the ammount of Scottoil to do that at one hell of a cost, but I do like a wet chain. Just my opinion

[Lawrence]

If it's water soluble surely it's going to wash straight off the chain in the peeing rain?  That's completely the opposite of what it's supposed to do...

[unfazed]

The idea is to keep the chain moist and 'cool' and yes water will eventually wash it all off, but if the oiler is working correctly it will keep oiling the chain faster than the water will wash it off. I should have have made it clearer when washed with water the sticky residue needs a bit more effort to shift it and this stays on the chain for longer. I have noticed that when spilt it can be washed clean easily with water. Unlike ordinary oil it does not stick as well to tyres, thankfully.
The biggest killer of a chain is being run dry.