I think I found some "Gear Oil"

[Charlie W]

For What it's Worth:
I picked up some "Mobil 600W Super Cylinder Oil" The Lube Engineer spec'd it out for me as a straight 140 weight, non-synthetic mineral oil with no EP compounds. Sounds like Seagull Gear Oil to me. I'll give it a go. All the best.

[rikanaka]

I bought some Stalube SAE140 from NAPA last year, gallon size about $18. The part number is SL24238. Your local store should be able to get if they don't have it in stock. My local NAPA said they couldn't get it. I called another NAPA store 15 miles away and they could get it. They both got their stock from the same distributor. Go figure!

http://www.crcindustries.com/ei/content ... PN=SL24238

It does have EP additives (alkyl sulfide is listed in the ingredients) but I queried the manufacturer last year about the ASTM D130 (3 hr copper corrosion test) data for this oil and they didn't have that data so they ran the test for me! Came out 1B which is a good score.

I can get 5 gallon pails of straight SAE 140 (Chevron RPM 140 Gear Oil GL-1) for $60 locally here in Rhode Island. If anyone here on the east coast is interested in splitting a pail w/me into gallon quantities let me know.

[g52ss]

Hi All

Crossing over from one hobby to another, been using "STP" motor oil viscosity enhancer straight in the transmission of my Model A Ford for two years. Doesn't leak like the "Equivalent 600W" available from hobby vendors. The transmission shifts fine except for the first 1/10 mile on January "frostbite runs". Going to use it in the gearbox of my recently acquired Silver Century direct drive. Don't know about the engineering. Would welcome any feedback & will report after this season.

Don

[charlesp]

The question you need to ask yourself about STP:

Does it emulsify in water?

If not, then it's probably best to forget it. All the Seagulls up until about 1979 had no oil seals, and oil could leak out whilst water leaked in. Churned up into a greyish beige gunk the mixture happily lubricated gearboxes for decades.

Sometimes a waterproof greae is used, which is too high in viscosity and not at all kmiscible with water. Result - wrecked gearbox.

Best to stick to 140 like the book says I think

[John@sos]

British Seagull knew all about the problems that EP oils have with some bronze bearings, they figured that as their motors had gearboxes that were immersed in cold water they would not ever reach the very high temperatures needed for the additive to have any effect.

So British Seagull sold both EP and straight 140 and 90 grade oils over the years. I still have old sample bottles as proof.

Never heard of any Seagull gearbox having a bronze problem, only a lack of oil problem!
John
SOS

[Hugz]

For those in Oz, Penrite make a Transoil 140. It's a non-additive gear oil. Comes in 1 Litre containers. It emulsifies ok. If I remember correctly it cost about $6 or 7au. Penrite have agents in most states. Abroad too I do believe.

Question: I have the nipples on my '47 102...... does a normal grease gun fit them?

Cheers Hugo.