Steam Cylinder Oil?

[Guest 22Coupe]

The manual I have (for a '22 Buick) calls for steam cylinder oil in the transmission and also in the rear end. What is the modern day equivalent?

Thanks for the help

[Restorer32]

Modern day equivalent is 600W available from Graingers, most Model A parts suppliers and Industrial lube supply houses. We buy it by the 5 gallon bucket. Thick stuff and it has a smell all its own.

[Mark Shaw]

I use Shell Dentax or Texaco Thuban SAE 250. I believe it is the same stuff and can be sourced from most industrial lube oil suppliers.

[Guest gmorse]

Hello. Try a company called Green Velvet Motor oils and greases. I think the web site is Green Velvet Steam Engine and Machinery Lubricants.

Looks like they have what you are looking for. If I have the wrong web address, look up Green Velvet Motor oils on your search engine.

Gary

[Brian_Heil]

Do not use Steam Cylinder Oil. Back in the day, that is all that was available in the way of a heavy lube. Steam cylinder oil is still available and needs to be used ONLY in STEAM ENGINES. The oil is organic based (think refined lard) and in a steam engine is dissolved and carried into the cylinders by the hot steam to lube the steam cylinder/piston/rings. Steam cylinder oil being organic can and will support organic growth of fungus and germs and all sorts of nasty stuff and since your axle or trans never gets hot enough to kill the stuff it will start to stink like spoiled meat / road-kill-raccoon.

There are many excellent gear oils out on the market today and I'm not going to light the fire under detergent non/detergent, Zink, etc debate. What is important is you need a high viscosity lube to slow down the trans gears when you shift since we don't have syncronizers. Something of at least 250W is required. I have had good success with the Penrite products carried by Restoration Supply Co.. They come in varried viscosities and are meant to be mixed to get to the viscosity you desire. Easy to order and if you don't have leaks you should be good for years of touring with these modern lubes.

Penrite also has a 'leak proof' steering gear box lube that is really great and will not leak out of our steering gear boxes and I use that too, its about 1000 - 1250W. And it does not leak as they claim.

When I got my Buick years ago, the first thing I did was change all the fluids and thought how smart I was as I drained the heavy stuff out of the trans and filled it with modern 120W. From that point on I could not shift without grinding gears. Lucky for me I had an old timer solve my issue. And as he put it, I used the 120W to flush things out getting ready for the new correct stuff. Ha. Put modern 120W in the steering box too only to find it all on the garage floor over the next two days.

Edited November 12, 2012 by Brian_Heil (see edit history)