Hi everyone,
I couldn’t find any information about using WD40 for lubricating an Athearn desiel and I was wondering if anyone could help me. Would using WD40 be bad for the engine or is it okay to use? Also, what parts need to be lubed?
Thanks in advance for any help.
nooo way. melt plastic
use plastic compatible oil only
as far as parts to lube, the motor bearings, the gear bearings and the gears,
the wheel bearings and the gear bearings and gears on the wheel axles.
If you have a heavier gear lube plastric compatible, use it instead of oil on the gears.
WD40 isn’t much good to lublicate anything properly especially your trains. You need to use a light plastic compatible oil (Labell or equiv.) for axle journals/ bushings, motor/ worm bushings and steam valve gear/ side rods. You lubricate using only a drop. For gears and worm use Label #106 which is a light plastic compatible grease.
WD40 is used so universally as a general lubricant, the stuff has very little lasting lubricating properties it is mostly vehicle/ solvent and perfume. I use CRC in place of WD40, lubes w/ teflon, silicone sprays and lithium One lube doesn’t work for all applications. I still have a can of Sturmey/Archer oil for 3 speed bikes, Some of the best light oil I have ever found next to Outer’s gun oil.
Bob K>
I’m glad I asked before I sprayed the stuff all over! Thanks a lot for the quick replies, you just saved me $80 and a whole lot of frustration. [:D]
WD40 was designed as a “Water Displacement” lubricant fro the Space Program, hence the WD which stands for Water Displacement. The 40, believe it or not, stands for the “40th” formula that the chemist tried which finally worked. It had to be bio-safe, cannot attack plastic, rubber, etc…
I can tell you, that I find more uses for this amasing product every day. A few months ago, my wife was painting some small figures, and she discovered in horror that she was not using water based paint, but oil based. She just had here fingernails done ( hey guys, you know what that is all about ), and if she used oil paint remover, there went the nail job etc. So, I settled her down, and figured I had nothing to lose in trying WD40. It woked like a champ!! It removed the oil based paint off here hands, rings etc, and nver took the nail polish off. I have used it to remove tar off my hands and cloths, clean spots off the carpet, etc. This stuff is amasing guys !!
I’ve found teflon and graphite products work best. I’ve got a teflon based gun oil from Remington that’s incredible. (plastic safe too)
grayfox, are you saying that WD40 can be used?
I also have a can of “Liquid Wrench Super Lubricant” can this be used? On the label it says it is safe for MOST plastics. Can I trust it?
NOOOOOO!!!
on both counts
use oil formulated for the job The Atlas lube kit for example.
Do yourself (and your engines) a favor and go get some of the Labelle stuff from your LHS. The grease is perfect for your gears, and the light oil just right for your motors.
I love WD-40 for things like car door mechanisms and bicycle parts, but as a spray it lacks the kind of precise control you want for your trains. For that, you want one drop of oil in precisely the right place, not a blast all over that will slowly drip all over the place.
WD-666 is known as “the spray lubricant of The Beast.” Your lubricant (for your locomotives, anyway) should be Labelle.
The problem is I don’t have a hobby shop anywhere near me and I can’t drive myself there because, well… I’m not old enough. All I have is my permit [sigh]. I wasn’t planning on spraying the stuff all over the place, just on a piece of paper so I can dab some on a Q-tip.
This other stuff I have says it is “plastic friendly” this should work right? Or maybe I should just forget lubing it for now, it just runs a little rough but it runs okay. The reason I want to get it over now is because the shell is near impossible to remove. I just removed it today to install a decoder and I thought “hey, while I’m at it I should just lube everything too,” But it sounds like I should just forget it until I have the right stuff.
WD-40 is a penetrant/sealant, against moisture and to free stuck, rusty items. It is near useless as a lubricant, which is what most people purchase it for…'cuz it can be sprayed on in a jiff.
Do you have any Dextron II transmission fluid? Use that freely on your locomotive’s outer moving parts…but sparingly. It won’t harm any paints or plastics, and is a pretty darned good lubricant.
I don’t have transmission fluid but I guess I can wait to get some decent lubricant that is made for a job like this. I just don’t want to wait. How much does a bottle (or can) of lube made for model trains cost? (If you haven’t figured it out, I like to save money wherever I’m able)
Thanks for the help!
You can use WD40 if you cannot get Labelle, or even order it online. Use a small needle point to place a drop where you need. As Mr. B said earlier, just don’t start spraying the world. You cannot possibly control the spray from a can, so you spray a small amount into a thimble cup, and use a needle point to place the WD40.
some kind of oil will always be better than using no oil.
if you are in a bind, you can find oil on the end of dipsticks in a car. a drop or two from the transmission or motor should get you by.
i picked up a tube of teflon lubricant at radio shack years ago that will last forever.
Another light oit that would be better than WD40 is the old standby “3 in 1” oil. Or sewing machine oil which I have used in the past. The guys are right WD40 was never intended to be used as a bearing surface lubricant.
DO NOT USE WD40 ON YOUR LOCOS! YOU WILL REGRET IT! Ask me how I know!
I use a light oil with teflon in it. It’s made for R/C models and is plastic safe. I use it once a month and and a moly grease every 6 months. Works very well. As for WD40, it’s not a lubricant. It’s a water displacer and solvent.
2 things.
What about white lithium grease for gears?
Ah, wd-40 brings back some fond memories of driving my 67 Malibu decades ago. It would never start after going thru a car wash. A spray of WD-40 would get it going again.
DO NOT USE WD40 FOR ELECTRIC MOTORS. IT CAN IGNITE! I use to be into slot cars. One of the things a patron of our shop found out was that WD40 can catch fire if used in an electric motor.
Use recommended light oil that will not harm plastic for lubrication.
Bill
Bill,
Was young, stupid, and just plumb lucky, I guess.
David,
Your gears are metal, so I doubt litheum grease would hurt them. But I’d stick with a light model train grease if I were you. Labelle’s is very good.
Jim