Updating oil in a lathe headstock

[Screwdriver]

Don't forget to delete the old oil before you run the update.

 

[skotl]

Don't forget to delete the old oil before you run the update.

Sorry?

 

[zx9]

Don't forget to delete the old oil before you run the update.

Always do a clean install.

 

[skotl]

Always do a clean install.

Ah. I was planning to drain the old oil (I'm assuming there's a drain plug as tipping it upside down may be problematic!). Is it worth flushing after that, or just pour the new stuff in (which is what I think doubleboost did).
A couple of the American sites suggest flushing with kerosene (aka paraffin) but I'm not sure how important that is.

 

[dannyp]

if there is loads of crap in kit i aquire somtimes i flush it out with diesel.

hypoid gear oil wise i wouldn't GL4 should be yellow metal safe iirc but its viscosity can cause quite a lot of oil drag on gearboxes, very noticable on gearboxes with relativly large gears for the power and hight rpms make it worse. GL5 gear oils eat yellow metal

 

[skotl]

if there is loads of crap in kit i aquire somtimes i flush it out with diesel.

hypoid gear oil wise i wouldn't GL4 should be yellow metal safe iirc but its viscosity can cause quite a lot of oil drag on gearboxes, very noticable on gearboxes with relativly large gears for the power and hight rpms make it worse. GL5 gear oils eat yellow metal

Thanks for responding, Danny, but I'm afraid I don't know enough about oil to understand what you're advising.
I ordered ISO32 oil, but it was only £15 so if that's a dumb choice then I'm happy to write it off.

What is GL4 / GL5 and are you recommending GL4?

 

[cocker]

If it's the oil in the headstock , I read that it's just a mix of oil and grease .
I topped mine up with 10w40 , if I was to change it all I'll go for chain oil .

 

[dannyp]

iso 32 will be fine. oil specks get a littel confuseing.

i was adviseing against anyone useing hypoid gear oils, as the common one most people tend to think of is ep 80/90 as it's quite thick and the gears in a lathe generaly large for the power they transmit at some speeds so there would be pritty serious oil drag. but if you did use a hypoid EP oil like 80/90 the gl4 version of it should be safe with yellow metals but the gl5 version not so

 

[skotl]

Brilliant - thanks, both!

 

[rikrobson]

isn't ISO 32 a bit thin? you should be getting SAE 30. ISO 32 is like SAE 10W.

75W85 gear oil would also do. that like 10W40.

it gets very confusing

 

[Pete.]

I use 32 in my lathe. Should be fine.

 

[doubleboost]

ATF is the modern hydraulic oil

 

[rikrobson]

So Basically any old oil will do then

 

[slim_boy_fat]

Just don't go drinking any of it, skot

 

[gaz1]

well with his oil changes he could build a small oil burner instead to get rid of it

or could use it on a home made oil fired kiln

 

[NickyEng]

FUCHS UTTO Scott. ( universal tractor transmission oil) That's a 10w/40 grade as other guys said. I have a Denholm tds mk II

 

[skotl]

Hmmm... looks like I was right to change the oil.
I ran the gearbox for an hour to try and thin the oil and it's still coming out like a glacier crossing a mountain range. I've left it to it, but I suspect it will be 24 hours+ to completely drain (just as well I have other things to do, tomorrow!).
The oil is black, too.

On the upside, the gear teeth seem in excellent condition and there's nothing obviously metallic swimming around in there.

Looks like a bit of sloshing some diesel around may be a good idea once the goop is out. Then I'll flush the diesel again with some of the new oil.

 

[brightspark]

its worth putting a few magnets in the bottom of oil baths they catch- -anything metalic floating around

 

[skotl]

its worth putting a few magnets in the bottom of oil baths they catch- -anything metalic floating around

Cheers - I'll do that!

 

[skotl]

Don't forget to delete the old oil before you run the update.

Oh - I've just got this! Sorry