Wrapping a valve cover gasket with plumbers tape managed to stop an impossible to stop oil leak.

The worst thing that can happen with the chain is the tape will come off and I'll have wasted 15 minutes and 50 cents.

I'll report back with the results, maybe even with photos.

I only had time for a short segment of chain. It shredded pretty fast, about 3 minutes to become difficult to even see the white tape. I doubt it offers much in the way of lubrication advantages either.

Second try with 2 rolls of tape on a new chain and new (dry) cassette started off absolutely quiet, although it took awhile to punch holes in the outside of the chain with the idler pully. It was half gone after 6 km, 75% gone after 9 km. It mostly rubbed off shifting gears.

There's an online crowd sourced project for a reversible reaction motor oil additive. It would somehow become exothermic on cold starts to reduce viscosity. As the engine warmed the reaction reverses the additive to its original components.

That additive may never be realistic but a bike chain might be an easier problem. The goal is lubrication only on the tiny wear surfaces between pins and inner link holes, maybe 0.05 cc for an entire stainless steel chain. Everything else should be dry.

There should be some precise amount of cleaning that removes almost all the grease on the exposed parts of the chain were oil isn't desired, yet leaves enough oil where's it's needed.

The cleaning would need to be done very uniformly. Right now everyone slathers on several ccs of grease which then picks up grime.


Bret Cahill