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Oil for plain bearings

Former Community Member
Former Community Member
Hello all. I am looking for some advice on oil for sintered bronze bearings in an old motor(1/2hp). The manufacturer's plate says to add 15 drops of non-detergent SAE 20 oil every year. On a plain bearing with no force-feed lubrication, is detergent(motor) oil going to harm the bearings/journal? The only comment I have found online other than do/do not use, is that the detergents may dissolve the insulation on the windings. Another comment was that if put in a gear box, detergent oil will foam. I had a friend who used GTX20W50 in his car gearbox without any issues. I have a bench grinder with a worm drive for a wet wheel. I put a clear cover on the drive and put gearbox oil in. It foams away merrily!!

I understand most forums are run by self -styled experts( e.g. bobistheoilguy)who have little to no actual knowledge.
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  • Former Community Member
    0 Former Community Member
    The motor is a Dayton on my 1951 Southbend. It has rubber (not plastic) insulated wires. I use the recommended Mobil Velocite oil on the lathe bearings. I have found out that 3 in 1 sells SAE 20 electric motor oil. I will give it a try. The lathe apron, lead screw and drive spindle will get some multigrade. I suppose any oil I put on will be better than anything available in 1951!


    These online forums are amazing. Here is what I have found out. Fram oil filters - useless(they do have a lawsuit for the filter media collapsing). But they make filters for Honda. For the last 20 odd years I have been told never to use Quaker State oil as it makes sludge(Castrol never does). but a friend of mine was told to use Quaker State in his Toyota because the 'waxes' protect things on start up. Now Pennzoil(owned by Shell) is second rate because their oil is made from natural gas. One bloke said his car makes a noise after 3000 miles. I always thought oil did not 'wear out.' It just got dirty.


    What lathe do you have?
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  • Former Community Member
    0 Former Community Member
    The motor is a Dayton on my 1951 Southbend. It has rubber (not plastic) insulated wires. I use the recommended Mobil Velocite oil on the lathe bearings. I have found out that 3 in 1 sells SAE 20 electric motor oil. I will give it a try. The lathe apron, lead screw and drive spindle will get some multigrade. I suppose any oil I put on will be better than anything available in 1951!


    These online forums are amazing. Here is what I have found out. Fram oil filters - useless(they do have a lawsuit for the filter media collapsing). But they make filters for Honda. For the last 20 odd years I have been told never to use Quaker State oil as it makes sludge(Castrol never does). but a friend of mine was told to use Quaker State in his Toyota because the 'waxes' protect things on start up. Now Pennzoil(owned by Shell) is second rate because their oil is made from natural gas. One bloke said his car makes a noise after 3000 miles. I always thought oil did not 'wear out.' It just got dirty.


    What lathe do you have?
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