Oil Change on a Chester Super B

[martyn]

I don't know if anyone out there has a Chester Super B (A Chinese job available in the UK from a firm called, you've guessed, Chester Machine Tools of Chester!).

In the extraordinarily badly translated 'operator's manual' it advises changing the gearbox oil periodically.

I am fastidious about keeping the oil level 'up to the mark' in the gearbox sight glass but have hunted high and low, without success, for some means of draining the lubricant for a complete oil change .

Do you get it out through the filler plug with a syringe, rather like you would do on a marine engine where the drain plug is obstructed by the boat's hull?

Many thanks for illumination in advance.

Martyn

[John Evans]

On my 12X36 Chinese lathe the drain plug is on the rear corner of the headstock ,tailstock side . It is hidden by the back splash which has to be removed to get to the plug. Failing all else suck it out through the fill hole.

[martyn]

Thanks John, I'll look there.

Martyn

[Nugget]

Mine is similar to yours. Thing is the drain plug is in the bottom of gearbox directly below the sight glass about 25mm in. It's a 5mm Allen key cap head. And therein lies the problem..How to get an Allen key in there. Without lifting lathe from tray I had to mod.
I ran a 20mm hole cutter through from the cupboard below in the stand. This allows an Allen key to open drain screw and lets oil flow out into a strategically placed container. ☺

[redneckalbertan]

I don't know how often you would change the oil in the head stock, but if its done regularly a person may want to consider plumbing a 90 and valve in there so you wouldn't have try and pull the plug every time. Slide a piece of ruler hose onto the end, open the valve and drain into a bucket.

[SteveM]

Changing the oil with suction from above is never a good idea.

Stuff that settles at the bottom is likely to be left there.

If there isn't a drain hole, consider making one, if you can get to a good location with a drill and tap.

Steve

[Harold_V]

Changing the oil with suction from above is never a good idea.

Stuff that settles at the bottom is likely to be left there.

Agreed. That's why it's also a good idea to change oil when it's hot, so it's more fluid and perhaps carrying minute particles that might otherwise settle and not be discarded. That's particularly true of devices that use non-detergent oils.

Harold

[SteveM]

Changing the oil with suction from above is never a good idea.

Stuff that settles at the bottom is likely to be left there.

Agreed. That's why it's also a good idea to change oil when it's hot, so it's more fluid and perhaps carrying minute particles that might otherwise settle and not be discarded. That's particularly true of devices that use non-detergent oils.

I let the car sit for a while after driving to ensure that oil has a chance to drain back to the pan, but is still hot enough to flow well.

Just gotta watch getting it on my hands when I remove the plug and filter. Then you find out why they used boiling oil against people trying to scale the walls of the castle!

Steve