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Topic: Changing The Oil - Simplex XL

Paul G. Thompson
The Weenie Man

Posts: 4718
From: Mount Vernon WA USA
Registered: Nov 2000

posted 03-09-2001 10:50 PM

Don, maybe Mark, Gordon, or John might be able to help you find the right oil if you don't have any Texaco jobbers in the Milwaukee area. If there are none, make sure you get some from Strong International. I have experienced some contaminated oil from generic 1 gallon jugs coming from suppliers. (such as cigarette ashes, etc.) As a rule, I never accept any oil in an unsealed generic container. Sometimes what is said to be in that jug is not necessarly what actually is in that jug!

Aaron Mehocic
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 804
From: New Castle, PA, USA
Registered: Jun 99

posted 03-10-2001 09:14 AM

Gordon & Paul:
I know a number of operators and service techs who use WD40 for this application. I've never had any problems thus far. HOWEVER, I never thought of using kerosene. Yes, that would be better in the long run by far. Thank you for your correction.
Aaron

Mark Gulbrandsen
Resident Trollmaster

Posts: 16657
From: Music City
Registered: Jun 99

posted 03-10-2001 12:05 PM

Leo,
I thought you drove one of those electric three wheeled cars like Mr Bean has. Oil changes?
Mark @ GTS

Leo Enticknap
Film God

Posts: 7474
From: Loma Linda, CA
Registered: Jul 2000

posted 03-11-2001 04:19 PM

Paul: I agree about not using oil from suspect containers. I know someone who once hastily transferred the contents of a leaking, rusty 5-litre can into a used Coke bottle. A few days later he had a seized intermittent resulting from (according to the engineer who had to fix it) caramalised coke deposits inside the unit!

Mark: No, my car's more like the one John Cleese assaults with a tree-trunk in 'Fawlty Towers'...

Randy Stankey
Film God

Posts: 6539
From: Erie, Pennsylvania
Registered: Jun 99

posted 03-11-2001 07:26 PM

I always check what's in the can before I use it. It's a habit I developed from way back when I was a kid. My Dad and I were fishing out in the middle of Lake Erie when we ran out of gas. Dad said, "Hook up the spare tank, son." I looked down in the back of the boat and saw TWO spare tanks. I just hooked up the one that was "closer" and didn't think anything about it. About a 1/2 hour later, Dad asks me, "Which tank back there did you hook up?..." It seems that the one of those tanks was filled with 2-Cycle gas! I just lucked out on this one because I DID hook up the right tank. Of course I got the "Always check lecture".
(Y'Know, to this day I'm still wondering what the heck Dad was doing with 2-Cycle gas in the back of the boat that had a 4-Cycle engine!

)

WD-40 is something I wouldn't use inside a projector. Used prudently on certain non-critical, external parts it's OK but if it's overused it can gunk up on you. Honestly, I wouldn't use anything inside a projector other than the "original" oil specified by the mfg. (or a substitute specified by the mfg.) I even had reservations when I read those posts about using Marvel Mystery Oil. I'd have to see it in action myself before I made up my mind. I know some of you guys swear by it but I rather not end up swearing AT it.
I saw the list prices for new projection equipment when I started this job and I was shocked when I saw some of them... $15,000 for a brand new Simplex Millennium! NO WAY am I going to F*** around with THAT kind of scratch!

Gordon McLeod
Film God

Posts: 9532
From: Toronto Ontario Canada
Registered: Jun 99

posted 03-11-2001 07:31 PM

WD40 is also about the fastest way to remove the sealed lube from a sealed ballbearing as well
WD40 stands for Water Deplacement #40 no a lubricant

Paul G. Thompson
The Weenie Man

Posts: 4718
From: Mount Vernon WA USA
Registered: Nov 2000

posted 03-11-2001 07:44 PM

I still think the best solution to the WD-40 problem is to simply keep it out of your booth.

That stuff was made for specific purposes, and projection equipment was not one of them.

Ken Lackner
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1907
From: Atlanta, GA, USA
Registered: Sep 2001

posted 09-20-2001 06:22 PM

So can someone please tell me what WD40 IS for? I have heard several people say that it is not a lubricant, and before I became a projectionist I always thought that was its main purpose.

The only thing on the inside of the projector that I use it for is cleaning out the screen (Simplex Millenium, 1060, etc....).

I know the Simplex manual says not to use substitues, but I'm sure they charge an arm and a leg for their oil. We currently use generic oil of the same weight. What do you guys think about that?

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Freddie Dobbs
Expert Film Handler

Posts: 115
From: Pinson, AL, USA
Registered: Jun 2001

posted 09-20-2001 10:56 PM

Don,

The cost effective way to change the oil is to keep tabs on it, when it starts to turn dark or milky it's time to change it, on new machines it will become dark pretty quick from the black of the internal parts, on older machines it turns "non clear" or milky. It's also a good idea to clean the mesh on the pickup tube, it will clog up from time to time.

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Paul G. Thompson
The Weenie Man

Posts: 4718
From: Mount Vernon WA USA
Registered: Nov 2000

posted 09-20-2001 11:14 PM

Ken, Simplex oil is not that expensive. Texaco WF 22 Capella is OK to use. It only costs about 11 bucks a gallon at your Texaco Jobber.

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System Notices
Forum Watchdog / Soup Nazi

Posts: 215

Registered: Apr 2004

posted 08-13-2009 12:02 PM

It has been 2883 days since the last post.

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Ottilie Young
Film Handler

Posts: 15
From: Chicago, IL, USA
Registered: Feb 2007

posted 08-13-2009 12:02 PM

I wanted to write and thank Film-Tech. Without forums like this one I would've never known to and how to change the oil on our Simplex XLs.

You guys are great! [thumbsup]

Thanks
Ottilie Young
Equipment Chair
Doc Films
University of Chicago

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