Tutoro chain oiler

[Grumpy old man 4,673]

Hi

After recent chain problems I'm looking at a different method for chain maintenance.  Does the above have to use Tutoro oil or can any oil be used; ie chain saw oil, engine oil, gear oil.

 

Help please

 

Lloyd

 

[Slowboy 20,430]

I have used Scottoil in mine for the last 24,000 miles and it works fine. Mine is the automatic oiler, well worth the extra in my opinion.

[Guest SpinyBiker]

Like Brian I use Scottoil in my tutoro auto. No other reason than it's available to buy in more places.

[Guest Krzysztof]

Scottoil in Tutoro auto for me.

Some people reccomend engine oil but i have very bad experience with it.

[Guest Donnyboy]

I save the engine oil drained at service(10/30/40 oil with no problems excepting the engine oil is harder to remove around the wheel etc than chain oil..

[noj 365]

Chain saw oil in the loobman. It's hard to explain but the oil is stringy for want of a better word and doesn't seem to fling everywhere. And it is for fast spinning chains on a saw.

[Guest Krzysztof]

Chain saw oil in the loobman. It's hard to explain but the oil is stringy for want of a better word and doesn't seem to fling everywhere. And it is for fast spinning chains on a saw.

Tutoro themselves warns about chainsaw oil

 

"We have had some customers try using Chain Saw Oil but cant recommend it as it is just too sticky and glue like to flow properly at ambient temps up to 28°C. Besides which some Chainsaw oils are vegetable based - be aware some of these oils attack nitrile seals such as the O or X rings in your chain!"

 

https://www.tutorochainoiler.com/blogs/news/62905925-what-oil-should-i-use

[Guest GeoffThai]

Why not use the Tutoro oil, they have Hot weather and Cold weather variants and can send it through the post. I was pleasantly surprised to receive mine posted to me in Thailand. Very good customer service dept. 

[Grumpy old man 4,673]

Tutoro themselves warns about chainsaw oil

"We have had some customers try using Chain Saw Oil but cant recommend it as it is just too sticky and glue like to flow properly at ambient temps up to 28°C. Besides which some Chainsaw oils are vegetable based - be aware some of these oils attack nitrile seals such as the O or X rings in your chain!"

https://www.tutorochainoiler.com/blogs/news/62905925-what-oil-should-i-use

Very useful thanks

[usabikes 440]

Old 90W gear oil seems OK and I think Tutoro say its an OK alternative to their own oil.

[Grumpy old man 4,673]

Old 90W gear oil seems OK and I think Tutoro say its an OK alternative to their own oil.

Hi Graeme

Does gear oil flow ok in cooler weather?

Edited May 26, 2016 by Grumpy old man

[MikeBike 5,005]

Why not use the Tutoro oil, they have Hot weather and Cold weather variants and can send it through the post. I was pleasantly surprised to receive mine posted to me in Thailand. Very good customer service dept. 

Exactly. I bought one bottle (https://www.tutorochainoiler.com/collections/tutoro-accessories/products/tutoro-original-motorcycle-chain-oil) when I bought the bike and 10000 miles later I still have a little left. And it is not turned off!

Checking on the Tutoro site it says

 

500ML refill should last you 250 hours! - its only 15 hours to the Alps from London!

250 hours at an average of say 40mph is 10000miles.

So at a cost of less than £1 per 1000 miles, is it really necessary to try to find an alternative?

[MikeBike 5,005]

Old 90W gear oil seems OK and I think Tutoro say its an OK alternative to their own oil.

Maybe in New Zealand if you get high temps where you are, but not in UK.

Tutoro say (See https://www.tutorochainoiler.com/blogs/news/62905925-what-oil-should-i-use)

 

Lastly if you do go out to buy oil for your chain and can't get or dont want a bespoke chain oil, get some Gearbox oil, something like EP70/90 is fine if the ambient temp is warm enough! BUT....its no use using thick Gearbox oil where the ambient temperature is under 25°C, its just too thick and will only flow very slowly, for that reason we really dont recommend using 80/90 gear oil in the UK- here's hoping we have a summer that makes that possible!

Edited May 26, 2016 by MikeBike

[Grumpy old man 4,673]

Exactly. I bought one bottle (https://www.tutorochainoiler.com/collections/tutoro-accessories/products/tutoro-original-motorcycle-chain-oil) when I bought the bike and 10000 miles later I still have a little left. And it is not turned off!

Checking on the Tutoro site it says

250 hours at an average of say 40mph is 10000miles.

So at a cost of less than £1 per 1000 miles, is it really necessary to try to find an alternative?

Fair comment.

I have been in touch with tutoro they have been very helpful.

Thanks all

Lloyd

[michael 324]

Naturally, on the west coast of canada, we don't see many bottles of Tutoro on the shelves, so i've used up the last of my Scottoil (available) and also tried spraying in chain lube into the unit (mixed results) and 90 weight gear lube.

 

The gear lube is readily available, inexpensive and comes in container sizes that are easy to carry when on a riding vacation.

It's also more prone to fling and dirty up the back of the motorcycle.

 

The spray on chain lube experiment didn't work too well, as it tended to have a waxier substance (good on chain, bad on dispensers) that settled in the bottom of the container. Then it inhibited flow.

 

So I prefer oil specific to oil dispensers, be it Tutoro oil or Scottoil. Consistency is correct and for the difference in price? worth it.

[Griff 1,556]

Chains are not fussy about what oil is used on them.

 

I have used various oilers for years and quickly got over the suggested necessity to use specific oil in them. Instead I use left over gear oil or left over engine oil after changes, to top up. Which I use depends on the season with regard to viscosity and flow. At the end of the day it is usual that these oils are fully synthetic and accordingly they will be very good to a chain. When I got my first Scottoiler I was using the dedicated oil. I soon got over that and went on to the left over oils. There was no difference whatsoever to chain life, other than that the chain lasted much longer with an oiler. .

[michael 324]

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Agreed.

The subtle difference for some may be the clean up from the increased (or diminished) fling.

[usabikes 440]

Hi Graeme

Does gear oil flow ok in cooler weather?

Sorry for the late reply. It's just starting to get cold and I have had to crank it up a full turn. Might need more as the winter sets in. Think I'll look at getting some more liquid gold Tutoro oil.

[usabikes 440]

Maybe in New Zealand if you get high temps where you are, but not in UK.

Tutoro say (See https://www.tutorochainoiler.com/blogs/news/62905925-what-oil-should-i-use)

 

Looks like I remembered that wrong

Will try original oil even though its very costly here

[TheEnglishman 401]

Living on the West coast of Canada I'd have though chain saw oil would be cheaper than water?  It got my chain past 27000 miles.  And a gallon of it appears to be a lifetime's supply.

[Edwin 59]

Adjusting due to ambient temperature.......ah yes, takes me back to my Scottoiler days (many years ago)