mechanical lubricator

[Bill Shields]

yes on the offset of the scotch yoke. Any time you are pushing DOWN on something with a cam and have limited guidance, it is a good idea to push DOWN right along the center line (or as close to the center line as possible).

NO on standard motor oil.

If you want to use something other than steam oil, DON'T use motor oil, use something like turbine or machine tool oil that has fewer additives (ie detergents).

ZDP is OK, but all the detergents and anti-foamants are not what we are looking for.

[locoparts]

Bill

Sorry to be late getting here but we went to TM and just got back.

You received some very good advice. Talk to ME about it first. If you will return it to me I will repair it if that is what it requires, and return it to you. I hate to see you go to all this trouble when we will be glad to take of the problem.

LOCOPARTS
1471 Spring Meadow Lane
Suffolk, Va. 23432

757-255-2815

don

[Bill_Gardei]

Don:

I know many people that only have good things to say about your lubricator,
so I am not going to disqualify it as being a satisfactory unit if I'm the only
one having trouble. - And by the way, all the other stuff you sold me works
absolutely super.

The fact that several including yourself have told me that additional check
valves are needed outside the lubricator indicates to me that the internal
check valves are the weak link. It doesn't matter how and how many times
one primes the unit and the oil lines if the steam pressure blows the oil
right back out, losing the prime.

I know you stand behind your products, and as a supplier, rank easily
in the top ten for quality and honesty, but having had annoying problems
twice, I was wanting to know if there are better ways to do this. So I
asked the message board hoping to get some ideas. As you can see
there is a good consortium of responses.

Thanks

Bill

[Bill_Gardei]

Friends:

It has taken me a long time. And with the help of some of you guys, I have
a Mechanical Lubricator that I am actually happy with. Here is a video clip.
Read the description that goes with it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KQlsFHBYaI4

Bill

[CB&Q]

Bill, I made my own, it's quite simple, and so far has proven quite capable. It is easily adjustable for volume, overcomes boiler pressure automatically (it's output pressure simply rises high enough to squirt the oil into the steamflow heading for the cylinders.

It is nothing more than a block of bronze having a 7/16" hole reamed in it, the pump plunger being a 302 S/S rod using a single O-ring to prevent stem leakage.

Driven by a "tab" having an adjustable bump-screw which runs back and forth with the crosshead.

If you would like more info, please do not hesitate to ask!

CB&Q

[Bill Shields]

Bill:

In 30+ years of doing this, I have always had to put a second check valve in where it enters the steam line.

It's an issue of temperature as much as 'leak tight'. It is really necessary to keep heat as far away from the lubricator as possible so that the oil in / around the pump and discharge checks doesn't get hot, therby reducing the viscosity of the oil, which makes things to haywire.

The 2nd check always does it - of course, having o-rings in there on the checks never hurts.

Good luck

Bill S.

[Fred_V]

Friends:

It has taken me a long time. And with the help of some of you guys, I have
a Mechanical Lubricator that I am actually happy with. Here is a video clip.
Read the description that goes with it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KQlsFHBYaI4

Bill

interesting design Bill. what dis. are the rams? it's hard to tell how the cam is moving the ram. the plate seems to have an odd motion. i count 23 wheel revolutions per squirt for each side. can you adjust that to slow it down more if needed?

[Bill_Gardei]

Bill S.

I have had to lap my ball check valves (multiple times). So it makes
sense to me that duplicate check valves would significantly reduce or
even eliminate the leakage issue. Additionally, the second set of valves
would cover you when dirt or crap gets shoved through one set or the
other.

Oh you bet. You can watch the gauges "leak down", and you know
it's the check valves that are leaking. The combination of check valve
and the piston in the cylinder is very leak tight. Once the piston retracts
for another load - the leak begins.

I would add a second set of checks (right at the cylinders) right now
except I'm afraid I may need to make my pump springs stronger.
Maybe I am worrying too much. You think?

Thanks

Bill

[Fred_V]

Bill, I made my own, it's quite simple, and so far has proven quite capable. It is easily adjustable for volume, overcomes boiler pressure automatically (it's output pressure simply rises high enough to squirt the oil into the steamflow heading for the cylinders.

It is nothing more than a block of bronze having a 7/16" hole reamed in it, the pump plunger being a 302 S/S rod using a single O-ring to prevent stem leakage.

Driven by a "tab" having an adjustable bump-screw which runs back and forth with the crosshead.

If you would like more info, please do not hesitate to ask!

CB&Q

do i understand you correctly that you have a 7/16" dia ram and it acts on every stroke? if that is true you better get a 50 gal. drum of steam oil and another one of kerosene for cleaning the engine.

most lubers put out a drop every minute or two.

[Bill_Gardei]

Fred V:

The odd motion is caused by the piston hitting the load (the oil already at
the 120 PSI). Once it hits the load it doesn't want to travel any more so the
lever goes slack - nothing to force it against the cam - until the cylinder
leaks down.

There are 48 teeth on the ratchet gear, and each stroke picks 2 teeth - except
the one time it caught only one - which seems to be a trend. If I shorten the
drive rod and reduce the lever arm angle, I can make the ratchet pick up one
tooth at a time. So I really don't have much control over volume.

The rams are 0.188" (3/16)

Thanks

Bill

[wolkowis]

Bill,

Who makes your new lubricator, and where did you get it?

Thanks,
Jay

[Bill Shields]

I get around the need to lap the ball valves by sticking a small o-ring in the bottom and seating the ball against them.

I will let you know when one wears out...