Locos and grease

[csxfan]

What's the best grease for locos, or which ones are really good ? How often should I grease an engine for optimum performance, like after how many hours of service, approximately ? And when the loco is brand new, how long before I grease it ? Will the engine really burn up if I don't grease it at all, like with motors in the real life ?

 

[RW&C]

Most engines come from the factory with a ton of grease on them. If you notice that the gears are dry, or it's getting noisy, or you've taken it apart and cleaned it out, put a dab of grease on it.

Make sure your grease is plastic compatible, or Bad Things will happen to your gears.

I use LaBelle 106 (I think that's what it is), it came with two little bottles of oil. There are probably better things but it seems to work.

Don't freak out too much about greasing/oiling. Too much grease and oil will pick up loads of dirt. A dab of oil on the motor bushings, and a little grease on the gears, should do the trick.

 

[Selector]

Any clean/fresh white grease with lithium in it should be fine.

 

[jeffrey-wimberly]

For oiling the gears, bushings/bearings I use Dexron/Mercon transmission fluid. It's plastic compatible and one bottle will last a very long time.