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Topic: Century Intermittent Oil

Manny Knowles
"What are these things and WHY are they BLUE???"

Posts: 4247
From: Bloomington, IN, USA
Registered: Feb 2002

posted 06-21-2002 07:07 PM

Would someone please describe in technical terms and/or in layman's terms what Century intermittent oil is and what it looks like?

I've got a generic aluminum tin here with the words "Century Oil" written on it (hand-written with a marker).

The oil seems a little on the dark side and it's also a bit thick in my opinion. Reminds me of pancake syrup.

The oil I used to use was a whole lot thinner and lighter in color...about the weight of 3-in-1 oil and the color of pale urine.

I'm totally confused as to which (assuming either one of them) is the correct oil.

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Paul G. Thompson
The Weenie Man

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

posted 06-21-2002 08:00 PM

Manny, Don't use it! Order some new stuff.

Century intermittant oil looks the same as Simplex projector oil. It is clear in color. Lavezzi oil is the best, but you can use Texaco WF-32 oil with no problem. WF-32 is basically refrigeration compressor oil.

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Mark Gulbrandsen
Resident Trollmaster

Posts: 16657
From: Music City
Registered: Jun 99

posted 06-21-2002 11:50 PM

LaVezzi oil is by far the best stuff to use. You can expect two to three times the service from a movement if you use it from day one.
Mark @ GTS

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Manny Knowles
"What are these things and WHY are they BLUE???"

Posts: 4247
From: Bloomington, IN, USA
Registered: Feb 2002

posted 06-22-2002 06:54 AM

Thanks. I have the Lavezzi on order and I'm going to shop around locally for the Texaco WF-32.

Is there a widely available oil that can be used in the meantime if I have nothing else?

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Josh Jones
Redhat

Posts: 1207
From: Plano, TX
Registered: Apr 2000

posted 06-22-2002 07:14 AM

ISO-10 weight "spindle oil" will run in just about anything. I will soon be running my brenkerts on this stuff and dont forsee any problems. If you are in a bind, go to a refrigeration supplier and buy a quantity of "capella oil," which is a lightweight oil used to lubricate the inside of refrigeration equipment, mainly compressors. the stuff will work, but just to be on the safe side, get the new oil in there asap!

Josh

------------------
"Film is made of silver, video is made of rust"
'nuf said

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Pete Naples
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1565
From: Dunfermline, Scotland
Registered: Feb 2001

posted 06-22-2002 07:56 AM

Manny, sounds like you're describing the stuff that comes with Monee machines. If the ones I service are anything to go by, it doesn't lubricate very well at all, in fact I though it smelt of vegetable oil myself! I haven't told that theatre to change oil though, as the stuff they have was supplied with the projectors, and it's hardly my place to go against the manufacturers specified lubricant.

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Gordon McLeod
Film God

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

posted 06-22-2002 10:01 AM

I have some very strong opinions on the matter of oils and they are based on the original manuals
The century's simplex standard/super/E7 Ballantyne Pro35 all use what is basically a #20 SAE on detergent oil. Lighter oils will work but the machine will piss it out and tend to knock
XL's use a #10
Soundhead oils are a SAE40 non detergent
Motiograph intermittents use SAE9o outboard gear oil
Hortsons 16mm use SAE40
Wassman in 10w30 non detergent
Westrex was a specific shell SAE20
When most of these machines were designed fancy synthetic oils were not around and in most cases they were designed for the best available product of the time. Newer lubricants have come and gone but I still prefer to use the originally specified lubricants

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Paul G. Thompson
The Weenie Man

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

posted 06-22-2002 12:00 PM

Gordon, are you sure about the SAE 20 in the Pro-35? I never used it, nor did I ever see the recommendation until now. I always used Capella oil in those things.

But now I think of it, the PRO-35 oil does have a funky smell to it. It smelled like 10W30 motor oil. Maybe that's why it smelled that way.

In any event, I'll accept your recommendations. You always seem to be "right on target".

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Paul G. Thompson
The Weenie Man

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

posted 06-22-2002 12:30 PM

Yeah, Josh. I'll bring you the 4 gallons I have next month. I am still using it as a telephone stand for the Boeing Surplus red telephone.

Gordon just spurred a thought. Maybe the reason the Brenkerts of yours are pissing oil out of the starwheel bushing is because you are using the orrect oil.

For years, those things were probably running on Simplex oil, WF-32, aircraft hydraulic fluid, beaver oil, EP-90, SAE 40 weight, popcorn oil, or anything else some numbnuts dumped into those things. Finally, the right oil is used, and the bushings are worn out of tolerance, and leak like a two-bit -----!

Just a thought.

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Manny Knowles
"What are these things and WHY are they BLUE???"

Posts: 4247
From: Bloomington, IN, USA
Registered: Feb 2002

posted 06-22-2002 03:25 PM

I went to a local store looking for the WF-32 oil and they didn't have any so I'm going to have to keep looking.

I bought a small bottle of some 10W-30 oil and it appears too dark in color and smells just awful.

I bought another small bottle of "Super Oil" (by Master Mechanic). It is a lightweight, colorless oil. Seems a lot lighter than 3-in-1.

Actually, 3-in-1 oil seems closest to what I used to use (except for the oily smell).

I really feel like this oil here is too thick and gooey and I want to get it out of those machines ASAP.

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Gordon McLeod
Film God

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

posted 06-22-2002 04:54 PM

Manny said"I bought a small bottle of some 10W-30 oil and it appears too dark in color and smells just awful.

I bought another small bottle of "Super Oil" (by Master Mechanic). It is a lightweight, colorless oil. Seems a lot lighter than 3-in-1.

Actually, 3-in-1 oil seems closest to what I used to use (except for the oily smell)."

I don't understand why you would go out and buy those
Almost all dealers sell the correct oils for the given machine.
I once noticed you mentioned Westars and if so the lighter oils will just piss out of them as unless they say made in the UK they are an Indian Hybrid or parts

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Steve Guttag
We forgot the crackers Gromit!!!

Posts: 12814
From: Annapolis, MD
Registered: Dec 1999

posted 06-22-2002 04:55 PM

I've never found Century oil to look, smell or feel anything like Simplex oil. Century almost always has a yellow-brown tinge to it. It is also thicker than Simplex oil. Simplex oil in a Century intermittent will often have leaks that Century oil will not. I don't recommend Lavezzi oil on a new intermittent until it works in, once it does then the Lavezzi oil will really go to town...the intermittent will actually get quieter and stay that way. On a new intermittent/rebuild with new star and cam, they are often just a tinge tight and need to work in, the Lavezzi oil will prevent this.

Steve

------------------
"Old projectionists never die, they just changeover!"

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Manny Knowles
"What are these things and WHY are they BLUE???"

Posts: 4247
From: Bloomington, IN, USA
Registered: Feb 2002

posted 06-22-2002 05:07 PM

My dealer is in Florida and it will take a couple of days for the oil to get here.

Judging from Steve's comments about the color/viscosity of the Century oil, it seems possible that this is the correct oil after all...but this begs the question...what the heck was I using before?

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Steve Kraus
Film God

Posts: 4094
From: Chicago, IL, USA
Registered: May 2000

posted 06-22-2002 07:36 PM

Don't some less than scrupulous dealers simply buy a drum of lightweight machine oil, dispense it into pint and quart tins and then slap labels on them, identifying some as specially formulated for Simplex, some as Century, and others as Ballantyne, the same oil in all cans?

LaVezzi oil only comes in one weight, right?

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Gordon McLeod
Film God

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

posted 06-22-2002 07:53 PM

Some probably do
My big complaint with lavezzi oil is it is one weight and I feel far too light for some machines

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