# Heavy vs light oil for running gear



## cjsrch (May 29, 2010)

As the title says what do you use. I was using 3 in 1 but after running out started using Lucas oil (thick stuff). It seems to stay around longer and seems to keep parts more freely moving and seems to keep more dirt out 



Any opinions


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## Charles (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By cjsrch on 23 Jan 2011 04:53 PM 
As the title says what do you use. I was using 3 in 1 but after running out started using Lucas oil (thick stuff). It seems to stay around longer and seems to keep parts more freely moving and seems to keep more dirt out 



Any opinions 

Neither of those are designed as steam oil....


Steam oil overview 


Examples are:


Green velvet
Roundhouse


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## zubi (May 14, 2009)

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Cjsrch, use the thicker stuff. Live steamers get hot and light stuff just evaporates. Thicker oil becomes softer with temperature. I usually just use steam oil on running parts. On the parts which do not get hot you may prefer to use lighter oil. For example on the tender trucks. Best wishes from Tokyo, Zubi PS Charles, Cjsrch refers to oil for the running gear.


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## iceclimber (Aug 8, 2010)

I don't mean to come of as knowing it all, but I don't think he was meaning steam oil as he said oil for running gear. I know lots of people say they like the 3 in 1. That is what I planned on using, but if there is something better I am all for that. I use 3 in 1 for some of my 0 gauge electric things, though those things rarely need any lube.


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## steamboatmodel (Jan 2, 2008)

If you are just using it on running gear and not as a replacement for steam oil in the lubricator it should be OK. I use 30 w on bearings and gears. 
Regards, 
Gerald.


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## Ding Dong (Sep 27, 2010)

I've been using Zoom spout turbine oil for my external running gear lubrication. It's really excellent! The manufacturer of my coal fired Duchess however, recommends motor oil for the external lubriction which I have not tried yet. I have some concern that the coal embers may adhere to the thicker oil and cause faster wear and tear. But sometime down the road I will give this a try.

Rob Meadows


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## Charles (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By zubi on 23 Jan 2011 06:12 PM 
Cjsrch, use the thicker stuff. Live steamers get hot and light stuff just evaporates. Thicker oil becomes softer with temperature. I usually just use steam oil on running parts. On the parts which do not get hot you may prefer to use lighter oil. For example on the tender trucks. Best wishes from Tokyo, Zubi PS Charles, Cjsrch refers to oil for the running [email protected] url(http://www.mylargescale.com/Provide...ad.ashx?type=style&file=SyntaxHighlighter.css);@import url(/providers/htmleditorproviders/cehtmleditorprovider/dnngeneral.css); Zubi
That is what happens when one is watch football, talking to my son in Japan and trying to post on MLS...


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## ETSRRCo (Aug 19, 2008)

I use railroad journal oil just like the real deal......of course I only use that cause I can get it from the railroad I volunteer at.


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## Steve Shyvers (Jan 2, 2008)

Me too with the Zoom Spout turbine oil. (label says "Product of Norvey, Inc.") I used to use 3-in-1 in the BLUE container, which is labeled as 20 SAE motor oil. This is not the regular 3-in-1 in the black container. However the Zoom Spout oil had been recommended by several live steamers as being a superior lubricating oil, and when I saw some at the local hardware store I grabbed a bottle. 

Steve


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## iceclimber (Aug 8, 2010)

Hey, Hope you all are Steelers fans.


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Though I am nowhere as experienced as the above in live steam, I do have sparkies that have lots of running gear. 

I like the "heavy gear oil" from hob-e-lub and similar. 

It is designed to cling to gears, and I find it does a much better than the light oils that always seem to be recommended for valve gear, siderods, etc. 

I understand the thoughts of a heavier oil having more "sticky" and attracting dirt, but the dirt will get into and stick to any oil. 

What I have found is that it provides superior lubrication, and does not seem to "disappear" like the light oils. 

Regards, Greg


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## Pete Thornton (Jan 2, 2008)

turbine oil 

Turbine Oil is what you need for the moving parts. It is designed for lubricating moving/spinning metal parts and bearings - not for releasing rusty bolts. 

There's a 3-in-1 turbine oil in a blue can as well as the ordinary red one. I have one with a spout - probably the Zoom stuff. Your local hardware store has it in stock.


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## Kovacjr (Jan 2, 2008)

I have been using the Greenvelvet PB&J 220 oil for all my bushings and valve gear. 

On the steam oil been using Greenvelvet Sapon A Max 320 for the lubricators, the valve and piston rods and crosshead lairds. Both those areas get too hot for other thinner oils and just disappear after the run. I also have noticed that since using the steam oil on the piston and valve rods the Orings have not worn and still are keeping a tight seal on the rods. In the past I have replaced many orings on these rods due to the Orings wearing probally from lack of oil using the thinner turbine oil I was using. Been using the Greenvelvet brand for the last 3 years.


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## David Leech (Dec 9, 2008)

Whenever I needed to add oil to my '74 Chevy Impala, which at 300,000 miles still needed very little (boy that 350 was a lovely engine), I used to drain the left over in the oil can (later plastic bottles) into my loco lubrication oil can. Then later from my '81 Chevy Malibu the same thing. 
Then both cars were traded in, and I seemed to never need to add oil on later cars, especially on our newest car (I wonder where I find the dip stick?). 
Anyway, the 20-50W oil which I still have lots of seemed to have kept my locos running gear lubricated without any problems that I know about. 
I mean they are designed to operate where it gets hot, aren't they! 
All the best, 
David Leech, Delta, Canada


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## CapeCodSteam (Jan 2, 2008)

David, 

I agree on the Chevy 350, I used to have one in my '78 Z-28 which I rebuilt in the late 80s, 350 inches, 350 HP, what a beast, headers connected to 3.5" ID dual exhaust, man did she breathe. My mistake after rebuilding the engine was not upgrading the tranny cooling lines. Live and learn.


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## tacfoley (Jan 3, 2008)

Blue, schmoo. Here you use what you can get. 

Me, I use Castrol GTX motor oil. 

tac 
www.ovgrs.org


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