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Offline Mr. Ron  
#1 Posted : 18 May 2021 19:10:03(UTC)
Mr. Ron

United States   
Joined: 05/07/2020(UTC)
Posts: 311
Location: Mississippi, Vancleave
What is a good lubricating oil for locomotives that can be obtained locally (not from online stores)?
Offline JohnjeanB  
#2 Posted : 18 May 2021 20:20:06(UTC)
JohnjeanB

France   
Joined: 04/02/2011(UTC)
Posts: 3,084
Location: Paris, France
Hi Ron
During many years Märklin advised to use winter grade oil for cars.
Because now there is more and more non metal parts in gears, my personal choice for recent engines is to follow the manufacturers recommendations (avoid corrosive oils and "cleaning" or "derusting" oils)
On old Märklin motor oil for cars is good enough I think.
Anyway modern Märklin engines need such small quantities (using a syringe) that cost is not a decisive factor.
Cheers
Jean
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Offline Mr. Ron  
#3 Posted : 19 May 2021 00:46:32(UTC)
Mr. Ron

United States   
Joined: 05/07/2020(UTC)
Posts: 311
Location: Mississippi, Vancleave
Originally Posted by: JohnjeanB Go to Quoted Post
Hi Ron
During many years Märklin advised to use winter grade oil for cars.
Because now there is more and more non metal parts in gears, my personal choice for recent engines is to follow the manufacturers recommendations (avoid corrosive oils and "cleaning" or "derusting" oils)
On old Märklin motor oil for cars is good enough I think.
Anyway modern Märklin engines need such small quantities (using a syringe) that cost is not a decisive factor.
Cheers
Jean

The reason why I ask is because if I need to use Marklin oil, I have to order it online and that takes many days to get. I need something I can get at my local store.

Offline skeeterbuck  
#4 Posted : 19 May 2021 01:06:17(UTC)
skeeterbuck

United States   
Joined: 15/12/2015(UTC)
Posts: 523
Location: Maryland, Baltimore
Ron, I use Woodland Scenics products. These are available locally and are plastic compatible which I think is useful for today's Märklin products. I have the light oil and gear lube. The light oil I use for axles etc. Hope this helps!

https://woodlandscenics....tegory/PremiumHob-E-Lube
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Offline Mr. Ron  
#5 Posted : 19 May 2021 01:57:19(UTC)
Mr. Ron

United States   
Joined: 05/07/2020(UTC)
Posts: 311
Location: Mississippi, Vancleave
Where I live, (south Mississippi), there are no hobby shops that sell Woodland products. Is 3 in 1 oil OK to use?
Offline skeeterbuck  
#6 Posted : 19 May 2021 04:19:08(UTC)
skeeterbuck

United States   
Joined: 15/12/2015(UTC)
Posts: 523
Location: Maryland, Baltimore
I would NOT recommend 3 in1 oil because it's not plastic compatible. What type of oil do the hobby shops carry? I would think they would carry something that is designed for use on model trains. LaBelle is another brand that makes good hobby lubricants.
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Offline Danlake  
#7 Posted : 19 May 2021 08:57:15(UTC)
Danlake

New Zealand   
Joined: 03/08/2011(UTC)
Posts: 1,571
I use the labella range of lubricants, but if you can’t get that go to a sewing shop and buy their most expensive sewing machine oil, which normally would be a synthetic based and safe on plastics.

In the old days, before manufactures made their own brands, many modellers would use sewing machine oil.

Best Regards
Lasse
Digital 11m2 layout / C (M&K) tracks / Era IV / CS3 60226 / Train Controller Gold 9 with 4D sound. Mainly Danish and German Locomotives.
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Offline Tom Jessop  
#8 Posted : 19 May 2021 23:18:19(UTC)
Tom Jessop

Australia   
Joined: 14/12/2002(UTC)
Posts: 800
Location: Newcastle NSW Australia





I have been using Whal hair cutter lubricant . Light in color & also density so minimal amount to use . It is also used on running surfaces such as track , wipe on & then light wipe off .



Cheers Tom in Oz.
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Offline 1borna  
#9 Posted : 20 May 2021 21:23:33(UTC)
1borna

Croatia   
Joined: 21/12/2012(UTC)
Posts: 1,340
Location: Hrvatska
Kerosene has an unpleasant odor, but similar in composition, the oil for kerosene lamps smells better and smokes fine.
I have been using it for years and have had no problems with constipation
UserPostedImage
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Offline Mr. Ron  
#10 Posted : 21 May 2021 02:39:36(UTC)
Mr. Ron

United States   
Joined: 05/07/2020(UTC)
Posts: 311
Location: Mississippi, Vancleave
Sewing machine oil or Whal oil sounds good to me. Thanks Lasse and Tom.
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Offline dominator  
#11 Posted : 23 May 2021 02:38:02(UTC)
dominator

New Zealand   
Joined: 20/01/2015(UTC)
Posts: 1,195
Location: Kerikeri
I was given a litre bottle of fully synthetic engine oil. Seems ok to me.
Northland. NZ REMEMBER 0228 for ä
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Offline 1borna  
#12 Posted : 25 May 2021 20:38:36(UTC)
1borna

Croatia   
Joined: 21/12/2012(UTC)
Posts: 1,340
Location: Hrvatska
Oils for internal combustion engines contain various additives that are not needed for our models.
These oils are designed to change completely at certain intervals and in addition constantly pass through the filter.
With long-term use in models and in small quantities, the oil can dry out over time and then additives remain that can cause shafts and gears to lock - this was a regular case with old Marklin oil from the 50s to 70s!
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Offline H0  
#13 Posted : 26 May 2021 08:10:39(UTC)
H0


Joined: 16/02/2004(UTC)
Posts: 15,254
Location: DE-NW
Originally Posted by: 1borna Go to Quoted Post
With long-term use in models and in small quantities, the oil can dry out over time and then additives remain that can cause shafts and gears to lock - this was a regular case with old Marklin oil from the 50s to 70s!
I used Märklin oil in the ’70s, then stored my rolling stock for 25+ years without ever using it. Took it out again early in this century and everything worked fine, nothing had hardened.

However, I had Märklin items from the ’90s, shelf-queens new from the dealer, where the motor had seized completely.

Long story short: My experience: Märklin oil from the ’70s is fine, but Märklin oil from the ’90s sometimes hardens quickly.

Regards
Tom
---
"In all of the gauges, we particularly emphasize a high level of quality, the best possible fidelity to the prototype, and absolute precision. You will see that in all of our products." (from Märklin New Items Brochure 2015, page 1) ROFLBTCUTS
UserPostedImage
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Offline PJMärklin  
#14 Posted : 26 May 2021 11:55:34(UTC)
PJMärklin

Australia   
Joined: 04/12/2013(UTC)
Posts: 2,206
Location: Hobart, Australia
Originally Posted by: H0 Go to Quoted Post
Originally Posted by: 1borna Go to Quoted Post
With long-term use in models and in small quantities, the oil can dry out over time and then additives remain that can cause shafts and gears to lock - this was a regular case with old Marklin oil from the 50s to 70s!
I used Märklin oil in the ’70s, then stored my rolling stock for 25+ years without ever using it. Took it out again early in this century and everything worked fine, nothing had hardened.

However, I had Märklin items from the ’90s, shelf-queens new from the dealer, where the motor had seized completely.

Long story short: My experience: Märklin oil from the ’70s is fine, but Märklin oil from the ’90s sometimes hardens quickly.



Hello Tom,

May I ask, what oil do you use in 2021 ?

Philip
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Offline H0  
#15 Posted : 26 May 2021 12:19:38(UTC)
H0


Joined: 16/02/2004(UTC)
Posts: 15,254
Location: DE-NW
Originally Posted by: PJMärklin Go to Quoted Post
May I ask, what oil do you use in 2021?
About 15 years ago a Märklin dealer told me any oil was OK, except the Märklin oil.
He offered me Faller, Roco, and Fleischmann. I chose Fleischmann because I like the bottle.
I also use Roco grease.

Regards
Tom
---
"In all of the gauges, we particularly emphasize a high level of quality, the best possible fidelity to the prototype, and absolute precision. You will see that in all of our products." (from Märklin New Items Brochure 2015, page 1) ROFLBTCUTS
UserPostedImage
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Offline bph  
#16 Posted : 26 May 2021 17:25:29(UTC)
bph

Norway   
Joined: 04/08/2018(UTC)
Posts: 985
Originally Posted by: H0 Go to Quoted Post
About 15 years ago a Märklin dealer told me any oil was OK, except the Märklin oil.
He offered me Faller, Roco, and Fleischmann. I chose Fleischmann because I like the bottle.
I also use Roco grease.


The Roco grease is made by Klüber, according to the datasheet on modellbahnshop-lippe.com

And interestingly the Piko oil, is rebranded Sewing machine oil from https://www.hanseline.de/en/sewing-machine-oil/

So it seems that most model train oils and grease are just rebranded industry products in smaller and more expensive packing.
However one should be aware that mixing different oil or grease types/brands might in some rare cases cause a chemical reaction eg like hardening or separation.

One maker that has caught my interest is Super Lube: https://www.super-lube.com/oils They provide a good plastic and rubber Compatibility Chart.

Anyone who has experience with using Super Lube products on model trains?
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Offline Webmaster  
#17 Posted : 26 May 2021 21:00:50(UTC)
Webmaster


Joined: 25/07/2001(UTC)
Posts: 11,161
I mostly use the Faller "Teflon-öl", but it of course fails on the local availability issue. Even use it for door hinges, locks and such at home - works very well.

I think a fully synthetic 5-40w or thinner motor oil would be rather ok also on plastic gears, but I will stand corrected if I'm wrong. Smile

Fallerteflon.JPG
Juhan - "Webmaster", at your service...
He who asks a question is a fool for five minutes. He who does not ask a question remains a fool forever. [Old Chinese Proverb]
Offline JohnjeanB  
#18 Posted : 26 May 2021 21:16:32(UTC)
JohnjeanB

France   
Joined: 04/02/2011(UTC)
Posts: 3,084
Location: Paris, France
s
Originally Posted by: H0 Go to Quoted Post
Originally Posted by: 1borna Go to Quoted Post
With long-term use in models and in small quantities, the oil can dry out over time and then additives remain that can cause shafts and gears to lock - this was a regular case with old Marklin oil from the 50s to 70s!
I used Märklin oil in the ’70s, then stored my rolling stock for 25+ years without ever using it. Took it out again early in this century and everything worked fine, nothing had hardened.

However, I had Märklin items from the ’90s, shelf-queens new from the dealer, where the motor had seized completely.

Long story short: My experience: Märklin oil from the ’70s is fine, but Märklin oil from the ’90s sometimes hardens quickly.


I never observed this on my Märklin locos - more than 100 of them (the oldest were made before 1950) but I don't say it does not exist.
Here in Europe, few of those "oil seizing stories" are reported but elsewhere (US for sure, OZ may be) this has definitely to do with very hot climate and long inactivity periods.

My father was in the design and manufacturing of lubrication oil for cars. True they were (still are) adding components (chemicals) to improve lubrication, maintain viscosity through a wide temperature range and sometimes they were incompatible between various brands (causing chemical reactions when mixing). So for many many years the best advise by Märklin was to use regular winter grade motor oil. Some use sewing machine oil but usually its viscosity is much lower. The presently sold Märklin oil looks very much like sewing machine oil (transparent, low viscosity while the older Märklin oil (yellow, viscous) was definitely motor oil as for cars.

With the advent of plastic in gears, some oil qualities attacked the plastic. For Märklin it was not a major problem as most gears are made of metal The exception I know are the conic gears in locos like the Württembergerin 3611 or nylon in very early models (only one gear to reduce the noise in the 1950s ).

On its mechanisms Faller is advising to use non-acid oil.
Cheers
Jean
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bph
Offline phils2um  
#19 Posted : 27 May 2021 01:23:00(UTC)
phils2um

United States   
Joined: 12/01/2016(UTC)
Posts: 165
Location: Michigan, Ann Arbor
Originally Posted by: Webmaster Go to Quoted Post
I mostly use the Faller "Teflon-öl", but it of course fails on the local availability issue. Even use it for door hinges, locks and such at home - works very well.

I think a fully synthetic 5-40w or thinner motor oil would be rather ok also on plastic gears, but I will stand corrected if I'm wrong. Smile

Fallerteflon.JPG


It is a bad idea to use any modern motor oil whether fully synthetic or not. They all have additives specifically designed for internal combustion engines that are not appropriate for electric motors not to mention plastics.
Phil S.
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