Can you over lube? How do you know how much oil to add? What kind oil do you use?
Labelle Industries makes appropriate lubrication materials (both thin oil and thicker grease):
http://www.walthers.com/exec/page/manuinfo/v430
These oils are formulated to take care of both metal and plastic parts. You’ll probably end up with enough to last a decade, so the price is actually very reasonable.
And yes, you most certainly can over-lube. Be very conservative with this stuff. You don’t want excess oil dripping down and getting on your wheels, and then on to your track.
Another drawback of over lubrication is that oil will attract dust and dirt. And it would tend to attract it to the moving parts, where it can do the most harm.
One thing I can tell you, probably the only thing I can think of in life where less is beter when it comes to lube is in model engines. For my HO gear sets, I only do maybe one or two drops duriing the summer as the heat in my garage can casue it dry out. if it is indoors, and you run it maybe once or twice a week, it can go 2-4 years with out needing oil ( There is alot od “it depends” with each person’s case) Tom is right, over oiling will bring in more problems than benifits.
[#ditto] Over doing it is not good, The Labelle products are good for our use, they have a complete line of products.
How do you know how much to add? Just a drop or two?
Yes, just a drop or two on each bearing surface.
The size of drops are relative. In our case a drop is defined as teensie weensie or smaller. VERY little oil is required.
BB
For lots of reasons, I’ve taken the advice of mcouvillion (a member on this forum) and have taken to using Dexron II Automotive Transmission Fluid instead of model lubricants.
Here’s a quote from mcouvillion’s post on here:
[quote]
QUOTE: Originally posted by mcouvillion
Yes, I use only Dexron II.
I’m a chemist who resurrected my childhood trains about 25 years ago and had to clean every last wheel journal of every car, the bushings of every motor, and the gears of every power truck. I had lubricated them as a kid with light machine oil. It all turned to gum.
As a chemist, I know that refined natural oils have unsaturation that eventually will oxidize. Over time, this produces the gum. Synthetics don’t and therefore won’t. I use Dexron II because as a kid I also ran Aurora Thunderjet 500 slot cars and used their Special Racing Oil. Never a problem, even when we used way too much.
Later, when I found the slot car set after having spent my teen years working on cars, I found the near-empty bottle of Special Racing Oil. I opened it and immediately recognized the smell - transmission fluid! Then I got to thinking about why they would use it. It does not conduct electricity, so it is safe around motors. It has a low viscosity that is relatively constant over a broad temperature range, so whether cold or hot, it’s viscosity is about the same. It will not gum up, it is compatible with plastics, metals, and paint.
You can wipe it up with a tissue if you get it on the painted surface of your model. If you put too much, it will just sling off, but a film will remain and stay where it is needed. And you can buy a lifetime supply for less than $2.00! What a deal! I have been using Dexron II exclusively as my only wet lubricant for over 20 years and have never had a problem and have NEVER had to go back and clean up a sticky residue.
If I feel there is not enough residual fluid on a bearing surface, I’ll ad