Lubricating oil

Dannypenguin · Post by **Dannypenguin** » Wed Feb 27, 2013 12:55 pm

Hi,

I have a Roundhouse Bertie 32mm live steam loco. Can I use spray lubricants like WD40 or does it have to be proper motor oil??

Dan

tom_tom_go · Post by **tom_tom_go** » Wed Feb 27, 2013 1:00 pm

WD40 is alright for cleaning although I find it just attracts dirt afterwards so white spirit is better.

For lubricating your locos motion use 20w-50 motor oil. I use motorbike oil and it works fine.

Vapouriser · Post by **Vapouriser** » Wed Feb 27, 2013 1:06 pm

Wd 40 has a very good lubricant in it but most of it is white spirit so no. I wouldnt use it unless you want to empty the tin and let the white spirit evaporate. I think they reccomend 'light 'oil but thats mainly so its easy to wash off when dirt gets in it and starts to act as grinding paste! I use steam oil as my railwayis well above ground level and no ballast either. I only use a drop or two on the whole works.

Dannypenguin · Post by **Dannypenguin** » Wed Feb 27, 2013 1:30 pm

Ok, thanks for the advice :D

-Dan

Peter L · Post by **Peter L** » Wed Feb 27, 2013 2:39 pm

My grandfather was a machinist and one of the things he drilled into me was 'WD40 is not a lubricant - it's a solvent'. Never use WD40 for lubricating things, just as a penetrating oil - and even then then I prefer Kroil for the job.

Big Al · Post by **Big Al** » Wed Feb 27, 2013 4:50 pm

Best to use 20-50 oil, get a bottle from any car or m/cycle shop and get your self a small oil can to use it in I found the oil can sold buy track shack to be very good if you only use the oil on your trains it will last for a long time. Roundhouse steam oil for the engine internals.

MDLR · Post by **MDLR** » Wed Feb 27, 2013 6:27 pm

[quote="Big Al:80663I found the oil can sold buy track shack to be very good if you only use the oil on your trains it will last for a long time. Roundhouse steam oil for the engine internals.[/quote]

I searched on eBay for "Singer Oil Can" = that was a good buy!

Pretoria · Post by **Pretoria** » Thu Feb 28, 2013 7:06 pm

Just to throw a spanner in the works (and you can read lots of technical stuff on the internet as well as me if you don't believe me) but motor oils are totally unsuitable for total loss bearing use (ie lubrication of locomotive bearings).

Car engine oils are intended for pressure fed lubrication systems which is constantly fed with new oil -- the formulation has no requirement to "stick" as it is always being replaced. It is full of detergents to wash away residues.

So called "steam" oils are specifically designed for occasional feed to total loss bearings. The best test is to put a drop of oil between two fingers and then pull them apart -- a proper bearing oil will form a thread or string between your fingers. You will not get this with a motor oil.

I am sure there will be lots of "experts" who will post a reply that they have been using motor oil for years without any apparent problems. Research for yourself and make your own mind up is all that I would ask. But if you are the proud owner of an expensive loco, why risk it for the sake of getting the easily obtainable proper stuff.

DolwyddelanLightRail · Post by **DolwyddelanLightRail** » Thu Feb 28, 2013 7:34 pm

Having had to top up Paxman VP185 and MTU R41 engines with oil (ok, they're 79odd litre engines, a tad bigger than your average car...) I can add to Pretorias post on that the oil has a much higher viscosity and less "stickiness" than that of proper steam oil. Even though the engines are far larger, they still use the same principles that they use a pressurised closed (ha, yeah right...) system for the lubricating oil. The EXOL multigrade oil used in the MTU and now VP185 (which is also used in lorry and some car engines) is almost like water its that thin, so I wouldn't have thought myself that it would be suitable for steam locomotives (I suppose you could argue that the lubricator is under pressure from the steam when the reg is open...)

Dannypenguin · Post by **Dannypenguin** » Fri Mar 01, 2013 7:35 pm

Ok, thankyou very much. As a i am a novice i didn't want to put the wrong type on.

Thanks again.

robc_wa · Post by **robc_wa** » Sun Mar 03, 2013 7:30 am

Could someone please clarify......

Is the general recommendation then that Steam Oil be used for both Cylinder lubrication (for which it is clearly designed) AND for general lubrication of running gear etc?

Rob

Steven.T · Post by **Steven.T** » Sun Mar 03, 2013 9:50 am

I use the gaugemaster oil for smaller scales on my motion, just because it was there at the time...
Would 3 in 1 do the trick?

DolwyddelanLightRail · Post by **DolwyddelanLightRail** » Sun Mar 03, 2013 11:29 am

robc_wa:80784 wrote:Could someone please clarify......

Is the general recommendation then that Steam Oil be used for both Cylinder lubrication (for which it is clearly designed) AND for general lubrication of running gear etc?

Rob

You can use steam oil for both, I do, mainly as it's a lot easier in my case just to carry one bottle of oil instead of two. 3 in 1 oil is suitable for the motion lubrication, I used to use it on my mamod and Edrig to lubricate the motion.

Dannypenguin · Post by **Dannypenguin** » Sun Sep 15, 2013 8:49 pm

Sorry for dredging this thread up from the depths, but its pointless making a new one for the same topic...

I have been informed (via my railway thread) that I should use 3 in 1 oil to lubricate my loco instead of steam oil, however the 3 in 1 I've found is very watery and thin. Is this the correct type? I haven't used it yet.

laalratty · Post by **laalratty** » Sun Sep 15, 2013 9:10 pm

Only for the mechanical parts (eg motion and bearings), steam oil must be used in the lubricator. I've heard various conflicting arguments about what to use on the mechanical parts, from "you must use steam oil since everything else will run off" to "you can't use steam oil, it's too sticky" which is what I would personally agree with.

METHSSNIFFER · Post by **METHSSNIFFER** » Sun Sep 15, 2013 9:11 pm

Isnt WD40 a silicant a water dispersant isnt it synthetic

GTB · Post by **GTB** » Mon Sep 16, 2013 10:09 am

Dannypenguin:88710 wrote: I have been informed (via my railway thread) that I should use 3 in 1 oil to lubricate my loco instead of steam oil, however the 3 in 1 I've found is very watery and thin.

Accucraft specify a light oil for lubricating their chassis and suggest 3 in 1 oil is suitable. NOTE, only for chassis use, such as axles, crank pins etc., it's not suitable for use in the cylinder lubricator. That needs steam oil and Accucraft specify 460 grade steam oil.

3 in 1 was invented a hundred plus years ago for oiling bikes, but the company now makes several products, so you need to make sure which one you have. The name is a reference to it's claimed ability to lubricate, penetrate and clean.

These days the 3 in 1 brand is owned by the WD40 Company, but they are different formulations.

Graeme

Dannypenguin · Post by **Dannypenguin** » Mon Sep 16, 2013 10:26 am

Ta very much.

I realise now I didn't phrase my post quite right. I only use steam oil for the displacement lubricator, but up until recently I have also been using steam oil for the outside (slip excentrics, axles, crank pins, etc), until I was informed I should be using 3 in 1. The answers have clarified this though, and that my 3 in 1 type is the correct oil.

Thanks again!

GTB · Post by **GTB** » Mon Sep 16, 2013 10:42 am

METHSSNIFFER:88716 wrote:Isnt WD40 a silicant a water dispersant isnt it synthetic

WD40 and 3 in 1 are different formulations.

WD40 is mostly white spirit, with a bit of oil, some corrosion inhibitor and a surfactant. It doesn't contain silicone and it's pretty useless as a lubricant, but good for stopping tools going rusty in the workshop......

3 in 1 is a light mineral oil, with a corrosion inhibitor.

Depending on your viewpoint, anything that is formulated in a factory is synthetic, but there are ester based lubricants that are known as synthetic lubricants.

Graeme

METHSSNIFFER · Post by **METHSSNIFFER** » Mon Sep 16, 2013 5:45 pm

I always thought it had silicone in it!

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