On my Stewart speedometers, they should need lubrication after 95 years of use. What type of oil would be the best to use? I screwed one up by coaxing some 30 wt. motor oil into it. What ever is used, it has to be of a thinner viscosity. But what? Whale sperm oil? or ???



SSsssteamer

This is not my area of expertese,,so anyone better qualified ,please add to this,,,,First I think, wash the parts in a solvent,, k-1 or gasolene,,get the oxydised junk out,,, as for a fresh lube,,first thought, that is '' handy'' would be Mineral oil at the drug store, sold as a laxitive,,its pure [I think] ,,it seems not to oxydise much,,I use it on the motor of the boiler feed pump at the house,, Second would be SPINDLE OIL ,, sold for milling machine and lathe spindles,,,There are 4 grades,,thinnest is like kerosene,,,heaviest like #30 or #40 engine oil,,,,,,,Engine oil has lots of additives and is compounded on the Base side of ph scale,,,to counteract the normal ? acid ccondition that exists in engines,,,Sludge and water as an auto problem not found in milling machines also,,,This is an interesting topic , not often addressd,,,,Cheers Ben

I think Ben is right, any very light weight oil shoild be ok. Something like 10 weight or so....try a smear of Mobil 1. You could also try a light dusting of graphite on your newly lubricated cable. I'm sure that the inside of the sheath is a long way from being a precision bearing surface. I also seem to remember from my younger days that the last few inches of cable before the speedometer head should be left unlubricated. I believe this was to prevent the cable from "screwing" its lubrication up the cable and into the head. I'm sure this may have been the norm for 40's and 50's cars but I doubt that a Stanley will ever spin the cable fast enough to cause a problem. (except in your case!)
Keep Steaming,
Dick



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I don't know about old speedometers, but when faced with the need to lubricate something small with fine clearances, I would use Singer Sewing Machine oil. It is clean and has never failed me.

Stay well, Kobus van Jaarsveld

To save my motor oiled speedometer, I will wash it out with cleaning solvent and then attack it with Singer sewing machine oil. Thank you all for the suggestions.



SSsssteamer