Looking for an electric drip feed oiler pump

[Dave HalfordParticipant @davehalford22513]

Posted by Clive Foster on 25/09/2022 11:31:58:

Paul

The lubricator isn't for my lathe. That idea was a breakfast time after thought

Its for a motorcycle chain lubrication system that actually works properly and reliably (unlike a Scott oiler!). Spoilt by 30 years with a Norton Commander having a fully enclosed chain needing no attention between oil change services I want the same simplicity on my me-to-me retirement present Yamaha GTS. Spraying and poncing about with an exposed chain in the modern fashion got old fast!

Clive

I used the oil breather on my old T20 redirected to over the drive sprocket.

Makes a mess of the chain guard.

[bernard towersParticipant @bernardtowers37738]

As you use the rear brake infrequently on a motor cycle could you not have a rear brake pedal operated pump?

[Dave HalfordParticipant @davehalford22513]

Posted by Dave Halford on 26/09/2022 11:44:18:

Posted by Clive Foster on 25/09/2022 11:31:58:

Paul

The lubricator isn't for my lathe. That idea was a breakfast time after thought

Its for a motorcycle chain lubrication system that actually works properly and reliably (unlike a Scott oiler!). Spoilt by 30 years with a Norton Commander having a fully enclosed chain needing no attention between oil change services I want the same simplicity on my me-to-me retirement present Yamaha GTS. Spraying and poncing about with an exposed chain in the modern fashion got old fast!

Clive

I used the oil breather on my old T20 redirected to over the drive sprocket.

Makes a mess of the chain guard.

Further to this have you considered a chainsaw lube system, the low fling oil might help as well

[Dave HalfordParticipant @davehalford22513]

The unmentionable site in China has a motorcycle chain oiler cable operated for 16 quid seems to be mostly used by lathe owners though.

[Mike PooleParticipant @mikepoole82104]

Posted by bernard towers on 26/09/2022 12:41:25:

As you use the rear brake infrequently on a motor cycle could you not have a rear brake pedal operated pump?

I always use both but I suppose the rear brake doesn’t help much when the wheel is in the air.

Mike

[Jon LawesParticipant @jonlawes51698]

My great-uncle has a company who makes exactly those chain oilers. He makes them in his workshop; he does the machining and his wife does the electronics I believe. He was a keen motorcyclist, and only hung up his leathers within the last few years. Not bad bearing in mind he was old enough to get his first motorcycle during the second world war.

They are called PD Oilers I think. I won't post a link as I don't wish to get the post blocked for advertising, but it's a quick google away to their site.

I've no idea how well they work, just have the familial connection.

[Anonymous]

Don't know why people have a problem with a Scottoiler. Had them fitted to half a dozen bikes, carbed and FI, and never had a problem with them oil flinging, clogging or flow rate. The 2 "gruntiest" bikes, a Honda Blackbird and Suzuki Bandit, were over 40,000 miles on their original chains with Scottoilers fitted when they got sold on.

[Jon LawesParticipant @jonlawes51698]

I think the selling point of the PD was the controlability, and being completely automatic. He seemed quite proud of it all I recall!

[Ex contributorParticipant @mgnbuk]

I never got on with Scotoilers for the reasons usually stated – too variable a delivery with temperature changes, leading to over-oiling & mess when warm. The "Touring" kit that fitted behind the number plate wouldn't pull oil from the extra reservoir either, as the flexible "bung" for the fill pipe wasn't air-tight.

I prefered the Lubetronic unit sold by Motrax when used with the "optional" controller, which I see was the fore runner to the improved PD Oiler unit mentioned above.

Currently I'm using 2 of the Ebay Chinese "Gidibi" Nemo 2 units – less than £30 each delivered, easy to find a home for on the handlebars, easy to use & no mess. A fill of EP80 / 90 lasts me around 1000 miles when screwing the cap down an 1/8 of a turn every 50 miles or so.

Only issue with these has been the need to change parts before use – there was an extra body O-ring and 4mm push fit connector in the box with the oiler and fitting kit & I initially thought that these were spares. But the initial fill just ran out of the applicator overnight on the first one – swapping the O-ring & outlet fitting cured that & the first unit has been oil-tight since (3 years now). On the second one I just fitted the loose parts before installation & that has been fine for around 18 months. I find putting on an 1/8 of a turn at shorter intervals rather than 1/4 turns gives less mess.

Still prefer to have a fully enclosed chain, though – MZ items are wonderful devices.

Nigel B.

[Tim StevensParticipant @timstevens64731]

Could this question – just possibly – be overkill in action, I wonder?

A small tank, bottle, etc someware above the required outlet, with a length of silicone pipe and an adjustable tap. If it is too much bother etc to top up the tank manually, a pump could be added with a manual switch, or even more, a pair of float switches to turn the motor on and off every few hours, days, weeks, depending on the size of the tank and the work rate of the operative.

Suitable drip- taps were used in Mercedes cars from about 1901 – and they are still in business so spares should be easy to find.

Cheers, Tim

[Ebenezer GoodParticipant @ebenezergood76202]

What about a facet solid state pump (cheap clones on ebay) on a timer to pulse it occasionally, might need a controlled leak off to cut the delivery down.

[Clive FosterParticipant @clivefoster55965]

Thanks for the assistance guys.

The heater pump has arrived along with the Gibidi (Nemo clone) that I plan to use as a reservoir, need to add a small vent hole so oil wil flow down to the pump. Pump is a little larger than I'd ideally like but I can live with it. At least long enough to prove the idea. In order to minimise flow distance and line draining effects the distance between pump and chain has to be minimised. So it will be strapped to the swinging arm.

Seems to me that the fundamental issue with the vacuum operated Scottoiler is too many semi interrelated variables defining performace including temperature effects on oil viscosity, header height of reservoir, supply pipe length, vacuum pipe length, sharpness and duration of the manifold vacuum pulse that operates it et al. So there will only be a subset of those variables that permit proper operation in regualrily delivering a suitable amount of oil yet not emptying the lines when standing. Which is the sort of thing you expect when you have a "Marmite" device that performs well for some folk and not at all for others. I could never find a sweet spot between over delivery and empting the lines at night of not emptying the lines but never getting round to delivering oil.

Positive pulse delivery of each droplet solves most problems but the amount of oil needed per pulse is extremely small. So a Facet type pump or some sort of tap'n drip won't hack it. The wick fed of teh PD systems is interesting but I do wonder how it responds to nor aml road dirt, rain and overspray from being washed.Its generally considered that wick systems need to be cleam.

We shall see come spring. Assuming nothing derails the winter projects!

Clive

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