Scott automatic chain oilers

[PaulG]

Anyone have experience with these or know someone who has?

http://www.scottoiler.com/us/Kits.html

On my trip to TX in Apr/13 I met a guy from Calgary who said he had one for his Kawi ZX-10.  He said he never had to tighten his chain.  I never asked how often he rode it, but the manufacturere claims up to 7x the chain life.

I've had the same chain since I bought my '92ABS in '07 which was already on the bike (supposedly one season old).  I've put close to 40,000 km (~24,000 mi) on it and will be getting a new one this winter.  Gee, that could mean I could get about 100,000 miles on a new chain! 

I have a bit of experience with similar products for industrail/manufacturing use, so I know theoretically it would work.

Rider Magazine gives it the thumbs up http://www.ridermagazine.com/gear/scottoiler-chain-oiler-esystem-review.htm/

This is a YouTube review, and the comments beneath it are mostly positive too.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KCmRitH_xCQ

[andyoutandabout]

I remember these from London Motorcycle shows in the 80s. At the time it seemed a real winner and I thought you'd see every bike with one. Well I've never seen a bike with one, so I guess I was very wrong. I'll be watching this thread to see if any Fjer has got an oiler and how it performs in real life biking.
I'll guess that either they make a mess, are too fiddly to set up properly, half the time an owner is riding around with the oil reservoir empty. Must be something?
Andy

[Pat Conlon]

Andy, Scott Oilers have come a long way since they first introduced them. Remember when they were crude gravity drip oilers? I had one of those, almost killed me. What happened was that the atmospheric vent on the oil resvoir became clogged and when I took my bike from Palm Desert (@sea level) up the mountain to Idywilld (@6500') the higher atmospheric pressure in the resvoir vs the lower ambient atmospheric at elevation, caused all the oil in the resvoir to puke all over my rear tire....Talk about fun on a twisty mountain road. NOT

I took it off and threw it away.

I went with a Hawke Oiler system (no longer made) which used a pump to measure out a precise amount of oil each time I pushed a momentary contact button on my left hand grip. With the Hawke Oiler pump I also used a Pro Oiler twin nozzle which deposited oil on both sides of the back sprocket, and centriufical force would spin the oil outwards on to the chain links. I used chain saw bar oil in the system.

Now I see Scott Oiler has made some significant changes since the early '90's. The system looks cool.

Automation aside, I still like to have manual control over the chain oiling so I'm staying with the button.On road trips every time I need gas...I simply push the button 4 times (4 seconds apart) when I'm going 40-30mph (off ramp speed) and it seems to work well.
Using it at highway speeds causes the oil to fling off too quickly...moderate speed works better.

Anyhoo, that's my experience.

[ribbert]

Anyone have experience with these or know someone who has?

I fitted the eSystem oiler about 6 mths ago. While expensive, it is some of the best money I have spent on my bike this year, and that's a lot.

I fitted a new EK ZZZ chain (and sprockets) at the same time. That was about 12,000 km's ago and I think I have adjusted it once, after about 1,000 km on the new chain, and haven't touched it since and it is still not in need of adustment.
Visually, I am happy with the amount of lube I see on the chain and probably err a little on the wet side by choice. There is a bit of sling off, but unlike chain lube, it just washes off. I suspect some of the fling off is the crud build up inside the front sprocket cover dislodging, I didn't clean it when I replaced the sprocket.

I do a lot of trips and having a few oil spots on the back wheel is nothing compared to the PIA chain lubing and adjusting each night while on the road, it seriously eats into drinking time.

The eSystem lets you adjust the flow rate while you are riding and is displayed on the screen as seconds between drops. In heavy rain for example I just increase the flow rate while I am riding, but mostly, once you have decided on a rate of flow you are happy with, it's set and forget.
It has a reservoir level gauge, low level warning, flow indicator, and led drop indicator. That's 4 different checks that it's working, 5 if you count looking at your chain.

The chain remains clean as the lube does not attract and hold grit like chain lubes.

It has an accelerometer in it and only oils when the bike is on the move and the kick-in point is programmable. If you have rubber mounted FJ you will need to increase the sensitivity on this function because of the lack of vibration to activate it  . The display has an indicator that switches from standby to oiling mode so this can be monitored.

I like the principle it operates on as opposed to vacuum units and believe it will prove to be very reliable. It operates on an electro magnetic plunger.

There is also a red led that flashes with each pulse of the pump (drop)

I made a bracket for the resevoir on the LH side of the battery box and had to make a bracket to mount the injector on to the swing arm as it sits right on top of the weld (and won't sit flat) Just a little bit of mucking around to mount it up.

The resevoir is good for about 10,000 km between fills I think, which is easy and done in place through a tube and squeeze bottle.

I bought a Winter and a Summer grade lube and got the optional twin injector, nozzle each side of the sprocket, after reading some reviews.

As they say, cry once, spend the money up front then forget you bike is even chain drive. With 2 bottles of lube, the optional twin injector nozzles and the kit, it was about $430 Aus.

Yep, gets my heartiest recommendation.






Mounting bracket for reservoir



Reservoir mounted



Plate to cover weld on underside of swing arm so injector sits flat and square.



Injector nozzles on sprocket.



Good size display easy to read and adjust on the run.

Noel

[ribbert]

I should add, I have never had very good life from chains and sprockets. I like riding on unsealed roads (or where they take me) and I am well set up for, and actually enjoy, long trips in the rain and I am terrible at periodic chain cleaning.
These conditions are very harsh on chains and I have always had the old problem of any lube that sticks to the chain is also going to hold grit, making the lube something more akin to valve grinding paste.
The various lube types that don't hold dirt, IMO, don't work. (I'm straying into dangerous territory here, this is almost as good as engine oil for a bit of campfire biffo)

Even after a day on the dirt I can now rub the chain oil between my fingers and it still feels and looks clean.

Early signs are very encouraging.

Noel

[jscgdunn]

Looks good, Mr Gadget

[ribbert]

Looks good, Mr Gadget

Thanks Jeff, all serves a purpose.

While you're here, that M5 is one fantastic car (or licence shredder) They have a magic mix of civilised car and outrageous performance. You are indeed a lucky man to be confronted by such a choice when you enter the garage.
I have driven one, want one, but won't be getting one.

What a lot of you may not realise is how expensive these things are in Aus. Drive away price on a new M5 here is $246,443  A new FJR, $30,000

This gives you some idea of comparative prices. This example is a few years old now but you get the idea.



It's no wonder so many of here have FJ's, we can't afford anything else!

Noel

[Dads_FJ]

My DIY auto chain oiler:    http://www.fjowners.com/index.php?topic=6714.msg59177#msg59177

[jscgdunn]

Noel,
I think our prices in Canada are typically 15-20% higher than USA.  In Alberta, because of the oil economy, there are a lot of German cars sold, and M Cars are not too unusual.  New price is, of course, to outrageous to consider.  This one had 100KKMs on it and was owned by an old fart like me and I have complete service records.

It is kind of the opposite to an FJ;  complicated machine and it will be difficult to do much DIY maintenance. 

It is really fun to drive; even my wife gets a charge out the quickness at which you can pass a semi truck and that V10 at 8000 rpm is epic.

In terms of pricing, for this vintage, they are running from $20 to $30K depending on mileage.   Suffice to say, it was less than many of the Harley's my mates are riding.

Jeff

[Pat Conlon]

aaww geeze Jeff...that's a hard choice to make............Let's see, either a V12 M5 or....a Harley? FFS

[MOTOMYSZOR]

My DIY auto chain oiler:    http://www.fjowners.com/index.php?topic=6714.msg59177#msg59177

For all my bikes I builded similar oiler. But always with double nozzle which touch rear sprocket (as on ribbert photos). It is only one proper way for deliver oil on chain.
And because I am not interested in viscosity problems and electronic gadgets I have just simple ON/OFF switch.
I start my FJ, switch it on for 10-20 seconds and chain is oiled for next 200-300 km. And when I came back there is no oil stains under bike.

[PaulG]

Thanks all for the great info.  It just might be my one and only Christmas present to me (by me) this year (well probably sometime early next year).   

[mr blackstock]

G'day,

When i bought my Fj she came with a scottoiler, a vacuum pump version running of the carb inlet balance tube.  After a bit of google research and trial and error I discovered it to be great!  For me the best combination was a 5 weight oil with some sticky additive.

I get very little "oil fling" and the chain is almost always clean.  below is a link to the one I have, and it is pretty cheap for $120.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Scottoiler-vSystem-Chain-Oiler-Kit-to-fit-Honda-Kawasaki-Suzuki-Yamaha-Triumph-/350321890463?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item5190cfd49f#ht_1388wt_662

If I get another bike, I will be getting this type of scottoiler, not the expensive digital version.

Cheers, Gareth

[biggo]

Hi

I fitted a Pro-Oiler to my FJ 2 years ago.
Not cheap but very well made and works a treat.

http://www.fjowners.com/index.php?topic=8134.0

Have done around 20000 Kms since fitting it . Chain and sprockets were fairly new no adjustments needed between tyre changes. No noticeable wear on chain or sprockets yet.
I use normal engine oil as recommend by Yamaha and Pro oiler. One I got found the sweet spot on oil flow very little fling on tyre and uses about 500ml of oil every 10000 kms.
My other bike is a shaft drive the FJ now needs the same level of final drive maintenance so very happy.

Phil

[andyoutandabout]

Where's the fjer who's working on the belt drive mod?