Chain Heat Testing

[standfast]

I decided to start testing how beneficial airflow to the chain would be. I ran my car up to 60mph in 6th gear with the gearbox in neutral for 5 minutes continuous. Before the test the chain was at a ambient 84*. After the 5 minutes of run time my chain was at 206*.

I let the chain cool all back down to ambient. I set the air compressor at 40psi and applied the airflow to the topside of the chain so it was spraying on the barrels and sideplates right near the topside of the drive sprocket. Ran it for the 5 minutes at 60mph again. No change really. It still got to 205-207 degees.

Maybe there is a better way to apply airflow to the chain but this doesn't look like it is gonna work. It's gonna be hard to generate that kind of focussed airflow with any fan or blower.

Now I know this is a "no load" test but I am pretty sure most of the heat problems come from chain speed and not so much the load based on time spent at low speed and high speed in the car when problems arrive.

Images were taken with a Fluke TiR1 infrared imager.

Chain at speed just before the 5 minute mark with airflow. Temp was measured at the sideplates. Temp on barrels was about 20* hotter. I was just using the sideplate as a reference since it was a safer part to measure with the chain at speed.


This image was take after I stopped a test. Notice how much more heat there is at the master link? It was 30* hotter at this point after the test. This makes sense because all the failures we have had are near the master links. This chain has a rivet link on it. It doesn't matter whether we use a clip link or a rivet link.


Here is another image of the master link after a test. When looking at the chains that have failed so far they burn the the o rings in the links next to the master links. This is on both my car and the sinister cars. Is this where others are noticing initial o-ring failure as well? I am stuffing lube into the masterlinks when I put the chains together.


I am fairly convinced that airflow is not a viable solution at this point unless someone has a better idea to apply the air somehow. I can test it if it is fairly easy to do but if this didn't seems to make ANY difference, I don't see how something else is gonna be the solution.

I am now starting to consider trying dual 420 chains like RickS did with the Geo car and like bugpac was suggesting. I was thinking dual 530's but I think 420's would generate less heat in the first place and that is the goal isn't it? I am just not sure if the combination of the two of them is going to be as strong as a single 630 like I am running now.

You can see how the sections near the master link are burning up at somepoint in this vid. I think this is a chain off the black sinister car that I just replaced the other day. This is a RK 630 GSV X-ring chain.

YouTube - chainplay

[bdkw1]

Cool!

Pics, not the chain

[pwerwagn]

I gotta say it was really nice of that guy to sacrifice his hand near that chain at those speeds. What a moron. Lol.....

But yeah, like skyler said, I also dont forsee air flow being a viable solution to this problem. The other thing is, there is a long period (3 minutes?) where the chain stays relatively cool, and then within 20-30 seconds the heat rises exponentially and then settles. Something is going on there.

Id like to see what the temps do at different speeds, and I would also like to see the temps under the same conditions with a non- o-ring chain...

--Jeff

[busasandrail]

Intresting.....
How many links does the chain have? I have always heard the more links the less heat. Wonder how addition links would effect the heat buildup.?

I know mine gets fairly warm to touch(53 links O ring 630) but I have never done any real high speed runs. Mine is checked after a mid speed run.

[LiveWire]

More links will spread the heat generated out. The fact that the chain heated up without load shows would indicate to me, it is because each link has to bend more on the small driven sprocket. There are additional factors such as the smaller sprocket having less surface area to dissipate the heat and less chain links to spread it over. With the chain getting that hot without load, while it may not be the perfect test, it still is very helpful for testing out fixes. I would say he proved airflow is not sufficient. If testing with larger sprockets at both ends, it may not give a true picture without load since one of the issues with a large front sprocket is increased chain speed so increased centrifugal force on the chain increasing load. An unloaded test may reveal positive results, but under load, the shear strength of the lubricant might be broken.

[Gene]

How large are the sprockets and what is the largest countershaft sprocket you can install? How large a sprocket can you put in the rear? Would installing the largest possible sprockets make a significant difference or would it only delay heat buildup?

So if you have a one-piece chain it still generates more heat on the master? Why is that?

[dunerocket]

What are you considering a failure? The chain snaps?


You could try an o-ring with a higher temp rating at the master link.

[busasandrail]

Originally Posted by Gene

How large are the sprockets and what is the largest countershaft sprocket you can install? How large a sprocket can you put in the rear? Would installing the largest possible sprockets make a significant difference or would it only delay heat buildup?

So if you have a one-piece chain it still generates more heat on the master? Why is that?

If I had to guess. I would assume it would be because the master link isnt properly lubed. It has lube on it when installed but I imagin its less then the other preassembled links.

Just guessing.?

[busasandrail]

Originally Posted by dunerocket

What are you considering a failure? The chain snaps?


You could try an o-ring with a higher temp rating at the master link.

Do chain manufacturers rate motocycle chains for heat?

[dunerocket]

Originally Posted by busasandrail

Do chain manufacturers rate motocycle chains for heat?

I don't belive they do. However you can buy o-rings of different materials that would fit.