ah1988 Posted December 16, 2012 Share Posted December 16, 2012 I have picked up a blower off of craigslist and on the side it says to fill with oil before use. What type of oil should I fill it with I was thinking compressor oil ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oakwoodironworks Posted December 16, 2012 Share Posted December 16, 2012 I just use 30 weight motor oil. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swedefiddle Posted December 16, 2012 Share Posted December 16, 2012 Use whatever engine oil you have handy. You are lubricating 4 bushings and two gears. The gears will act as an oil pump and will splash the oil around inside the blower housing. There are no seals to stop the oil from weeping out the input shaft and sometimes there is no seal for the case halves. If a lot of oil comes out from the case halves, take it apart, clean it up, put it back together with a little silicane sealant on the case sealing surfaces (the type of silicone sealant is not important, bathroom tub and tile works as well as any automotive sealant). There will be some oil weeping from the blower shaft and input shafts, this means the system is lubricating. The height of the oil level will self regulate, it will leak out if you have too much. It is more important to have SOME OIL inside, not so much what kind. :) Neil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SmoothBore Posted December 16, 2012 Share Posted December 16, 2012 Something fairly light. Since there is no heat, and very light loading, there's no need for heavy oils. I'd probably use #46 Hydraulic Oil, in order to avoid the detergent found in ALL modern Motor Oil. ( Detergent Oil suspends dirt in the Oil, ... which is good in a FILTERED lube system, ... but undesirable in a gearbox. ) . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DanielC Posted December 16, 2012 Share Posted December 16, 2012 I just happened to have some Mobil 1 synthetic lying around that I've put in mine, haha. A little pricey but it's all I had! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danielpiotte Posted December 16, 2012 Share Posted December 16, 2012 I used Lukas gear oil. Works great. Daniel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ptree Posted December 16, 2012 Share Posted December 16, 2012 I use and have for about 15 years ATF. Low pour point, and very stable viscosity across a wide temp range. It has an excellent extreme pressure and antiwear package and is cheap. My main blowers are Cannady Otto's and hold oil well till you overfill. I cnage yearly and they work fine. My little demo blower is a Buffalo sheet metal rivet forge blower that was pretty rough turning when i got it. It is a total loss system designed for a squirt of oil every so often and a consumable item when used in the old days. Mine now has a drip oiler, uses maybe 3 tablespoon full in a days demo'ing and now is turning as slick as snot. I have a catch pan under and the oil is collected. ATF for that one as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thingmaker3 Posted December 16, 2012 Share Posted December 16, 2012 I use 3-in-1. Works great. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eric sprado Posted December 16, 2012 Share Posted December 16, 2012 Wouldn't it would take about $300 worth of 3in1 oil to lubricate the lower part of the gearbox in most blowers? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chuck in Ms Posted December 17, 2012 Share Posted December 17, 2012 I also use the Lucas gear oil. I don't know where you are but in south Ms it doesn't get cold enough to bother anything and the thicker oil slows the leaks. Check inside some of those shafts had leather bushings to act as seals. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted December 17, 2012 Share Posted December 17, 2012 LOCATION if you are in a cold area you want an oil that doesn't set up and slow things to a crawl when the weather turns chilly. If you are in an area that stays warm, (I have friends living where the avg temp is 80 degF year round!), you want one that won't dry up and slow things to a crawl. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ah1988 Posted December 18, 2012 Author Share Posted December 18, 2012 I am in Fl so I am one of thoes lucky 80F people =) I will just use some rotella 15w40 I have laying around for my old diesel. I have a second blower on a antique forge that I dont plan on using, it is made by buffulo do I need to fill this with oil too, it dosent say anything about filling it with oil like the other one does ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Agita Posted December 18, 2012 Share Posted December 18, 2012 30 weight, non detergent. Pick up some rotella at tractor supply. works very well, From experience don't use Lucas Oil. Just putting the handle at the 12 o'clock position will self rotate 2 full revolutions from enertia. With Lucas it wouldn't move. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BackyardBlacksmithin Posted August 24, 2013 Share Posted August 24, 2013 I just got a champion 400 thats in great shape but have never owned a hand crank blower before. so the entire case needs to be full of oil? Or just oil it periodiclly while in use through the port at the top of it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIGGUNDOCTOR Posted August 24, 2013 Share Posted August 24, 2013 I just use old motor oil. Fill it up till it weeps out the bushings, and use it. When it stops weeping during use, I add more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Posted August 25, 2013 Share Posted August 25, 2013 Automatic transmission fluid is what I use in my Tiger blower (Cannady Otto I think). Half the bottle in the blower, the other half mixed with acetone (nail polish remover) as a penetrating lube. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sing_j_ Posted December 2, 2013 Share Posted December 2, 2013 so what about if you live in one of the wonderful cold weather states, just use a lightweight oil? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted December 2, 2013 Share Posted December 2, 2013 Yes, SAE 10 wt. is fine, a few drops in the oil ports at the beginning of a session is all it needs or it'll spew oil all over the place or drain out the bottom. ATF is good too, it doesn't stiffen up like motor oils do but unless it gets really cold light motor oil is fine. ATF has the advantage of being good at cutting sludge, old blowers tend to have a good accumulation of sludge sticking to the inside of the case. Don't use heavy oil like gear oil, it's more trouble than it's worth, the gears need to track it around and a little sling covers the rest. While precisely built blowers come from a time when a lubricant was whatever was handy and though I've never tried it I'll bet a little rendered bacon grease (lard) warm enough to dribble would work just fine. Don't over think it it just needs some lube, 3 in 1 oil or Mazola just nothing heavy and sticky. If you want to go high tech use Dura Lube it's a light weight motor oil additive that provides really high film strength & lubrication at very low viscosity but just a few drops at a time. I use chainsaw bar oil with a little Dura Lube, 1-2 fl. oz./gal. for all my high sling and hot lubrication jobs, the chainsaw bar of course but it works a real treat in my Little Giant, keeps it really slicked up without slobbering all over the place. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sing_j_ Posted December 2, 2013 Share Posted December 2, 2013 Thank you frosty! Once the blower I've got is can be ran smoothly this bit of information will be very helpful. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hardpan Posted November 10, 2014 Share Posted November 10, 2014 So... just getting the ancient Champion back into service ~ she seems to work well, but a tiny bit stiff (who wouldn't be after being ignored in a corner of the barn for fifty years or so? :rolleyes: ). And wondering... any thoughts on using MMO (Marvel Mystery Oil) to lube the thing? Don't tend to keep ATF on hand - no vehicles with AT's! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted November 10, 2014 Share Posted November 10, 2014 On suggestion: start with a little in the case and see if it all ends up on the floor; some blowers just take a shot in the upper port every day you use them, some have solid gear troughs and can hold oil. Also: have a catch basin below it till you get used to how it leaks!And Hardpan, no transmission places near you that might let you have a bit of used ATF? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hardpan Posted November 11, 2014 Share Posted November 11, 2014 Oh heck... ATF is cheap enough and available; just curious about the MMO, since I do believe I already have a jug of the stuff... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
allessence Posted November 13, 2014 Share Posted November 13, 2014 Some modern oils are not compatible with Brass or bronze and lots of the Champion blowers use a worm gear drive made of these materials. Using a good grade of oil is cheap insurance to another 100 years of use I use a mobil 600 series.. While Mobil SHC 600 Series Specific applications include: Filled for life gearboxes, especially high ratio/ low-efficiency worm gears Remotely located gearboxes, where oil change-out is difficult Low and high temperature applications yes it leaks out of the Champion 400 as the labyrinth seals are terrible but for a good quality blower it's a small cost in it's overall operation.. Besides that Just a few drops before use fits the bill and even after a few days of non use I can take the plug out and turn it over and still see oil clinging to the surfaces.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robert Yates Posted November 13, 2014 Share Posted November 13, 2014 I took my lil Champ apart Cleaned it, resurfaced the case just enough to get a good seal and then used the Indian Gasket sealer with a paper seal . then filled it up with Molly oil from Shaffer oil ... it was this -http://www.schaefferoil.com/engine-oil-treatment.html I have never had another issue with my lil champ for the last 10 years EVER ! Ret,Sgt. Robert Yates Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hardpan Posted November 17, 2014 Share Posted November 17, 2014 Ha! The Champion 400 was stiff... VERY stiff. Removed the cover, bathed the gears in ATF, and she's SO smooth now... let go, and the handle will find bottom. ;) Knowing that it had been sitting for over 50 years, I yam pleased. :) Pictures on the "Champion 400 Blower Mount" thread. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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