Chain oiling

[Roy Fisher]

Can anyone advise me please on the correct chain oiling arrangements for my 1927 3 speed flyer. There’s nothing at the moment and I rely on spraying copious amounts of chain lubricant on the primary and magneto chains before a run. There’s no separate chain oil tank or room for one, nor does there appear to be provision for a second outlet on the main oil tank. Strangely there is a blanked of outlet on the petrol side of the tank. Any advice would be most welcome.

Many thanks

Roy.F

[BRIAN MARSHALL]

Hi Roy,
By an odd coincidence, I’ve just bought a chain-oiler tank for HAS789, your old 1930 bike. What you are doing on your 1927 Flyer is fine I think, because modern chain oil aerosols contain ‘anti-fling’ ingredients to make them really stick to the chain without centrifuging off. A bit peculiar when you first spray them onto a fast-moving chain, and you get ‘whiskers’ of it going into the air and onto the bike, but it quickly settles down ! My son-in-law’s and my grandson’s motocross bikes’ chains get a very hard life, often covered in mud, but they stand the usage very well. They do however also get regular thorough cleaning and a hot bath in ‘Linklyfe’. I use aerosol chain oil as a ‘belt-and-braces’ measure on my chainsaw, even though it has an oil tank as well.
Brian

[Roy Fisher]

Thanks for that Brian, it’s reassuring to know I’m doing the right thing at present. So what were the lubrication arrangements originally (or weren’t there any)?

Roy.F

[BRIAN MARSHALL]

There were all sorts of things for putting on your chains in those days, typically based on grease with added graphite, black mucky stuff. I’m not sure when the factory started offering the little cylindrical chain-oiler tanks, but probably 1929, after it was noted that the earlier angular tank precluded the fitting of a Magdyno due to the height of the latter. I think that you should have room for one of the cylindrical tanks… Incidentally, when my father (1908-1985) was doing a lot of push-bike racing he didn’t oil or grease his chains. He used powdered graphite. In 1927 he jointly held the record from Trent Bridge in Nottingham to the Clocktower in Skegness on the Lincolnshire coast, in three hours, eighteen minutes, and fifty seconds. The record stood for several years. His fellow record holder was a chap called Andy Bone, who built ‘Paragon ‘ racing bikes, and who in later years became the first Honda dealer in Nottinghamshire. I’m rambling again…
Brian

[BRIAN MARSHALL]

A bit more rambling…. Andy Bone’s frame builder was Albert E Oliver, who in later years went on to be Chief Frame Builder for none other than Brough Superior.
Brian

[Bob Mather]

Hi Roy,
I use an aerosol chain oil on my 1932 Scott. I never spray it on a moving chain as it is too messy and half the oil flies off in strings in the process as the carrier mixed in the oil has not had time to evaporate. I spray the oil on a short section at a time and turn the engine with the kickstarter to reach the next section. I do this about every 200 miles and don’t have any problems with chain wear/stretch. This way takes longer to do but does the job correctly and you do not need copious amounts of oil.
Regards,
Bob Mather.

[Roy Fisher]

Thanks Bob,

I’ve always spayed moving chains but what you say makes sense. Many thanks.

Roy.F

[Tman]

A little regular lube and adjustment should see the Scott chains last a long time; smooth and even power pulses (as against say, a 500 four stroke single) must give the chain a relatively easy time.

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