Cleaning chain with kerosine?

[Frenz 08GZ250]

I had just taken in my GZ250 for inspection and picked up a can of chain lube. I asked about using kerosine to clean the chain and he said it hurts the O" rings. I never heard of kerosine hurting anything and use it for washing cars just like the fire trucks do mixed with water. I am aware that the owners manual calls for kerosine. I clean and lube my chain every 200 hundred miles it is an easy task. Thanks, Rod Bay Shore NY

[Water Warrior 2]

You will not damage the chain. Even the owners manual for my Suzuki says to use kerosene. Just make sure to wipe off excess kerosene before putting on chain lube. Wanna save abuck on chain lube ?? Find a big box hardware and buy some DuPont with Teflon. Works very well and isn't a messy lube to apply.

[blaine]

I had a o-ring chain on my G.Z. and I always cleaned it with kerosene.When I sold it the chain had over 20000 miles on it,and was still like new.
:cool: :)

[DJK]

Where is a good place to buy kerosene?

[blaine]

Where is a good place to buy kerosene?Any well stocked hardware store should have it in stock.
:) :cool:

[geezer]

good news there im gonna start using it now

[5th_bike]

Where is a good place to buy kerosene?
I get mine at a gas station where they still carry it but those are getting more rare.

[Water Warrior 2]

Also look in camping supplies for kerosene.

[burkbuilds]

I always use kerosene to clean my o-ring chain and I currently have over 35,000 miles on the OE chain. My manual recommends using kerosene to clean the chain too.

[Water Warrior 2]

Kerosene is probably recommended because it will not dry out and damage the O-rings in the chain.

[DJK]

I got a gallon at Ace Hardware in the camping section, thanks for the ideas.

[Viirin]

do you need to take the chain off or do you just run it over the chain?

[blaine]

do you need to take the chain off or do you just run it over the chain?
I always put some on a rag and wipe the chain down thoroughly.Just be careful not to jam your fingers between the chain & sprocket.It is easier to do with the rear wheel off the ground and the bike in neutral,so you can rotate the rear wheel slowly while cleaning & lubricating the chain.
:) :rawk:

[Viirin]

ah cool because taking it off is a pain in the ass

[mole2]

do you need to take the chain off or do you just run it over the chain?
I always put some on a rag and wipe the chain down thoroughly. Just be careful not to jam your fingers between the chain & sprocket.It is easier to do with the rear wheel off the ground and the bike in neutral,so you can rotate the rear wheel slowly while cleaning & lubricating the chain.
:) :rawk:

Hmmmmm... Now how do you know that Blaine? :retard: LOL


:)

[blaine]

Hmmmmm... Now how do you know that Blaine? :retard: LOL


:)
Lets just say "been there,done that". :biggrin: :poke2:

[Water Warrior 2]

With the rear wheel off the ground it is easy to rotate the wheel and use a small paint brush to clean the chain. Wipe off excess after you are done. Let dry for a while or go for a short ride to fling off remainder of kerosene. Then apply fresh chain lube. That is my method anyway. Also pick up a large shallow aluminum pan to put under the bike while cleaning. A big cookie sheet would work well too.
For the really hardy souls don't forget to check out the front sprocket area for build up of mung and chain lube. Take off the front sprocket cover and be prepared for a mess to clean up. Lottsa fun.

[blaine]

Let dry for a while or go for a short ride to fling off remainder of kerosene.
What,get kerosene all over my nice clean,shiny bike?Not a chance!!
:poke2: :biggrin:

[mrlmd1]

We keep telling you guys -- Dupont Teflon Spray Lube --- no mess, no fuss. Clean the chain one time, then use the spray and you don't have to keep doing that.

[blaine]

We keep telling you guys -- Dupont Teflon Spray Lube --- no mess, no fuss. Clean the chain one time, then use the spray and you don't have to keep doing that.
Or,get a bike with belt drive. :neener: ;)

[Water Warrior 2]

Belt drive and shaft drive are nice and clean, quiet, and maintenance free to a very large degree. But on the other hand it is really hard to change the gearing if you don't like what you have. That's where chain drive shines momentarily before it gets all dirty.

[mole2]

Or,get a bike with belt drive. :neener: ;)

Or a drive shaft. :biggrin:


:)

[5th_bike]

Or,get a bike with belt drive. :neener: ;)

Or a drive shaft. :biggrin:

:)
Or a roller drive.
[attachment=0:wxu15ygi]Brigitte_solex.jpg[/attachment:wxu15ygi]

[blaine]

I LIKE the way you think!!! :) :biggrin:

[tcrave]

Belt drive and shaft drive are nice and clean, quiet, and maintenance free to a very large degree. But on the other hand it is really hard to change the gearing if you don't like what you have. That's where chain drive shines momentarily before it gets all dirty.
you know, thats interesting. I had a 1984 honda magna with a shaft drive, I loved the idea of the shaft and everything, so when I sold it and was looking for a 250, I only wanted shaft driven, then I realized that its almost impossible to find a shaft driven 250, if not impossible, lol. I found a honda ascot 450 that was shaft driven, but 450 was still bigger than I really wanted. Really glad I held out for a 250, difference between shaft and chain is not big enough to hold off on the 250.

[tcrave]

We keep telling you guys -- Dupont Teflon Spray Lube --- no mess, no fuss. Clean the chain one time, then use the spray and you don't have to keep doing that.
where do you get that at? the people that I bought my gz from lived out in the boonies and the bike was pretty dirty, I gave it a huge bath as much as I could, but am slowly cleaning more and more of it as I learn more about the bike. Kinda figure I don't want to be taking apart parts that I don't know much about or effing stuff up on it by doing something wrong. Wouldn't mind giving the chain a nice clean and lube now.

[Water Warrior 2]

Lowes and a couple other big box centers carry Du Pont w/teflon. I think Ace Hardware is another but who knows. Du Pont also make a chain lube with Teflon but have never tried it. The regular stuff works so well that I stick with it.
I actually take a nice ride South of the border to get my Du Pont because it is 99% impossible to find in the GWN. A great way to spend a day.

[blaine]

Lowes and a couple other big box centers carry Du Pont w/teflon. I think Ace Hardware is another but who knows. Du Pont also make a chain lube with Teflon but have never tried it. The regular stuff works so well that I stick with it.
I actually take a nice ride South of the border to get my Du Pont because it is 99% impossible to find in the GWN. A great way to spend a day.
PJ1 Blue Label Chain Lube is also a really good product and may be easier to find.
:) :cool:

[alantf]

I actually take a nice ride South of the border to get my Du Pont because it is 99% impossible to find in the GWN.

You wanna try finding stuff in Tenerife. It's like going back to the dark ages. :cry: :cry: :cry:

[Water Warrior 2]

I actually take a nice ride South of the border to get my Du Pont because it is 99% impossible to find in the GWN.

You wanna try finding stuff in Tenerife. It's like going back to the dark ages. :cry: :cry: :cry:
Then I will count myself very fortunate for the chance to ride and buy across the border.

[Rookie Rider]

I cleaned my chain today for the first time with kerosene, then lubed it with a spray on chain lube, there was no gunk, kinda like Pam, the cooking spray stuff. I dont have jack stands so i found it quite annoying. Then i noticed if i push up on the lower part of the chain with my finger, it touched the swing arm a little. I think this may be some of the noise i hear at times while riding. Should my chain be tighter ?

[blaine]

I cleaned my chain today for the first time with kerosene, then lubed it with a spray on chain lube, there was no gunk, kinda like Pam, the cooking spray stuff. I dont have jack stands so i found it quite annoying. Then i noticed if i push up on the lower part of the chain with my finger, it touched the swing arm a little. I think this may be some of the noise i hear at times while riding. Should my chain be tighter ?
Yes,you should have between 1/2" and 9/16" of play. :) :cool:

[geezer]

your chain is right were mine was a few weeks ago when i posted my topic on chain slack, i ended up only going 1/4 turn on both sides and that gave me good tension but still loose, which is what i wanted. ibet your hearing it on a bridge huh? everytime i cross the bridge i hear that chain like crazy

[Gz Rider]

...

[Rookie Rider]

I saw those wood blocks, i need em......... But when i push the bottom part of the chain upward, it feels tight but strangely hits the swingarm a bit. Feels tight enough to me, but i no nothing bout bikes.

[Gz Rider]

...

[Rookie Rider]

Yeah i will be checking that out very soon, thanks alot guys.

[RBar]

Is this what you are talking about?

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000GL ... WQ0DM44WKQ (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000GL19TY/ref=pd_lpo_k2_dp_sr_1?pf_rd_p=486539851&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=B0009LSXOA&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=18SQ7996A3WQ0DM44WKQ)

RBar


We keep telling you guys -- Dupont Teflon Spray Lube --- no mess, no fuss. Clean the chain one time, then use the spray and you don't have to keep doing that.

[mrlmd1]

Yes.
That's it, but the shipping cost for Amazon is 150% the cost of the product. Get it in a store.

[5th_bike]

You wanna try finding stuff in Tenerife. It's like going back to the dark ages. :cry: :cry: :cry:
Alan, amazon.co.uk is only a few clicks away... and if you want it, they will ship the teflon chain lube or spray right to your doorstep. :)

I once ordered a Kristine Blond CD from them, it was cheaper ordering from Amazon in England than from Amazon in the USA, where it cost double because of the protectionist anti-free market import tax of 100%.

[Water Warrior 2]

Is this what you are talking about?

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000GL ... WQ0DM44WKQ (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000GL19TY/ref=pd_lpo_k2_dp_sr_1?pf_rd_p=486539851&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=B0009LSXOA&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=18SQ7996A3WQ0DM44WKQ)

RBar


We keep telling you guys -- Dupont Teflon Spray Lube --- no mess, no fuss. Clean the chain one time, then use the spray and you don't have to keep doing that.
Bingo............Give the man a Ciiiiigarrrr. A can lasts longer than a similar can of chain lube too.

[alantf]

Yes.
That's it, but the shipping cost for Amazon is 150% the cost of the product. Get it in a store.

That really surprises me. I order from Amazon in England, and if the order is above £25 ($30?) the shipping is free, even to Spain. :??:

[mrlmd1]

Just check out that ad he posted and look at the price for the can and the shipping cost below it.
Buy more stuff and they'll ship it free, otherwise go to the store and pick it up. Get 2 cans, it's good for all kinds of stuff. :)

[mavrix]

I kept asking around the area where to get kerosene and on one really had a answer. It got pretty frustrating so I finally gave up and was at WalMart looking for the chain lube and found some kerosene in the camping section. You have to be careful because they have other kerosene like camping fuel, but it's not kerosene. Mine was in a blue container.

[Gz Rider]

...

[burkbuilds]

You can usually find Kerosene in the paint department at Lowe's and Home Depot, although it's a lot cheaper by the gallon at the gas pumps in my area. Ace Hardware usually sells it by the gallon and I bet most hardware stores will have it either to fill Kerosene heaters or pre-packaged in their paint departments in quart or larger containers.

[mavrix]

You can usually find Kerosene in the paint department at Lowe's and Home Depot, although it's a lot cheaper by the gallon at the gas pumps in my area. Ace Hardware usually sells it by the gallon and I bet most hardware stores will have it either to fill Kerosene heaters or pre-packaged in their paint departments in quart or larger containers.

I had tried Home Depot and a couple hardware stores, but they didn't have it. I think it may have to do with the law against the kerosene heaters in Massachusetts.

Like Gz Rider said "silly people- it's for cleaning motorcycle chains!" Apparently the stores around here just don't know that. :)

[geezer]

walmart camping section had it here in GA

[mavrix]

walmart camping section had it here in GA

This past weekend I was at the same Walmart that I had purchased mine at and they were sold out. Guess I told a lot of people! :lol:

[jonathan180iq]

You guys know you can also use WD-40 for chain cleaning, right?

I used to buy the tall Wal-Mart copy to clean the GZ chain. Hold a rag in one hand, cupping the chain to cover about 80% of it. Spray a generous amount of WD-40, or knockoff, into the rag-covered area and spin your rear tire (bike in neutral). Continue thise process in one direction until the chain is thoroughly cleaned. Then flip the rag to a clean side and do it again, spinning the tire in the other direction. Get a new rag, wipe it dry, and apply your favorite chain lube. Done.

And no, WD-40 will not damage your O-rings.

[FLAJIM]

We keep telling you guys -- Dupont Teflon Spray Lube --- no mess, no fuss. Clean the chain one time, then use the spray and you don't have to keep doing that.
Or,get a bike with belt drive. :neener: ;)

Sorry For the NewBe question, But the manual says to use heavy wt motor oil, I like the idea of a spray. But I don't under stand have often I should do it.... Manual says every 600 miles..... do you agree ??

Thanks in advance Be Safe JIM

BTW where do I buy the Dupont Tefon Spray lube ?????

[blaine]

I always cleaned & lubed my chain every 600 miles (1000 KM).I always cleaned the chain with kerosene,and used PJ1 spray chain lube.I don't like using oil on the chain as it is messy,and attracts dirt.The PJ1 goes on as a spray to penetrate,then thickens to stay in place & resist dirt & water.Is is also excellent to lubricate cables & pivot points.
:cool: :)

[mrlmd1]

BTW where do I buy the Dupont Tefon Spray lube ?????

Any good hardware store. Lowes, Walmart, Home Depot, Ace Hardware, auto parts stores, Autozone, Advance Auto Parts, etc, etc, etc, it's not hard to find. In a blue spray can, about $8, an excellent lube for all sorts of things beside the bike chain.

[Water Warrior 2]

BTW where do I buy the Dupont Tefon Spray lube ?????

Any good hardware store. Lowes, Walmart, Home Depot, Ace Hardware, auto parts stores, Autozone, Advance Auto Parts, etc, etc, etc, it's not hard to find. In a blue spray can, about $8, an excellent lube for all sorts of things beside the bike chain.
A can of DuPont also lasts longer so you get a double saving.

[burkbuilds]

I'm convinced of this. Keep the chain well lubed, you can't over lube a chain.

With my GZ the chain had not been cared for when I bought the bike. It had rust on it and although I cleaned it every week and oiled it after cleaning, it was shot at 11,000 miles. I tried the spray lubes and heavy oil, but once you let a chain get rusty and worn, there's not anything that can "revive" it. By that I mean replace lost metal, you might free up sticky pins and links but wear is wear.

When I got my 500 in the Summer of 2009 I decided that I was going to get a loobman chain oiler and put it on the bike. It was only about $30 delivered, and I fill it up with a mixture of multi weight motor oil and some heavy weight differential oil. So far I have over 41,000 miles on that chain and it is good and tight on the rear sprocket and the sprocket shows no visible wear or hook to the teeth. I rarely ever clean the chain. Maybe once every 10,000 miles or so, but I give it a shot of oil through the loobman about every 100 -150 miles.

Yes, heavy oil is messy, although with the loobman I don't get as much sling off as I did when I just oiled the chain by hand with a rag. Nothing beats heavy oil for preventing wear in a high pressure situation, that's why rear end fluid is traditionally 80 wt and up. The chain and your sprockets get the same type of heavy loading as the gears in a differential. I know a lot of guys on here swear by the teflon sprays, and maybe that is enough, and it certainly is less messy, but I can't argue with the results I've gotten using heavy oil on my chain and using it regularly.

So, whichever you decide to use, I'd recommend using it frequently, you won't over lube your chain.

[Water Warrior 2]

Differential oil is much more resistant to the shear forces and does not break down as quickly. That is one of the reasons some cheaper engine oils don't work well in bikes. Tranny gears have continuous shear forces the same as differentials. 41,000 miles on a chain is quite exceptional but not unheard of with a chain oiler. Nice to hear from another happy Loobman owner.

[greatmaul]

yay I just ordered a Loobman from their website. Excited about it because I'm a bit um.. negligent apparently when it comes to oiling a chain. I thought it was something you did maybe twice a year, not every 600 miles. (I commute almost 200 miles a day so *cough* I might be a little behind.)

[blaine]

yay I just ordered a Loobman from their website. Excited about it because I'm a bit um.. negligent apparently when it comes to oiling a chain. I thought it was something you did maybe twice a year, not every 600 miles. (I commute almost 200 miles a day so *cough* I might be a little behind.)
A very good investment,for someone that puts on that amount of miles in a day.You will still need to do periodical cleaning of the chain.
:) :cool:

[ecr959]

Wow. I'm very impressed. You commute 200 miles a day ? On the gz ? Nice to hear that. I am about to start using my gz to go to work every day, and with the early morning temps down around 35 - 38 degrees, I'm not looking forward to it. But my commute will be 5 or 6 miles. each way.

[Gz Rider]

...

[greatmaul]

Wow. I'm very impressed. You commute 200 miles a day ? On the gz ?

Well, it's about 85 miles each way, so 170 total, but often I get to town a bit early and drive around so the miles go up from there. Usually I can just make it to the same gas station every day, sometimes using the reserve and sometimes not, and it depends on if there was any sort of wind that day.

I have to admit it was kinda harsh until I got a gel seat pad on ebay, and even then it's kinda just bearable on the backside, but I really wish I had a better seat. I'm going to get an old seat on ebay and pad it up like Mr. Softee did on one of the old threads on here, one of these days. I usually ride every other day partly because I do grocery shopping and partly because it kinda hurts.

Oh, and Y'know, Gz Rider, I didn't even know that about the chain. I knew it was a rust preventative, but I didn't know it had it's own built in lubrication on the inside. That's really cool. Probably explains why mine hasn't broken into pieces and fallen off yet since I've been so lax in the oiling department. (only oiled it once in about 2000 miles so far)

I really need to get some kerosene. Like, today.

[Gz Rider]

...

[greatmaul]

I've done lots of grocery shopping on my GZ. People sometimes laugh when they see 3-4 bags of groceries and wonder how I will get them on the bike but between the saddlebags and tying bags to my elastic cargo carrying net on my rear seat, I always make it.

That's awesome. I've used it to get some food, but haven't really loaded it up.

Oh, except that one time when I carried an entire cow on the back:


http://s10.postimage.org/ol84z2wb9/scootercow1.jpg (http://postimage.org/image/ol84z2wb9/)

Man! did I need some earplugs on that trip. That thing mooed the whole way home. lol. j/k that pic is from google. There's a book, "Bikes of Burden" full of images like that. I might get it for meself for xmas.

Oh and (just to remain on topic) I needed a whole gallon of kerosene to clean the bike after that!

[Way]

FWIW, I could not find Dupont Teflon Lube at either Aubuchon Hardware or Home Depot. I did find it at Lowes in Littleton, NH so perhaps there has been a distribution change? They had a little 4 oz bottle of Dupont Chain Lube for the same price. I'm hoping they're the same. Both had the same vague ingredient list and the can said it was good for chains so I took a chance.

I would try to find a hardware store that sells kerosene if it's legal in your state. I checked the price at Walmart, they wanted $5.88 a quart which is insane. I was able to buy some for $4.20 a gallon which is expensive but not quite Walmart-expensive. O_o

I've never heard of the loobman. Looks a bit messy:

[youtube:3bmrcr01]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T0WKgzIdOUI[/youtube:3bmrcr01]

[Water Warrior 2]

The Loobman can be messy especially if it feeds too much oil but the chain will last a lot longer. Heavier gear oil will work nice because it will not break down near as fast due to shear forces. The actual feed is a determined by trial and error.
Earlier Loobman models were altitude sensitive and would over oil as the altitude changed. Loobman has an easy fix for early models to correct the problem.

[5th_bike]

I would try to find a hardware store that sells kerosene if it's legal in your state. I checked the price at Walmart, they wanted $5.88 a quart which is insane.
Try to find a gas station that sells kerosene. Older station, higher chance.

[Water Warrior 2]

Try the camping supplies dept in the local big stores.

[Gz Rider]

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