AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FLUID FOR LIONEL TRAINS?

[Anonymous]

If anyone has heard of the legendary Dean Britain of skagit County WA or knew him, the first thing he would request , if you were interested at all in Lionel, was to see his trains. Engines mostly. I wish I knew more about Lionel at the time to remember all his locos his dad had bought him and he bought over the years. But the one thing  I do remember is his telling me he always lubricated the engines with automatic transmission fluid. Anyone else ever hear of this? or use it now? or know Dean Britain? He passed away some years ago but is a friend I will never forget.

[Jumijo]

I've heard of it being used. Just yesterday I read about someone using it.

[chuck]

ATM is jut a special purpose oil.  It's more likely to be used by train shop repair stations that are "shared" facilities, i.e. auto parts dealer/small engine repair.  It's usually not available in quatities less than a quart and I would be more concerned about the temptation to use left over fluid that had been sitting around in an improperly sealed container in the car than any perceived advantages over products packaged/sold for toy train use.

[thor]

This one pops up in the motorcycle world every once in a while - motorcycling is my other hobby, if thats the right word for a lifelong obsession!  Anyway, ATF has small particles in it to aid the friction between the transmission bands and drums and that makes it a bad choice for anything else, especially where small oilways or tight clearances are involved. 

In fact I have used that stuffs abrasiveness to hasten break in on a race motor, then stripped it and seen the marks left in the pistons and bore which look as if they've been honed after about ten to fifteen minutes at which point I strip, clean and flush out the motor before refilling with the right oil.

Now model trains actually have pretty poor tolerances, they're crudely made to put it bluntly, so it might well be that those particles are more likely to simply get moved aside before they can do much damage, unlike a closed recirculating lubrication system.

If other people know of this tip and have used it to good effect then I'd say listen to them not me but I thought you should be made aware of that property of ATF.

[RR Redneck]

Never heard of this, tempted to try it.

[ChiefEagles]

I am now using fishing reel grease.  Hot Sauce is available at Cabela's and Bass Pro Shops.  It is a special grease designed to stay on gears but very slick [synthetic].  You can not use thick and over tacky grease in reels or they will not cast good.  Plastic is no problem as there is plastic in reels. 

[cnw1995]

Chief, that is a splendid idea!

[3railguy]

GM grade Dextron II works fine in place of grease. Do not use Ford grade. It has abrasives. I prefer automotive white lithium grease on exposed gears because it does not dry out and sticks to the gears without slinging all over.

[Anonymous]

I have been using Marvel Mystery Oil for 20+ years.It's like ATF bu abit lighter in weight and it stick's quite well to any friction parts.

[ChiefEagles]

I have been using Marvel Mystery Oil for 20+ years.It's like ATF bu abit lighter in weight and it stick's quite well to any friction parts.

Carbonless trains.   Have not heard of this one.  Use to use it to cut carbon out of car/truck engines.  Same with ATF.  Pour a stream about a pencil size down old carb with engine running at fast idle.  Will smoke up a storm.  Then dump some in and choke down engine.  Let it sit for a while.  Crank and smokes everything out around you.  Carbon gone.  With fuel injection, suck it through brake booster line.  Interesting how older products work great for numerous things.

[Ole Timer]

 Petroleum based oils and greases will rot rubber and all rubber by-products and will eventually gumb up and turn to a thick greasy glob collecting lint and dust .  Tranny fluid will not and works extermely well ! Get a mini luber with the needle type end and save money. Another better alternative is pure synthetic lube !