# New to trains, oil vs lube for locomotive?



## marcwwwguy (Oct 22, 2021)

Hello,

My manual for the 246 locomotive says to use Lionel Lubricant (not oil) for the drive gears. What exactly is this? I currently have Bachmans EZ lubricant, it doesn't say oil anywhere. Is this the same thing as Lionel Lubricant? I saw they make a gear oil too (light and heavy) so thats sort of confusing. Ive tried googling this and i watched a vid of a guy oiling and lubricating his locomotive. He said to read the manual and to use lube where it says lube and oil where it says to use oil. 

Another question, if you can use the lube i have for the gears, couldn't you use it for everything else too?


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## shaygetz (Sep 23, 2007)

You want to use a light oil on all bearing surfaces, and a light grease on all gears. As long as it's plastic compatible, it's all good.


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## marcwwwguy (Oct 22, 2021)

Thanks for the fast response. 

Ok its a grease.

Is the lubricant i got the wrong kind, or can i still use it on bearing surfaces?

Thank you for your help!


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## shaygetz (Sep 23, 2007)

So long as it's a light machine oil that's plastic compatible, it's fine. I use Wahl hair clipper oil myself as it is also electrically conductive, a nice but not necessary bonus.


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## marcwwwguy (Oct 22, 2021)

Ok I'll probably keep using the one i have then get the right oil when it runs out, thanks again for your help!!!


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## Lehigh74 (Sep 25, 2015)

Bachmann EZ Lube is a conductive lube so you can use on the roller bearings and not worry about losing conductivity. Its also good for the wheel bearings. For exposed gears, I use Labelle 106 or Excelle NLGI 1. For enclosed gears I use red and tacky. Some also use red and tacky for exposed gears. For bearings, I use Excelle heavy or light or Labelle 107. Important to remember to just use a little bit of oil on bearings. Just a drop or two.

Both oil and grease are lubricants or lube for short. Use oil for bearings and grease for gears. There are a few cases when a heavy oil will be OK for gears. I use Excelle gear oil for those.


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## marcwwwguy (Oct 22, 2021)

Ok ordered Labelle 106, there should be two happy locomotives now. Thanks!


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## CTValleyRR (Jul 26, 2014)

marcwwwguy said:


> Ok I'll probably keep using the one i have then get the right oil when it runs out, thanks again for your help!!!


So it sounds like you have it figured out by now, but in case it wasn't clear, oil and grease are not interchangeable. That's why there are two separate products. Don't use one where the other is called for.


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## mesenteria (Oct 29, 2015)

White grease where there are plastic gears, which most modern locomotives have somewhere in their mechanical drives. Otherwise, a medium weight or light liquid lube SPARINGLY applied. I use the dregs left in a plastic bottle of auto transmission fluid that is paints and plastics safe. The Dexron III Mercon, or modern equivalent, are just fine.


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