Thread Number: 41298
What is 'Laundromat Oil'?
[Down to Last]

automaticwasher.org's exclusive eBay Watch:
scroll >>> for more items --- [As an eBay Partner, eBay may compensate automaticwasher.org if you make a purchase using any link to eBay on this page]
Post# 610412   7/15/2012 at 17:32 (4,274 days old) by moparwash (Pittsburgh,PA )        

moparwash's profile picture
In removing the fan from my 1961 Westinghouse dryer, it calls for lubrication of the bearing with 'Laundromat Oil'?...would any other lubricant work as well?




Post# 610420 , Reply# 1   7/15/2012 at 18:50 (4,274 days old) by Launderess (Quiet Please, There´s a Lady on Stage)        
One Assumes The Same As "Ironrite" Oil

launderess's profile picture
Brand name of a type of lubricant but nothing so proprietary it cannot be duplicated or subsituted with something modern. Secret is to find out what type of oil it was then match another product to the application.

Post# 610428 , Reply# 2   7/15/2012 at 19:36 (4,274 days old) by combo52 (50 Year Repair Tech Beltsville,Md)        
Blower bearing oil

combo52's profile picture
Light machine oil is perfect for this, often called turbine oil like the stuff that comes in the plastic Zoom spout plastic bottles. 3In One will also work well as will sewing machine and bicycle oil. This is what the motor itself also uses, fast turning pumps, blower bearings and motors should have a very light oil, never use thick wheel bearing grease on things like this.

Post# 610458 , Reply# 3   7/15/2012 at 22:50 (4,274 days old) by arbilab (Ft Worth TX (Ridglea))        

arbilab's profile picture
These days I mostly hear "turbine oil" recommended for such applications. Apparently it is much lower-gum than 3-in-one, which is widely disparaged.

Post# 610461 , Reply# 4   7/15/2012 at 23:04 (4,274 days old) by beekeyknee (Columbia, MO)        
3 In 1 Oil

beekeyknee's profile picture
Sorry to argue with you John, but 3 In 1 in the red can has detergents in it which can gum up and varnish fast turning shafts. I've experienced this and it's not fun. I've been told that the 3 In 1 in the blue can is ok, but not the red one. The red one is better for things like door hindges and so forth.

Jerry, I'd stick with the Zoom Spout he mentioned earlier.




This post was last edited 07/15/2012 at 23:37
Post# 610470 , Reply# 5   7/16/2012 at 02:10 (4,274 days old) by alr2903 (TN)        

I agree with Beekeynee,  3 in 1 motor oil in the blue can/bottle, is what i use on our older fans.  The red 3 in 1 is appropriate for what is decribed above, tasks most of now use wd40 for.  "Laundromat oil"  was probably a trademarked light oil for use on the "Westinghouse Laundromat" for whatever needed oiling.


Post# 610479 , Reply# 6   7/16/2012 at 05:44 (4,274 days old) by combo52 (50 Year Repair Tech Beltsville,Md)        
3 In 1 Oil

combo52's profile picture
You guys are correct I should have mentioned that there are two different 3 in 1 oils, I would always use the stuff in the blue can that is labeled for motor bearing use for this type of repair work.

WD-40 is good at freeing stuck stuff but is not much of a lubricant, for things like a squeaky door hinge I would remove the pin and coat it with grease and reinstall or if you don't want to disassemble it use the regular 3 in 1 oil.


Post# 610521 , Reply# 7   7/16/2012 at 08:52 (4,273 days old) by JETCONE (Schenectady-Home of Calrods,Monitor Tops,Toroid Transformers)        
AHHH

jetcone's profile picture
Being an embroiderer - Sewing machine oil is extremely light and designed to burn off quickly so that it doesn't set in clothing, washes out quickly. In fact we have to lubricate our hooks twice a day at the shop. I would't use this for bearings ever.

You need "Tufoil"! lasts forever, used in jet engines!



Post# 610596 , Reply# 8   7/16/2012 at 16:30 (4,273 days old) by moparwash (Pittsburgh,PA )        
oil advice is good...

moparwash's profile picture
Thanks for the info...I still have to remove the pulley from the fan..the allen screw is stuck...though I did try some med weight oil and it worked for a bit.ill keep you posted!

Post# 610725 , Reply# 9   7/17/2012 at 10:57 (4,272 days old) by d-jones (Western Pennsylvania (Pittsburgh Area))        
"You need "Tufoil"! lasts forever, used in jet e

d-jones's profile picture
I've been working on jets for many years and the only oil I've ever seen used in the engines is 2380 turbo oil or Mobile Jet II. I've never even heard of Tufoil. Unless you have specific knowledge of where it's being used in a jet engine, I think someone may be pulling your leg. It happens.

Post# 610764 , Reply# 10   7/17/2012 at 15:25 (4,272 days old) by zalloy ()        

Maybe Marvel Mystery Oil? I used to use it when restoring old turntables. It's a good light machine oil, so it might be useful for the high-speed moving parts and bearings of a washing machine.

Post# 610831 , Reply# 11   7/17/2012 at 21:16 (4,272 days old) by Jetcone (Schenectady-Home of Calrods,Monitor Tops,Toroid Transformers)        
Okay David

jetcone's profile picture
maybe not Jet plane jet engines, but jet turbo engines:

POWERFLOW LTD
HYDRO ELECTRIC TURBINE SYSTEMS

6th July 1998

Mr. Greg Stringer
Quality Imports
Torbay
Auckland

Dear Greg,

Use of Tufoil in Wairarapa Electricity's Kourarau Hydro plant

Powerflow Ltd were recently commissioned to complete the annual major maintenance at Kourarau 'A' and 'B' hydro stations owned by Wairarapa Electricity. This involved a partial strip down of the 'A' station turbine and bearing maintenance and in 'B' station a shaft and bearing re-alignment.

The Hydro Plant

The plant consists of a 700kW twin jet twin runner Pelton wheel at 'A' station and a 220kW twin jet single runner Pelton wheel at 'B' station. These were installed when the station was built in the early 1920's. Both have large flywheels and direct drive to 3500v alternators. There are four large heavily loaded ring oiler plain white metal bearings to each turbine alternator system ranging in size from 100 to 200mm diameter. The two turbine bearings have their oil reservoirs cooled by copper coils conveying water from the turbine penstock.

As all bearings were being drained, flushed and filled with new oil it was decided to add Industrial Tufoil to all 8 oil reservoirs. It has now been two months since the Tufoil was added and the plants put back online. As most of the bearings are still original from the time of installation and some are getting close to their tolerance limits, it is imperative to keep further wear to a minimum.

Results of Addition of Tufoil

The most dramatic result has been the very significant reduction in bearing temperatures both in the turbine and alternator bearings. Having been familiar with the temperatures prior to the addition of Tufoil at around 30 to 45 degree C, I was extremely surprised when I went back to the plant and found the temperatures had dropped to around 20 to 25 degrees, just barely warm. Our estimates are that we are saving in the order of 2 to 3 kw in bearing friction alone per plant and the subsequent reduction in wear is likely to see the plant perform many more years of faithful service.

Apart from just bearing temperatures there are two characteristics that can indicate a reduction in bearing friction in plants of this size. They are (1) ease with which the plant can be turned over by hand after shutdown and (2) the amount of water required to get the turbine spinning from start-up. In both instances the comments from plant operators have been that the turbines can be turned over more easily by hand and require a much smaller opening of the main needle valves to start the turbines spinning from rest. In the past, 'A' station would require 2 people at least just to move the turbine shaft and now this can be achieved with one person. A similar result has been achieved at 'B' station.

With such a successful result with the turbine and alternator bearings it is now intended that the oil in the hydraulic governors should also be treated with Tufoil and this is anticiped to further reduce maintenance and make significant cost savings. I look forward to being able to report on positive results from the governor treatment and only wish I had taken more specific temperature readings before adding Tufoil so I could have given you exact figures for the temperature reduction.

Yours faithfully,
Powerflow Ltd.

Ashley Grey N.Z.C.E. (Mech)
Project Engineer


Post# 610833 , Reply# 12   7/17/2012 at 21:27 (4,272 days old) by Jetcone (Schenectady-Home of Calrods,Monitor Tops,Toroid Transformers)        
Not for aircraft engines

jetcone's profile picture
See below:
'Why shouldn't I use automotive oil in my airplane to take advantage of the more advanced technology?

While it is true that automotive oil is far more advanced than aviation oil, the answer lies in the fact that most aircraft engines are air-cooled while automotive engines are water-cooled. Air-cooled aircraft engines are built with greater clearances and are designed to consume (burn) some oil.

Water-cooled automotive engines are designed and built to much tighter tolerances, so they do not consume much oil. These differences in design tolerances are due to the large temperature differentials that are found in high-continuous-power-output, air-cooled, aircraft engines versus the low- and intermittent-power-output, water-cooled, auto engines.

There can be a 300 degree F temperature difference between the cylinder head and cylinder base in an operating aircraft engine. That kind of temperature differential causes a lot of distortion in the cylinder, necessitating the requirement for large clearances. Automotive engines, being water-cooled, have lower temperature differentials across the engine and thus suffer lower levels of distortion and can be designed and built to tighter tolerances.

Aircraft engines were designed before additives were available and have not really changed much over the years. When ashless dispersant oils were introduced for auto engines, they were also suitable for aircraft engines and eventually were adopted for aviation use.

However, when zinc antiwear and metallic detergents were formulated into auto oils, an important divergence occurred. Aircraft engines burn a fair amount of oil and, if these metal-containing detergents and antiwear compounds are present, they can form metallic ash deposits in the combustion chambers. These deposits can lead to destructive preignition, which could burn holes in the tops of pistons with obvious catastrophic results. For that reason, it was decided that aviation oils were to remain ashless to avoid the risk of metallic deposits.

The benefit of using ashless dispersant oils is, obviously, a cleaner engine. Aircraft engines would also benefit greatly from the addition of other automotive additives such as anti-wear, detergents, and corrosion inhibitors, but the downside is added cost. Ashless versions of these performance additives can cost up to 10 times more than standard ash-containing additives.

What about oil additives with PTFE (Teflon)?

Additives with Teflon resin should not be used in aircraft engines for three reasons;

When oil is burned in the combustion chamber (remember -- aircraft engines burn some oil), the decomposition products are acidic and are extremely corrosive.
The resin is a solid particle held in suspension. In aircraft oil, these resin particles have been found to quickly drop out of suspension and combine with lead salts from leaded fuel. This leads to the formation of a sticky, heavy sludge. This sludge settles throughout the engine, where it can block oil flow.
There is little evidence to show they provide any wear benefit in piston engines.

Editor's Note: Dupont, the developer and maker of Teflon, specifically says that Teflon is not designed for or to be used in engines and that they in no way endorse its use in this manner."


Post# 610840 , Reply# 13   7/17/2012 at 22:31 (4,272 days old) by d-jones (Western Pennsylvania (Pittsburgh Area))        
My apologies Jon

d-jones's profile picture
I didn't realize you were talking about water driven turbines in hydroelectric power plants. That's a different matter entirely, but the way you worded your initial comment, it was an easy mistake to make. :-)

Post# 610878 , Reply# 14   7/18/2012 at 04:22 (4,272 days old) by Jetcone (Schenectady-Home of Calrods,Monitor Tops,Toroid Transformers)        
No David

jetcone's profile picture
I think I had actually heard Jet airplane engine once, I am glad you brought it to my attention! I redug the inter webs and learned a thing.

But I really like this product, it has saved many bearings in its day airplane or not.




Forum Index:       Other Forums:                      



Comes to the Rescue!

The Discuss-o-Mat has stopped, buzzer is sounding!!!
If you would like to reply to this thread please log-in...

Discuss-O-MAT Log-In



New Members
Click Here To Sign Up.



                     


automaticwasher.org home
Discuss-o-Mat Forums
Vintage Brochures, Service and Owners Manuals
Fun Vintage Washer Ephemera
See It Wash!
Video Downloads
Audio Downloads
Picture of the Day
Patent of the Day
Photos of our Collections
The Old Aberdeen Farm
Vintage Service Manuals
Vintage washer/dryer/dishwasher to sell?
Technical/service questions?
Looking for Parts?
Website related questions?
Digital Millennium Copyright Act Policy
Our Privacy Policy