Is Vaseline okay for a gear lube?

[hugoroundhouse]

You heard about the newlyweds that didn't know the difference between Vaseline and window putty, haven't you? .......... All their windows fell out?
[(-D]

[lionelsoni]

But save the peels--smoke 'em if you got 'em.

[Buckeye Riveter]

I guess I'm the only one that uses smashed bananas. [:(] Of course I only use them in my expensive engines.

[4kitties]

I couldn't resist jumping in because my response will seem so, well, spurious! I used Vaseline to repack the motor bearings in my parents' vacuum cleaner, and it ran just fine with it. In fact, that motor still runs 38 years later. So if nothing else, Vaseline falls into the category of "better than no lube." The other folks are probably right though - I wouldn't get it around model paints or plastics.

Joel

[Jumijo]

QUOTE: Originally posted by laz 57

Hope YUZ GIZ aren't going to use KY jelly next?
laz57

Nah! That's for people who REALLY love trains! Or who live in Kentucky. Right?! [:)]

Jim

[laz 57]

Hope YUZ GIZ aren't going to use KY jelly next?
laz57

[Jumijo]

Did you guys know that the inventor of Vaseline actually ate a spoonful of it every day. He lived to be an old man too. No joke!

Jim

[waltrapp]

I asked MTH what they use but they wouldn't say. Look at a brand new engine and you'll see something that looks a WHOLE LOT like Vaseline. It's definitely not lithium or one of those types of minimal amout greases. The entire gearbox is filled with whatever it is that MTH stuffs in there.

I've been using Vaseline on my PW F3 for 50 years now. I've had to had the wheels replaced I've run it so much. But the gears held up nicely.

- walt

[Jumijo]

Thor,

I have one of the starter set 4-4-2s. About a week or two after I bought it, it stopped cold in the middle of the tracks. I called the store I bought it from and was told it needed lubing. Not having any grease, I used a small dab of vaseline. The train ran fine. No ill effects to this day. I did go out and buy a tube of Labelle's grease and a bottle of their oil. That's what I use now. The vaseline can be cleaned off with tv tuner spray if it's really bothering you. Buy one that won't harm plastic.

Jim

[thor]

QUOTE: Originally posted by wrmcclellan

Thor,

What is the number on the side of the cab and what roadname is on the tender? Do you know what year it was manufactured (i.e. did you buy it new?)?

On the side of the cab and the tender is printed W.E.Disney. The loco has smoke, an electronic reverser and a whistling tender. Its roof is a red color. I believe it was made last year and was a Limited Edition set.

[3railguy]

You do not want to get Vasaline around plastics or nylon. I've had it crack nylon gears.

[wrmcclellan]

Thor,

What is the number on the side of the cab and what roadname is on the tender? Do you know what year it was manufactured (i.e. did you buy it new?)?

Lubriplate 105 is what I use. I thought it was lithium based but it is not. Used to use it for auto engine assembly as it was considered superior for maintaining bearing and cam shaft lobe lubrication for initial startup before full oil pressure came up.

Cautions about petroleum based lubricants on plastic gears is good. I use an RC hobby teflon based grease for plastic gears.

[mickey4479]

I once turned one of my Lionel steamers over to lube the rod connections and check grease. I forgot that I had some left over smoke fluid in the stack. When I turned the loco upright, I noticed some fluid on the frame of the loco near the front wheels. I cleaned that off and ran my loco with the smoke unit on to test. Smoke did come out from the bottom for a short while and then stopped.

[Anonymous]

Try Lubriplate

[Big_Boy_4005]

QUOTE: Originally posted by thor

My main concern about Vaseline was not so much its attacking the plastic as getting across a couple of conductors and causing a short, because I believe its conductive, otherwise why would it work on battery posts?

Actually, I don't think it is conductive. The battery terminal thing is more about a protective coating to keep moisture out and prevent oxidation.

[thor]

QUOTE: Originally posted by wrmcclellan

Hi thor,

Which Atlantic version do you have? This is related to whether one would see any smoke from the steam chest area in addition to the stack.

Regards,
Roy

How does one tell? WHERE are the ID marks?

[thor]

Thanks to everyone who answered. I ended up doing nothing and packing it in for the night because it was too cold to go out to the shop having spent all day out on the motorbike in single digit temps, driving the missus around, she's a visiting nurse. Brrrrr.

My main concern about Vaseline was not so much its attacking the plastic as getting across a couple of conductors and causing a short, because I believe its conductive, otherwise why would it work on battery posts?

[Big_Boy_4005]

QUOTE: Originally posted by ChiefEagles

Elliot and Big Girl, stay warm. Buddy up that way says bitter cold and wind chills. Stay in and eat her good pies. [;)]

Had to fend for myself this evening, she spent the day with her sister at the pet expo. I went out and played poker at a local bar. It wasn't THAT cold, the truck started every time. [;)]

Next weekend the WGH show is in town. That, we'll do together. I'm just not into pets. I had more fun working on the layout.[swg]

[ChiefEagles]

Elliot and Big Girl, stay warm. Buddy up that way says bitter cold and wind chills. Stay in and eat her good pies. [;)]

[Big_Boy_4005]

Chief's right about the lower melting point. Another potential problem is plastic compatability, as it is oil based. Bottom line is it could make a mess under the wrong conditions.

[ChiefEagles]

Use it to cover battery terminals in vehicles, tractors, airplanes and boats [taught to me by a pilot]. Will get hot and run on you if used for gears.

[laz 57]

WHITE LITHIUM here.
laz57

[lionelsoni]

Mike, I have never reversed any other way. When I was a kid, I had only Marx transformers that had no button; so that is the way I learned to do it. Now I use a couple of Zs, which also have no button. I tried an American Flyer 30B for a while, but could never get used to lifting the handle to reverse, which it forces you to do.

[prewardude]

Not necessarily so, Rick. My Lionel Lines atlantic has smoked from under the boiler since day one, and there is absolutely nothing wrong - I've checked it.

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by thor

I do have white lithium out in the shop but I also have Vaseline to hand. I'm referring to the drive gears on my Atlantic which are dry. Trying to locate a slow running glitch acompanied by a slight rattle/clatter.

I have the loco stationary but running, held up off the rails with Lego, there's a lot of smoke coming from below as well as from the stack, is this okay?

the same thing has happened to me.

any lubrication is better than no lubrication. the white lithium is better, but i think i have more vaseline on my axles than anything else. i just happened to find that jar first.

if it is the atlantic from the lionel starter set, you have a breached smoke box. technically it's broken, but that smoke coming out from underneath is prototypical. the "bellows" on the smokebox has cracked.

when this happened to me; i called lionel and they sent me a new one; no hassels or questions.

[prewardude]

If it's one of the starter set Atlantics, the smoke from below is normal - and kind of neat, IMHO!

[wrmcclellan]

Hi thor,

The white lithium is better.

Which Atlantic version do you have? This is related to whether one would see any smoke from the steam chest area in addition to the stack.

Regards,
Roy

[thor]

I do have white lithium out in the shop but I also have Vaseline to hand. I'm referring to the drive gears on my Atlantic which are dry. Trying to locate a slow running glitch acompanied by a slight rattle/clatter.

I have the loco stationary but running, held up off the rails with Lego, there's a lot of smoke coming from below as well as from the stack, is this okay?

My intermittent power supply problem was cured by switching contacts on the underside of the FastTrack. having checked continuity, resoldered all suspect looking joins and been getting good connnectivity readings everywhere I finally pulled off the clips and put them back somewhere else, now it runs fine.

Also I discovered you can reset the reverser by simply turning the control knob to zero and up, however many times and it goes forward, neutral, reverse just like using the button.