# Cleaning and Reoiling



## HOFAN (Jan 3, 2020)

Hello all, I am new to this forum so please bear with me here. I have a question. I purchased several locomotives off ebay. One appears to be dead (doesnt do anything when put on the tracks (HO gauge). The other 4 made noise when the power is applied and move a little but won't travel forward or backward. 

I want to clean and relube these locomotives and I would like to know what is the best cleanter to clean the outside and the drive truck gears?

Appreciate any suggestions.


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## Riggzie (Dec 24, 2019)

{subscribed}

ive been looking into this too... 
ive got much to fix before I worry about where your at!!!! hah..
good luck!


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## Riggzie (Dec 24, 2019)

duplicate.. mods can delete.. sorry


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## Tom_C (Jan 8, 2016)

I'll drop this here for reference. https://www.modeltrainforum.com/showthread.php?t=187128&highlight=grease


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## HOFAN (Jan 3, 2020)

*What oil/grease to use for HO Gauge*

I read the posted responses. I also read from another poster that Mobil-1 is a good lub as it is really slick. Any comments.

Thanks to all who answered my querry.


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## Tom_C (Jan 8, 2016)

You mean engine oil? I'd probably go for something made for hobbies, though mobil-1 is probably fine, I guess :dunno:

3n1 oil, or most anything that comes with a small needle like snout. and then some good hobby grease. I use HOPPE'S No. 9 Lubricating Oil, for what it's worth, but not because it's better, I just had it.


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## DonR (Oct 18, 2012)

Remember that most of what we have on the
rails is plastic. Any cleaner or lubricant you use
should be plastic friendly. That excludes most
automotive and household lubes. Possibly the most
available for us is LaBelle's. They offer both a 'grease' and
an '0il' at most hobby shops or on line.

The old lube in many old locos gels and hinders
rolling efforts. Use alcohol to clean it all out then
apply a small amount of lube to the gears. 

Use the 'oil' on the motor bearings.

The loco wheels would need cleaning also to
provide good electrical contact with the rails.
The easy way to do this is to place a paper towel
with a wet spot of alcohol on the track. Run
the front wheels of the loco onto the wet spot,
run up the speed control as you hold the loco,
spin the wheels. Repeat with the rear wheels.

Be sure your track rail heads are clean also.

Make sure the wheel wipers have clean contact
with the wheels and check to make sure the
connecting wires are intact. 

Don


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## HOFAN (Jan 3, 2020)

*What oil/grease to use for HO Gauge*

HI TomC, Yes, someone on this forum suggested the Mobil-1. I have 4 HO locomotives I got off ebay that need cleaning and lubbing. I don't want to use something that will damage the plastic parts, cogs and wheels. Here is a pic of our Christmas setup this year.


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## Tom_C (Jan 8, 2016)

Beautiful! You can look in my history for my Christmas layout, and other members, too. I won't post it again, but you can find it if you're interested.


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

Don't over oil a little bit is fine.

For O scale, I use motor oil.

I was always told to stay away from 3&1 oil.
But I see that there are members who use it.


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## Tom_C (Jan 8, 2016)

I should say that I personally don't use 3in1 oil, so if it's bad, then that is my bad for mentioning it.


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## Akoustic (May 6, 2019)

If you currently don't have lube advice given on LaBelle's is a great choice. I, like several others, use what we have. I have a lifetime of Mobile 1 so that's what I use. Be sure to use 91% alcohol for cleaning wheels and use caution with it on shells as some paints will wipe away.


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## Riggzie (Dec 24, 2019)

google and youtube searches has resulted in wd40.. for the track, wheels, gears... I see no one mentioning that. is it because its not thick and wont adhere/last as long?


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## mesenteria (Oct 29, 2015)

WD-40 is, as its initials suggest, a 'water displacement' medium. It is a desiccant and a penetrant. It is not a good lubricant for chains, gears, or bearings of any kind.

I have used Dextron III Mercon auto transmission fluid to lube my steam locomotives since about 2005. Works fine because it is a synthetic and superior lube, and it is safe for plastics and paints. Note that I mean I have used it on the exterior works, not in the gear towers.

However, in the past 15 months I have cleaned and lubed two brassworks antique bong/chime clocks. I dipped both works into paint thinner, let them air dry for a few days, and then dipped them in the Dextron III Mercon. They're both working like...well...like clocks.


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## HOFAN (Jan 3, 2020)

*Oiling and Lubing*

Thanks to all for your suggestions and recomendations. I will go to walmart today and some 91% alco. Since I have a quart of Mobile-1 I will give that a try and I will go by my local hobby shop and get some of the LaBelle gear grease. Looks like I have some work to do!


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## wvgca (Jan 21, 2013)

it will take a while to get most of the old grease out ... don't rush it, lol


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## HOFAN (Jan 3, 2020)

*Oiling and Lubing*

I figured as much. I will pick up two or three bottles of alco plus one of those small squirt bottles to apply the alco to the gear boxes etc. I have to finish up a front yard project before I get started on the locomotive cleanups. Thanks for your input.


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## J.Albert1949 (Feb 3, 2018)

Depends on the particular models involved, I would think.
Also... just how old they are.

Some may have motors that may be seized up beyond the point of "repairing". This doesn't mean you couldn't do it. It DOES mean that the work involved and cost might not be worth what it takes to get them running again.

With others the grease in the gear cases may have hardened up through the years, making it difficult for the motor to turn the wheels. Fixing this will almost certainly involve "breaking the trucks down" into their component pieces, cleaning the parts (I use 91% isopropyl alcohol), and then re-assembling them.

I've had pretty fair luck with buying older (not REALLY old) engines from ebay (particularly Proto2000). But some did require "a teardown" before they'd really run well.


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## Riggzie (Dec 24, 2019)

J.Albert1949 said:


> Depends on the particular models involved, I would think.
> Also... just how old they are.
> 
> Some may have motors that may be seized up beyond the point of "repairing". This doesn't mean you couldn't do it. It DOES mean that the work involved and cost might not be worth what it takes to get them running again.
> ...



so I have a mud truck play toy and at times I have stingy bolts. 

I know there is WD-40 as was stated about Water Displacement but it does work to penetrate and maybe would help there..

has anyone ever attempted to use Kroil to get stuff like that started to break down?

Kroil is insane at penetrating but I think its bad for plastic. 

I had like snotty grease in mine and I squirted WD-40 from top down and it broke down and oozed out that grease!!!!!


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## HOFAN (Jan 3, 2020)

*Oil and Lube*

Again, thanks guys for all your inputs. I do have one more question. I read on here, I think, that TYCO gears are hard to come by. Is that a fact? I have a TYCO Rock Island Line loco that from the sound of the motor I am pretty sure I have a stripped gear in there somewhere.


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## ftauss (Sep 18, 2012)

When I did field service work on computers and printers we had some good electronics/electrical cleaner. Penetrated good, broke up crud. Had the straw attachment to control where you put it. Safe for plastic and PCBs (obviously). Haven't seen it in a long time, the stores that sold it Radio Shack and electronics suppliers seem to have gone away. I thought it worked good.

Someone mentioned a sudsy soak to loosen things up and remove old oil. Assuming a dish soap. I use it to clean models of mold and sanding residue before painting. I've heard the motor oil thing before.


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## Kieta (Nov 6, 2018)

ftauss said:


> When I did field service work on computers and printers we had some good electronics/electrical cleaner. Penetrated good, broke up crud. Had the straw attachment to control where you put it. Safe for plastic and PCBs (obviously). Haven't seen it in a long time, the stores that sold it Radio Shack and electronics suppliers seem to have gone away. I thought it worked good.
> 
> Someone mentioned a sudsy soak to loosen things up and remove old oil. Assuming a dish soap. I use it to clean models of mold and sanding residue before painting. I've heard the motor oil thing before.


I use the WD40 Specialist Contact Cleaner Spray which has a straw attachment. Could be that. I initially bought it because my Nintendo Switch had the famous joystick problem and it fixed that. Used it on my track a few times with good results.


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## Rich1853 (Jun 25, 2018)

I am new to model trains about two years now. Also I model in TT scale as I like th0e scale size of 1 inch equal 10 feet (120 in) being a now retired Aerospace Engineer.
As I purchase all of my trains from the German ebay the used ones are all cleaned this way. Removed the shell, attach wire from my MRC power supply to the appropriate area to get power to the motor, place the chassis in a narrow and deep tray about the size of a butter dish cover and I submerge the chassis with denatured alcohol and I apply power and run in both direction. Nice rooster tails too, I use a toothbrush to clean the gears, wheels, the wheel contacts (lots of lint or rug fibers removed with dental picks) after drying I use Labelle lubrication kit for N/Z scale. All of my used locomotive (about 15) are operating superbly. There was a couple that the gears were split or the drive shaft univer rsal that I replaced and one that I had to exchange wire polarity as it was running opposite o standard.


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## grm1227 (Jul 8, 2019)

I prefer sewing machine oil for lubing loco's


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## kilowatt62 (Aug 18, 2019)

Tiny screwdrivers,needlenose pliers, paper towls, Q-tips, 91% isopropyl alcohol, rinse well. 
Automotive trans oil is the best rusty bolt loosening agent ive ever used.
Nylon bristle 'wire wheel' attachment in your dremel tool for cruddy wheels.
A brass bristle version if wheels are corroded. Then follow up with the nylon to polish.
Labelle products are my go to for all things slippery. 
Tyco parts can be bought from the seller 'trainpartsmart' on ebay.


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## Jscullans (Jul 8, 2019)

I use Lucas gun oil due to the fact it’s formulated to operate inside of a polymer firearm. As for grease I use lubriplate white grease. The lubriplate shouldn’t hurt anything but I have more brass than anything at this point so the gearing in those older locomotives is eventually going to give up anyway. Once my gear boxes are replaced it will be strictly labelle in them. The old timer at my local hobby shop swears by unscented vasoline too. He has been in this hobby for twice the time I’ve been alive so he has to have a good idea on it. If you intend to use vasoline I would use it sparingly though or you’re going to have one greasy mess of a layout


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## CTValleyRR (Jul 26, 2014)

Jscullans said:


> I use Lucas gun oil due to the fact it’s formulated to operate inside of a polymer firearm. As for grease I use lubriplate white grease. The lubriplate shouldn’t hurt anything but I have more brass than anything at this point so the gearing in those older locomotives is eventually going to give up anyway. Once my gear boxes are replaced it will be strictly labelle in them. The old timer at my local hobby shop swears by unscented vasoline too. He has been in this hobby for twice the time I’ve been alive so he has to have a good idea on it. If you intend to use vasoline I would use it sparingly though or you’re going to have one greasy mess of a layout


I would say that rule goes for ANY lubricant. Use it sparingly.


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