OK, I'm asking for someone to put forth a bit of effort here, but I think we could really use a comprehensive locomotive maintenance and lubrication thread. There are folks, like me, who are experiencing loco troubles and are somewhat nervous about safe lubrication points and appropriate lubricants. I've seen people state that lubricationg motor bearings and brushes is a must and others state that any lubrication inside the motor at all would be catastrophic! Plus, Kato has that that "no need to lubricate..." disclamer in their instructions which does not help the nervousness. A real plus would be if there were photos showing lube points. The author could protect himself by saying "this is what I do", so as to not feel responsible if someone wrecks something by trying to follow their instructions. My biggest problem is a horrible, intermittent squeeeeel that whines from my Kato C44-9W's and mid-range speeds....especially when running solo. But, I would also like to keep my Atlas units well lubed. Any takers??!! Thanks! Russ BTW, I won't be able to reply to any threads until tomorrow night. [ 04. November 2002, 19:59: Message edited by: tehachapifan ]
I have a fair idea but wish somebody would let us know what kind of grease for the gears an oil for the bearing.
Labelle 108 is a good oil for the axle and motor bearings, and Labelle 106 is a good grease. The June 2002 Model Railroader has a good artical about diesel maintenance.
"The Train Doctor" says everything that moves or rotates needs periodic maintenance and lubrication. Most problems that I deal with are overlubrication. Causing dirt to be accumulated and "gumming up the works" . I use Aero Lube products but LaBelle has been around a long time and works well also. As was mentioned, Model Railroader did an article recently and there are several good books on the subject also.
I didn't write the book, I learned one method the hard way, but it works for me. That doen't make it Gospel, it just works for me. Most of the problems come from over-lubrication. (I have been told, I have read, and have found out.) Keep in mind that liquid oils will migrate eventually covering a surface to at least one molecule thick, like on water, or a mirror. Liquid oil will also capillary through tiny cracks and will travel great distances in time. Greases tend to harden with age, and pick up dust and particals from the air, and surrounding environment, like off the roadbed between the rails, and filings from the moving parts as they wear. Pretty soon, the grease has become more putty-like and is squeezed out into gobs along the gear sides, and is no longer performing its job. Less is better, but a tiny amount is required. Get an Adrenalin syringe at the Drug Store with the needle, and grind the point of the needle off. Make sure the tiny hole is still open by sticking a sewing needle into the hole. Only pull a drop or two into the syringe at a time. This will be enough quantity to do a whole engine. Use a magnifyer to see closely, and very gently squeeze only until you see a little fluid shoot around the crack between the axel and bearing THEN STOP!!!! NO more. (Practise on a mirror first, by putting one grain of sugar on the mirror, and try to run just enough oil to see it go around the sugar grain. When you can do this, then clean the mirror, and go do the engine.) It does take both hands to get steady enough to do this properly. Sometimes all you have to do is put the needle in place and enough oil will capillary into the bearing, so just lift it up and go to the next bearing. If you find this works for you, you can pull the plunger out, and just touch the needle where needed, if this works for you. If you get too much, quickly pull it back into the syringe! What is left will be enough for several months running. Do each bearing. After you get good at putting less than an eighth of a drop on axel bearings, you might very carefully try a tid bitty bit less on a motor shaft bearing. The problem with oil on the commutator end of a motor shaft, is getting oil on the brushes and commutator! That is a NO NO! and can ruin a motor. Grease is for gears and sliding parts. Use a tooth pick and get as much as would fill one cavity between two teeth on a gear. Fill three places not evenly spaced around the gear. Do not put any on a mating gear, Allow the gears to run awhile. When a shiny film can be seen on all teeth, that gear set is lubricated enough. Do another set. Do NOT use a graphite based type, it will carry current! (I use Lubri-Plate 630 AA Food Grade grease, it is white.) John Patton uses another good one, I forgot the name. John? Any more than this, will eventually get onto the wheel tires and become deposited on the rail heads. That gives you trouble by insulating both wheels and track, especially at switch frogs and points. After cleaning rails, always run a vacuum over all tracks to pick up any filings, especially if you have rubbed an abrasive rubber or sandpaper on the rails. apply Rail-Zip the same way, the syringe is handy for this too, it goes a l-o-n-g way. It just takes patience and skill.
I hear ya Watash... I don't offen come in the N scale forum but here I am.... The grease I use is called "White Lithuim Marine Grease" its sold at sport shops for in fishing reels and all. and will NOT break down like alot of grease tend to do! Not so much this, but it DOES NOT attack plastic at any volume! And acts as a heat sink as well. You go and make a gear box turn at a high rate of speed (Yes I done this) with a rotary tool.. and the gearing and shafts get hot fast. then add some of this grease, and you will find that the grease will take the heat.. and the gearing and shafts stay cool. Amazingly true! I took an old AHM gear box from an HO scale 2-10-2 and done this and let me tell you. what a difference! The gear box being one that was due for replacement didn't bother me to ruin it anymore then it alrerady was.. but, I took and connected the worm gear shaft to the end of a Dremel flex shaft tool and ran it wide open. 30,000 RPM and the box got hot fast! Left it cool.. till it was room temperature and then added the White Lithium Marine grease, and done it again. The gear box didn't even get warm! But, the grease burned a mark in my finger! After I had done all this when I first got this stuff, I now do NOT use any types of oil period! Its either this grease or bust for me... Its a proven lubercant that I can't seem to get anything better.. Labelle is histroy! And a grease gun tube of this grease is around $4 so... And the thing is, as Watash has said. You don't need to over lubercate.. This grease once in the gear boxes and all.. Just a coating. nothing MORE will last 6 months of hard running. and in most cases with you all alot longer! I run my loco's for 8 to 10 hours durring shows and not once do I have to shut down a loco to lubercate... I may have to clean wheels. but no lubercation is needed. This stuff doesn't dry up like a paste in time nor collects dirt unless theirs dirt and all inside the gear boxes! With time and wear it will turn a graphite color of gray. this is harmless. this is snow white grease! But it dioesn't break down in long periods of time.... Its the same consistancy at all times! I tell ya, I had gotten the stuff on my hands and the thing is. If you had done that.. You'd know and understand what I mean. It made my rough metal working hands as smooth as silk! So, think what it does to gearing and bearings! I've seen motors that were more or less locked up. electric motors were the shafts were so tight in their self contained bearings that it was restricking the motor from turning the shaft! Well.. a little WD-40 in the shaft with a Q-tip to free it up and then alittle of this grease added to that location and the motor ran its listed RPM with no hesitation! Matter of fact that same motor was written off as burnt up! And I'm to this very day running that motor in a rather large steamer in HO scale with no trouble at all! Hauls 40 cars alone! In HO scale. I don't know what or how I ever got into this grease.. but for whatever reason.. its like a hobby mirracle come true!
