Thanks for those instructions.

This is what I will do.

"tony f" wrote in message
...
I'd remove the chain using a chain breaker, then give it a thorough clean.
My preferred method is to soak in kero, but other solvents may be better -
petrol has more nasties and catches fire more easily, so avoid that. I
know
people who seal the chain and kero in a container, Put a load in the
washing
machine and tape the container to the lid, and put a load through the
machine. All that vibration really gets the gunk out. I can't get away
with
that method, so just swoosh it around with my hands - should wear gloves.
Empty the dirty kero, and repeat, until the kero stays clean (or very
close). This means there's no more dirt on or in the chain. You can
recycle
the solvent buy filtering it into a container, and then allowing the grit
to
settle before transferring to a new container. It never gets completely
clean, so I use the recycled stuff for the first couple of cleans - not
rinses.

To rejoin the chain, Shimano sell special joining pins (last time I bought
one I think it was less than $2). They strongly recommend against reusing
the pin you pushed out. Alternatively, buy a joiner link - SRAM, Craig
Super
Links, and others all work well. Now you can take the chain off and clean
it
regularly. I really like that feature of joining links.

Allow the chain to dry, then relube with lube of your choice. I like wax
lubes for their cleanliness, but find they can lead to squeaking chains
quickly, so nowadays I use a combo wet/wax lube (White Lightning Extreme).
Not as clean, but doesn't squeak as quickly. Wipe off excess lube. Ride.