Oil for an ancient refrigerator motor

[newbury]

I've a table top grinder with a wire brush and a grindstone my Grandfather built back about the 1950's with a motor from an old (at that time) refrigerator. I was told the motor was salvaged from a 1920's refrigerator. I value the grinder and motor, and now more so since I'm looking at being able to pass it down to a grandson to use.

It's sentimental. But I am more sentimental for things that work and are not just ornaments.

I tend to use it for an hour or less a year, sharpening lawnmower blades, removing rust from a tool, etc. But it is HANDY.

It's got an oil cap and I've been dripping in Quaker State 30 weight from the same can about once a year for the past 40 years after I inherited the grinder and the can. It would usually only take a dozen or two drops a year and I suspect it's due to leakage. I misplaced or lost the can.

Was 30 weight good? (Yea, I know, wait 40 years to ask)
Should I go to a lighter or heavier oil?

I'd like to see to see it last 100 years, it's probably only worth $5 but it's a family heirloom.

 

[Diamondpilot]

30W worked all these years so why change? I suspect any oil would be fine but really, dont change whats not broken.

Chris

 

[mrutkaus]

Oh yes, stick with the 30w, maybe get fancy and find non-detergent 30w. I remember dripping oil, any oil we had around (and it was probably 30w) into those things.

Mike

 

[newbury]

Oh yes, stick with the 30w, maybe get fancy and find non-detergent 30w. I remember dripping oil, any oil we had around (and it was probably 30w) into those things.

Mike

GOOD POINT!!
The can I had was non-detergent.
You reminded me of an incident that was in the late '60's.
Lady had a FINE old MG, really nice car, ran well. Took it in for an oil change, they used the "new" detergent oil. It cleaned out the engine so well you could almost hear the pistons rattle in the cylinders when the car was shaken with the engine off. No compression. She had to have a complete rebuild.
Sometimes these new fangled things aren't so good

 

[brucew44guns]

If you've got some 5W/30 or 10W/30 on hand, I would not lose sleep at all using that. Slick is slick in this case.

 

[Blast Chamber]

Here is what I use in my ancient air compressor motors. Have not had a problem yet.

3-IN-ONE Electric Motor Oil | SAE 20 Motor Oil Products

 

[Raspy]

I oil a lot of those old motors on pumps that are on heating systems. Old Bell and Gosset motors that wanted 30W non detergent. However, the recognized alternative is Mobil 1 synthetic.

You really can't go too far wrong with regular motor oil, but I do use Mobil 1 exclusively because I think it's more stable. One thing to remember is too much oil is a problem for the motors that have rubber mounts on each end. They have a rubber piece, at each end, clamped into a bracket. Over oiling them causes oil to get on that rubber and makes them fail. Usually just a couple of drops a year is fine. I've seen a few that have never been oiled and were fine.

You can get "motor" oil from B&G that comes in a small plastic baster thing with about one tablespoon of oil in it. Clip the end, squeeze a couple of drops out. They supply that oiler with new motors.

Best thing is to just use Mobil 1. Put some in an old fashioned click bottom oil can and station it by the motor for scheduled maintenance. Couple of drops a year and your motor is happy.