Air End Oil?

mldeets · **Joined:** Thu Aug 05, 2010 2:06 am **Posts:** 411

What are folks currently using for oil in the air end of steam driven compressors? Looking ahead for use on the C&NW #1385. Thanks in advance...........mld

Kelly Anderson · **Joined:** Tue Sep 14, 2004 7:52 am **Posts:** 2477

Frisco1522 · **Posted:** Sun May 24, 2020 2:35 pm

I agree with Kelly. We used that the whole time 1522 was active and never had a minute's trouble with it. Try it you'll like it.

Dave · **Posted:** Sun May 24, 2020 3:21 pm

I have heard others who used Estrolene or ATF even....... anybody know about these in use today?

Earl Knoob · **Posted:** Sun May 24, 2020 11:19 pm

We used Estrolene in Chama years ago. The issue with it was when it got hot, the vapors it gave off were very toxic. On a hot afternoon, you did not want to be in front of the brake valve exhaust. It would literally make you gag.

It also tended to dissolve any old oil in the air system. So, for the first few months you used, everything got all gunked up. Feed valves needed changing every month. or less.

I've used AFT when cleaning/lubing brake valves with good success. I wouldn't put in a compressor though.

The Interlube stuff is the bomb......

J.David · **Posted:** Mon May 25, 2020 9:49 am

Greetings:
I have been using Interlube for decades. Good price, quick delivery and available in small quantities.
J.David

Chuck Richards · **Joined:** Sun Jul 20, 2008 12:21 am **Posts:** 60

Marvel oil works.

Steven Butler · **Joined:** Thu Aug 09, 2012 6:38 pm **Posts:** 49

Pete, I used the Interlube oil on the SLRG and at Texas State. At SLRG we had 17 mile of 3% grade that taxed our air pump. Of all the oils I tried the Interlube oil worked the best. I would teardown the air pump every 2 years and freshen it up. The check valves never had any carbon build up and only had moderate wear.

mldeets · **Joined:** Thu Aug 05, 2010 2:06 am **Posts:** 411

Great Folks!,
Thanks again to everyone who responded and it sounds like a very solid majority consensus for the Interlube products.

Final question:
What grade/weight is being used?

Your time is appreciated..............mld

Paul D · **Posted:** Wed May 27, 2020 9:15 pm

mldeets wrote:

Great Folks!,
Thanks again to everyone who responded and it sounds like a very solid majority consensus for the Interlube products.

Final question:
What grade/weight is being used?

Your time is appreciated..............mld

We used CAO 30 for my stint at the Huckleberry on a 8.5-120. The steam oil we used was SR-160 (memory is fading) and it performed well including recovering from sloppy steam. The Journalgard AYG was used on all the axles both locomotive and coach with no complaints. The B-10 block grease was the only product I would have replaced if there was something better, it never caused a failure but it doesn't have the "feel" of the older formulations I remember in the 90's. That being said it was a very reasonable price and it was nearly always in stock, which is worth something in this day and age.

looking forward to the R-1 back in service.