Lubricating Oil

[Andy Hall]

Is anybody an expert on oil types?

I have a power feeder used on a woodworking machine:

--> Power Feeders -> F48

These are OEMed from an Italian manufacturer, Maggi Engineering, specialising in this type of equipment

|12|21&L=2 works well and documentation is readable, but at some point maintenance lubrication will be needed. Inevitably, Italian products are mentioned.

THere are two requirements on the machine:

a) A grease for the lubrication nipples on the wheel bearings. This is mentioned as Athesia EP/2 IP grease.

I can't find a reference to that product, but I can find a reference to EP2 and EP/2 grease from other vendors.

b) An oil for a sump in the body of the machine used to lubricate the internal gears. For this, Oleoblitz EHT 16 or any other oil with viscosity SAE 30.

I haven't been able to find oil of this type in the obvious places like Halfords. It seems to be multigrade engine oil and not much more.

Please can anybody shed light on what these lubricants are and suggest some suitable products that are more reasily available.

thanks

.andy

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[Badger]

No, but I have to find alt. lubes at work...

Pretty std. grease, use whatever claims to be the same spec., but flush existing out first incase the binders/fillers arn't compatable.

Sounds more like a hydraulic oil, a number of Italian and Spanish machines I look after use hydraulic oils as they don't attack the bearings chemically, I suspect it has bronze bearings and needs hydraulic oil.

Niel.

[Dave Plowman (News)]

If it's a basic SAE 30, you can still get oils like this from an old car specialist like

However, I'd say that a modern 20-50 would have about the same viscosity at the temperatures your gearbox is likely to run at. However, with many old car boxes that once used SAE 30, it's common to use ATF these days.

[Andy Hall]

OK, Dave, thanks.

It certainly is not going to get hot at all. The mechanism runs pretty slowly and the sump is in the bottom away from the motor.

What is ATF?

.andy

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[Bob Eager]

Automatic Transmission Fluid?

[Andy Hall]

Ah thanks.

Somebody burbled something to me about oils with and without detergents. Does this correlate in any way?

.andy

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[Grunff]

Automatic Transmission Fluid. A fairly low viscocity lubricating oil that performs well under compression - not as well as hydraulic fluid, but significantly better than engine oil.

[Andy Hall]

Is this the stuff that stinks like gearbox oil, strips paint and is pretty toxic?

The stuff that's in there now smells much more like regular engine oil.

.andy

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[Grunff]

Some ATF is like that, but these days it's more common to find synthetic ATF which isn't particularly nasty.

My guess is it's a single grade SAE 30 oil.

[Andy Hall]

Ah OK, thanks, Grunff

Any thoughts on the grease?

.andy

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[Grunff]

Unless this is a 'special' application, and by that I mean either the bearing materials used are exotic or the temperatures/pressures experienced are extreme, standard lithium grease would be my choice.

If it's likely to get hot, I'd use molybdenum sulphide filled grease (MolySlip being one trade name), which is good for ~200C continuous.

[Michael McNeil]

SAE 30 is standard engine oil, the same stuff used in engines since rock oil was the source. Nowadays with modern additives the oils last a lot longer and cope with petrol fumes much better.

Since you are not using it in a car you won't suffer using the lower spec stuff. It won't hurt to use SAE 10/40 which is more common these days. (Ie use engine oil.) Likewise the grease spec will be for the same spec that is used universally on machine bearings everywhere.

A motor factor (car parts distributor) will put you right if you don't believe me.

[Andy Hall]

Thank you. I believe you.

The application certainly isn't onerous in comparison with a car.

I just wanted to be sure that I don't screw anything up by using the wrong lubricants...

.andy

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[Andy Wade]

Another source for 'straight 30' engine oils would be somewhere that services lawnmower engines. For EP2 grease check out the RS catalogue, stock no. 198-3192.

[Andy Hall]

Thanks for that. Someone else suggested that today as well

Yep. I ordered some of that, but the cartridge rather than the big tin.

thanks again.

.andy

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