Chain lubrication - gearbox oil

Would car gearbox oil (HP 80 or 90) be suitable for chain lubrication,
provided the chain is left to soak long enough to enable the oil to
work into all the rollers?

"Andrew Price" wrote ...
Would car gearbox oil (HP 80 or 90) be suitable for chain lubrication,
provided the chain is left to soak long enough to enable the oil to
work into all the rollers?

I can remember being instructed to do just that in Eugene Sloane's book "The
Complete Book of Bicycling", ca 1970. Don't know how much dirt it would pick
up, but it should lubricate the chain as well as it lubricates a gearbox.
--
mark

Andrew Price writes:

Would car gearbox oil (HP 80 or 90) be suitable for chain lubrication,
provided the chain is left to soak long enough to enable the oil to
work into all the rollers?

From the FAQ:

http://www.sheldonbrown.com/brandt/chain-care.html

Lubricating the chain with hot 90W gear lube works but it is also
efficient fly paper, collecting plenty of hardpack between sprockets
and on the outside of the chain. Motor oil is far better, but
motorcycle chain and chainsaw lubricants are better yet, because they
have volatile solvents that allow good penetration for their
relatively viscous lubricant. Paraffin (canning wax), although clean,
works poorly because it is not mobile and cannot replenish the bearing
surfaces once it has been displaced. This becomes apparent with any
water that gets on the chain. It immediately squeaks.

Jobst Brandt

wrote:

Lubricating the chain with hot 90W gear lube works but it is also
efficient fly paper, collecting plenty of hardpack between sprockets
and on the outside of the chain. Motor oil is far better, but
motorcycle chain and chainsaw lubricants are better yet, because they
have volatile solvents that allow good penetration for their
relatively viscous lubricant. [...]

The question wasn't just about 90 weight but about 80 or 90.

Motor oil and gear oil weights are graded on different
scales (I find this just as inane as how sock and shoe
sizes are different). An SAE 80 gear oil has viscosity
comparable to that of an SAE 20 or 30 motor oil.
See the chart at
http://www.experimentalhelo.com/eh_o...hart_fullT.htm

Is there a significant difference (e.g., presence of volatile
solvents) between SAE 30 motor oil and SAE 80 gear oil?

Tom Ace

On Thu, 10 Nov 2005 20:51:34 +0100, Andrew Price wrote:

Would car gearbox oil (HP 80 or 90) be suitable for chain lubrication,
provided the chain is left to soak long enough to enable the oil to
work into all the rollers?

I'd say it's a little thick, and will attract a lot of dirt. Engine oil
would be a better bet, if you want to stick to automotive products.

--

David L. Johnson

__o | When you are up to your ass in alligators, it's hard to remember
_`\(,_ | that your initial objective was to drain the swamp. -- LBJ
(_)/ (_) |

On Thu, 10 Nov 2005 20:51:34 +0100, Andrew Price
wrote:

Would car gearbox oil (HP 80 or 90) be suitable for chain lubrication,
provided the chain is left to soak long enough to enable the oil to
work into all the rollers?

Yes, it works. Most types have an obnoxious odor, however; if your
ride must share living quarters with a Significant Other, this may
prove to be a problem.
--
Typoes are a feature, not a bug.
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Andrew Price wrote:
Would car gearbox oil (HP 80 or 90) be suitable for chain lubrication,
provided the chain is left to soak long enough to enable the oil to
work into all the rollers?

atf is better. it's thinner, has good e.p. additives, and doesn't fling
as bad.

In article ,
says...
Andrew Price wrote:
Would car gearbox oil (HP 80 or 90) be suitable for chain lubrication,
provided the chain is left to soak long enough to enable the oil to
work into all the rollers?

atf is better. it's thinner, has good e.p. additives, and doesn't fling
as bad.

I understand that engine oil has lots of detergent. Surely transmission
oil (either ATF or regular gear oil which I assume is without detergent)
would resist water washout better? When I have used engine oil, I have
seen more black sludge than when using lubes like Finish-Line. Anyone
else noticed that?

As "werehatrack" notes - the pong of EP additives in regular gear oil
makes it unsuitable along with JB's flypaper point.

Tom Ace wrote:
wrote:


Lubricating the chain with hot 90W gear lube works but it is also
efficient fly paper, collecting plenty of hardpack between sprockets
and on the outside of the chain. Motor oil is far better, but
motorcycle chain and chainsaw lubricants are better yet, because they
have volatile solvents that allow good penetration for their
relatively viscous lubricant. [...]


The question wasn't just about 90 weight but about 80 or 90.

Motor oil and gear oil weights are graded on different
scales (I find this just as inane as how sock and shoe
sizes are different). An SAE 80 gear oil has viscosity
comparable to that of an SAE 20 or 30 motor oil.
See the chart at
http://www.experimentalhelo.com/eh_o...hart_fullT.htm

Is there a significant difference (e.g., presence of volatile
solvents) between SAE 30 motor oil and SAE 80 gear oil?

Tom Ace



Your chart on viscosity is for *100C* temperature, or boiling water (212F).

The bicycle chain at cooler temperatures experiences a different
lubrication viscosity than given by the charts.

I was unable to easily find the viscosity vs temperature data for the
lubricants in question.

Usually, motor oils don't have "volatile solvents" to any large degree,
because they would volatilize and go away when the oil is warm.

I have always found casual discussions of lubrication to be rather slippery.

--
1) Eat Till SATISFIED, Not STUFFED... Atkins repeated 9 times in the book
2) Exercise: It's Non-Negotiable..... Chapter 22 title, Atkins book
3) Don't Diet Without Supplimental Nutrients... Chapter 23 title, Atkins
book
4) A sensible eating plan, and follow it. (Atkins, Self Made or Other)

On Fri, 11 Nov 2005 03:45:39 GMT, Werehatrack
wrote:

Yes, it works. Most types have an obnoxious odor, however; if your
ride must share living quarters with a Significant Other, this may
prove to be a problem.

Thanks to all who responded.

The consensus would appear to be "works, but stinks". I'll think I'll
just use ordinary engine oil instead.