Wahl Oil vs. Labelle 104 Synthetic Oil?

RobertInOntario

Active Member
Wahl oil works as a good lubricant and track cleaner, but it badly damages traction tires of tender-driven locos. I know from experience -- Wahl oil expanded and damaged the tires on one of my Hornby tender-driven locos and I've been waiting for replacement tires for months now!

As an alternative to Wahl oil, I've just started using Labelle 104 synthetic multi-purpose oil. Just wondering if anyone knows if this will also damage traction tires? I suspect it won't, but I want to be extra careful this time!!

Just to clarify, I only intend to use the Labelle oil for lubricating only (not cleaning track).

Thanks,
Rob
 

RobertInOntario

Active Member
GN.2-6-8-0 said:
Labelle 104 is a plastic compatible oil.....will be perfectly safe for engines and other lubrication applications.

Thanks for your feedback, GN! On the carton that this oil came with it says, "Do not use on plastic." But I think you're right in that it's safe to use, as long as I apply it to metal areas. My main concern was that I didn't want oil to seep out from the motor, onto the tracks and thus ruin more of the traction tires. Cheers, Rob
 

Banjobob184

New Member
Hi Ralph, I personal use Wal Marts sewing Machine oil, as all sewing machines now contain mostly plastic so their oil is great for cleaning, luricating and it is cheap. I hve used Labelle which is good, but 4 times the cost here in Canada .

Bob
 

N Gauger

1:20.3 Train Addict
Hi Ralph, I personal use Wal Marts sewing Machine oil, as all sewing machines now contain mostly plastic so their oil is great for cleaning, luricating and it is cheap. I hve used Labelle which is good, but 4 times the cost here in Canada .

Bob

Neat!! I'll have to look for that next time I'm there :)
 

RobertInOntario

Active Member
Hi Ralph, I personal use Wal Marts sewing Machine oil, as all sewing machines now contain mostly plastic so their oil is great for cleaning, luricating and it is cheap. I hve used Labelle which is good, but 4 times the cost here in Canada .

Bob

Thanks -- I'll have to check this out, although I do have a good supply of both Wahl and Labelle oil!
 

60103

Pooh Bah
Rob: check the laBelle oils. They make plastic-compatible ones and also plastic-incompatible ones. I only get the plastic-compatible, but I'm too far from it to see which one.
 

RobertInOntario

Active Member
Rob: check the laBelle oils. They make plastic-compatible ones and also plastic-incompatible ones. I only get the plastic-compatible, but I'm too far from it to see which one.

Yes, I thought they did that too. I'm pretty sure mine says "plastic incompatible" yet that's what I'm currently using -- although I'm careful in how I apply it and where. Thanks, Rob
 

Renovo PPR

Just a Farmer
It is funny how so many people do have a brand name of oil that they swear by. In my younger days I used what ever Dad had in the garage. Most of that time it was the old 3 in 1 or plain old motor oil.

Since I had just an old Lionel 2036 I don't think it mattered what I used. They all did the same thing and for 40 years everything has worked just fine.

Today I use Hob-E-Lube Premium gear Lube HL 664. They say it is the best you can buy and is both plastic & paint compatible and formulated with special additives which makes it stay put while parts are moving.

I guess I just can call it new and improved motor oil because it has the same look. but it works great on anything from wheels to rollers. Simply put the stuff doesn't drip out on the track it does stay put and is a great lubricant.

When it comes to gears I use Lubriplate, it is a white grease that was given to me by a long time Lionel repair man, Doctor Tinker.
 

60103

Pooh Bah
If you want to try things, take some plastic leftovers from a kit and let it sit in oil for a month. Try various oils and see what it does to the plastic. Best idea would be several identical parts.
My best friend in school got really cheap and used vegetable oil from the kitchen. All of a sudden his Kitmaster plastic locomotives wouldn't move anymore.
 
The original post was about a problem with traction tires,the problem as i see it is to find out just what matierial the traction tires are made of.
If they are rubber maybe even the plastic compatable oils are going to cause damage.
I myself have just now purchased a BLI AT&SF 2-10-2 that has traction tires, rubber i believe....my first! so any information on the subject is welcome...
Normally most stay'd away from TTs because a large proportion caused bad cases of wobbly-wheels caused by the TT being out of round....
To their credit BLI also included a spare set of all metal replacement drivers with the engine.
 
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