Uhhhh....errrr....ummmmm....I can't be the first guy in here to notice something right ????
.....first of all, if you went through five cans you may have flushed the pins badly.....(I'm not banging on you, don't get me wrong here), but did you continuously spray the chain as you rotated the rear sprocket ?. If you did or didn't you still put a LOT of solvent on that chain. Did you allow it to dry for an hour or two after you wiped it clean before you put grease or kerosene on it ????.......the reason I say an hour or two, is five cans is a lot of solvent. Was the chain warmed up prior to greasing ?. If not, it barely made it by the seals, and if you didn't rotate the rear wheel, the pins probably didn't get much if at all........except solvent
The only reason I'm going long form is that you DO ride the fastest color, SO, that means I gotta help when I can !!!
Do you have a rear stand yet ?. If not, get one. They're nearly one of the most valuable servicing tools I own. Here are my basics for cleaning and greasing.
A) Warm up the chain by either riding the machine for a half an hour, or letting it idle in first gear on the rear stand for at least twenty minutes.(DO NOT go near the chain while it's warming up with any FINGERS, RAGS, or BRUSHES)
B) Either work in a well ventilated area, or wear a face mask, and use a fan. (See note below)
C) On the rear stand, spin the rear wheel and spray for about ten seconds while the chain passes underneath the swing arm. This allows the chain, pins, rollers, and links to become wet, but not enough to flush or drown anything. Now take a throw-away cloth and rub the chain while you SLOWLY rotate the wheel (watch your fingers now). I actually roll the chain in the reverse direction. That means, underneath the swing arm the chain is headed for the engine, and NOT towards the sprocket.
D) Repeat "B"
E) Allow chain to dry for at least ten minutes minimum. This gives the leftover cleaner a chance to evaporate. If the chain is warm, what doesn't come off on the rag, will evaporate quickly.
F) Start spraying or brushing your lubricant onto the chain while slowly rotating the back wheel. Preferably, brush or spray the inside of the links so the sprocket teeth get their fill while you're getting those o-rings nice and wet. Rotate the wheel some more, and keep spraying or brushing. What we're trying to accomplish here is penetrating past the o-ring to the pin with as much fresh lubricant as possible, along with the rollers, but most of the time that's the first to get worked out after you start riding. Thus the rotating of the rear wheel as much as you can. This gets understated, and overlooked much of the time. Even after you're done lubricating, keep spinning that wheel, work that stuff in there.
G) After lubrication and penetration is finished, let sit for several hours (I leave it overnight). What's left of the solvent will evaporate along with the solvent in the grease leaving nothing but an abundance of lubrication.
Now, this is by no means everyone's "How-To", but I commute daily thus I do my chain regularly. A lot. I replaced my stock chain at 16,000, and I have 37,400 now. My ZZZ is still in excellent condition. I do, by all means, recommend if you're spraying chain lube on that you take a 5" wide piece of cardboard and slide it into the gap between your tire wall and the inside of the chain. I use a 5", by 24" piece. As I roll the wheel backwards, it gets stuck up top underneath the tail and stays put until I roll the wheel in the forward direction. It keeps over spray OFF the tire and wheel, and ON the chain where I want it to be. It also gives me an aiming point. I really milk it on. I also, after rolling the lubricant in thoroughly, wipe the edges and sides clean as at this point, the o-rings are well-soaked. I don't floss between the links though as this can remove more than you might want. I then let it sit overnight until the next day. No more squeaks, nor more link noise. Quiet and smooth.
The NOTE form above: "PLEASE work in a well-ventilated area, and if you're using a spray lubricant and spray solvent, wear a face mask" Now I'll tell you why. The Spud used to do his "winter" chain services inside the garage with the garage door cracked a couple inches. I inhaled enough of that stuff that it put me on my back twice for five days at a time. Those instructions and warnings are there for a reason. Even with a fan, I was drawing the vapor into my lungs, thus causing the toxic reaction. The vapor will cling to your lung lining. Whether I'm out doors doing the service or inside a garage, the door is wide open and I use the fan for circulation usually behind me.
For those using kerosene, the same warning applies, but the effects are much less aggressive. :oldcool:
Normally I complete the above service in less than 30 minutes on average, and that includes pulling the three phillips screws and the chain guard. I use Motorex 611 o-ring safe chain clean, and 622 heavy duty chain lube. I'm not a big fan of the kerosene service due to the ungodly buildup and intense cleaning necessary on the rear hub, rear sprocket, and front sprocket cover. No offense to anyone that likes the kerosene service, as that "is" what the manufacturer recommends.....
