Oil/Lube Question For 70's Lionel

[Cannonball]

My brother and I had a Lionel O27 Cannonball train set our mom and dad bought for us back in the early 70's. After my folks divorced, my dad moved down to Georgia and the train got stored in my aunt's basement. Fast forward 20 years and I was visiting my aunt for Thanksgiving with Dad's side of the family. We were down in the basement looking for something else and I found our old train set back in a corner. I brought it back home with me and proceeded to set it up. Imagine my suprise that after 20 years in a cold, damp basement it still runs.

It doesn't run great however. It takes a little push to get it going and it doesn't have quite the same zip it once had. Going from what I've read around the net, I'm guessing the old girl needs lubed up good. It's just a little 2-4-0 Steamer. There's no smoke and there's no headlight but it does have the reverse switch in the cab. The box calls it "Lionel's Famous Pullmor Motor." What would be the best stuff to lube it up with? Would something like 3in1 oil be OK?

I've also been cleaning the track sections like mad. I have far more of this than I will probably ever use but I've cleaned almost all of it. I found some old O gauge mixed in as well and set that aside to either make a seperate track or sell off on eBay. Not sure which yet. Cleaning it is a pain in the butt.

Any help reviving my little Cannonball engine would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Cannonball]

11 views and no replies?
You all hate me already. :cry:

 

[shaygetz]

Welcome to The Gauge

3in1 is OK for all bearing surfaces like the axles and motor bearing points. You'll want a light grease to do the gears, I have used plastic compatible fishing reel grease to do it in the past if you can't find a hobby shop. The first rule is; a little of each goes a long way---use both sparingly as too much acts as a dirt magnet.

 

[Cannonball]

Welcome to The Gauge

3in1 is OK for all bearing surfaces like the axles and motor bearing points. You'll want a light grease to do the gears, I have used plastic compatible fishing reel grease to do it in the past if you can't find a hobby shop. The first rule is; a little of each goes a long way---use both sparingly as too much acts as a dirt magnet.

The gears on the outside look metal to me?
Are there plastic ones inside the engine?
I'm guessing I could find fishing reel grease in sporting goods....
(Although I don't know for sure since I don't fish. ops: )

Thanks for the welcome.

 

[Thoroughbreed]

The fishing reel grease you refer to, I beleive is a silicon based grease that comes in spray can for about $3~$4. I wouldn't spray it into the engine, as it expands quickly and will cause more problems than it corrects. I would use a toothpick to apply to the gears.

 

[shaygetz]

Definitely not the spray type...Wal-Mart sells it by the tube in Sporting Goods for about $4.

 

[shaygetz]

The plastic compatible part is important in that, even if there is no plastic in the drive train, the body shell may get some on it during operation.

 

[Cannonball]

Cool.
So 3in1 for the motor and fishing grease for the gears.