Chain lube on primary chain

Information relating to the Matchless G80 or AJS Model 18 500cc Heavyweight.
markwhitelock
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Chain lube on primary chain

Post by markwhitelock »

Is there and reason why I couldn't just use chain lube on the primary and magneto chains rather than mess about with a poorly fitting seal and oil on my garage floor?! I am finding that the tin chain case is a right pain in the arse to try and fit!!
Mick D
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Re: Chain lube on primary chain

Post by Mick D »

Yes

The oil bath is also responsible for lubing the clutch center bearings.

Regards Mick
markwhitelock
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Re: Chain lube on primary chain

Post by markwhitelock »

Cheers Mick, worth persevering then!
Groily
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Re: Chain lube on primary chain

Post by Groily »

Definitely worth persevering, yup. The chaincase seals available these days from the club and elsewhere make it a lot less of a lottery than it was. I have one from AMC Classic Spares on mine, and despite their being nearly 66 years bent and battered, the bits of tin don't leak now - without any silicon or other gunge, which I think is extraordinary! Just a drip now and again, which probably comes out of the g'box mainshaft 'ole anyway.
Dunno about the mag chain compartment, as don't have a single. But they're not notorious are they? Most of the ones I see are OK anyway, with no very special efforts seemingly made.
SPRIDDLER
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Re: Chain lube on primary chain

Post by SPRIDDLER »

Just grease the mag chain itself now and again. No need to fill the entire chain drive housing. There's no gasket required between the mag chain housing and its cover. The top of the housing is just an open hole for the mag armature. I use Castrol LM on the mag chain and none has ever come out, but I guess you could use 'non fling' drive chain lube.

(If you find oil in or leaking from the mag chain housing it'll be due to a worn zorst camshaft bush passing engine oil).
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56G80S
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Re: Chain lube on primary chain

Post by 56G80S »

For one, Sprid, beg to differ. I had some oil in the mag case and it was the plug for the inlet cam! Opped it out, flattened a bit and put back in together with a smear of Wellseal and all good.

Back in the day I half filled the case with graphite HM grease because that was all I had (I was only 22ish) and I thought owt's better than nowt. Still using that chain.

Don't forget the "rubber" doughnut between the mag and the case.

The chaincase seals are great now and I have no thrower on my inner case but still don't lose much from the gearbox output hole or more ikportantly have much water and road dirt get in.

Johnny B
SPRIDDLER
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Re: Chain lube on primary chain

Post by SPRIDDLER »

56G80S wrote:For one, Sprid, beg to differ. I had some oil in the mag case and it was the plug for the inlet cam!
Yes John, it could be coming from either of the cam shafts.
I mentioned the zorst bush from personal experience as after a rebuild run I had copious amounts of oil leaking from the mag chain cover. The 'oil thrower' helix inside the new bush had been cut wrong-handedly, thus it was drawing engine oil along the shaft from the cam chest instead of 'screwing' it back into the cam chest. When a previously good bush wears it erodes the helix which can cause the same problem.
It can't do any harm to fill the mag chain housing with grease but whenever I've taken the cover off I've notice that the the greased chain has been running in a channel between most of the grease which has been thrown outward and deposited around the edge of the housing. Maybe using non-fling drive chain lube would prevent that. :?
Last edited by SPRIDDLER on Sun Jun 21, 2020 6:05 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Chazzyb
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Re: Chain lube on primary chain

Post by Chazzyb »

56G80S wrote: Don't forget the "rubber" doughnut between the mag and the case.
Eh? What rubber doughnut?
Charles
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Re: Chain lube on primary chain

Post by SPRIDDLER »

Chazzyb wrote:
56G80S wrote: Don't forget the "rubber" doughnut between the mag and the case.
Eh? What rubber doughnut?
I believe it was fitted only to comp models although I haven't checked the Spares List to confirm.
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Chazzyb
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Re: Chain lube on primary chain

Post by Chazzyb »

SPRIDDLER wrote:
Chazzyb wrote: Eh? What rubber doughnut?
I believe it was fitted only to comp models although I haven't checked the Spares List to confirm.
My 1953 parts list doesn't list one. Have I been short-changed?
Charles
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