my profile | my password | search | faq & rules | forum home

» Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE   » Operations   » Film Handlers' Forum   » Oil change on a Century SA (Page 1)

This topic comprises 2 pages: 1  2

Author Topic: Oil change on a Century SA Ken Lackner Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1907 From: Atlanta, GA, USA Registered: Sep 2001 posted 08-02-2004 12:29 AM                     The oil fill cup on a Century SA sure isn't conveniently located. And it's so tiny! Any suggestions on how to get the oil in the cup, and not all over the intermittent like I did tonight?  |  IP: Logged Tony Bandiera Jr Film God Posts: 3067 From: Moreland Idaho Registered: Apr 2004 posted 08-02-2004 01:28 AM                     Ken: Check out your nearest auto parts or Grainger's/Johnstone supply house. They'll have oil cans with an extra-long and flexible spout to help get into that blasted cup! As a bonus it'll usually only take one squirt to top off the movement.  |  IP: Logged Frank Angel Film God Posts: 5305 From: Brooklyn NY USA Registered: Dec 1999 posted 08-02-2004 02:58 AM                        Granger didn't have an oil pump with a flexible spout so I just bought two pieces of plastic tubing, one with a diameter that fit tightly over the end of an oil can pump spout and the second smaller tube that fits over the first one so the final size fits the oil intake. I then bend the smaller plastic tubing so it makes a right angle. It still takes a bit of dexterity to push the spring loaded cap open & then getting the tube to sit correctly over opening. You have no choice but to improvise if you can't get your hands on an oil can with a flexible spout because as Ken points out, a straight spout simply will not be maneuvered into the idiotic fill hole. Still, have plenty of paper towels handy because it oil inevitably spills all over even with the improvised tube. For all the whining about how Simplex leaks oil, I am sure that if you could measure all the oil that you spill trying to fill a Century SA, and all the oil that Simplex leaks, they probably will come out dead even.  |  IP: Logged Dustin Mitchell Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1865 From: Mondovi, WI, USA Registered: Mar 2000 posted 08-02-2004 03:26 AM                     Moving the intermittent to the bottum of its travel help, but I'm sure you've already done that. If you are really having a problem you can always remove the trap and then the metal sheild that is held in place by two screws and covers the fir shutter. This would remove all obstacles to getting at the fill hole. It might seem inconvenient but the oil in an SA shouldn't have to be changed/topped off all that often.  |  IP: Logged Aaron Sisemore Flaming Ribs beat Reeses Peanut Butter Cups any day! Posts: 3061 From: Rockwall TX USA Registered: Sep 1999 posted 08-02-2004 05:19 AM                     The EASY and LESS MESSY way to fill the oil on a Century is to tackle it from the rear: Open the gear side door and look just behind the intermittent flywheel. You will see a little vent hole. Place the tip of the oiler against this hole and give it a few pumps. Go around to the film side and check the level, and repeat if you aren't at the proper level. -Aaron  |  IP: Logged Ken Lackner Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1907 From: Atlanta, GA, USA Registered: Sep 2001 posted 08-02-2004 09:18 AM                     Thanks for the suggestions. quote: Check out your nearest auto parts or Grainger's/Johnstone supply house. They'll have oil cans with an extra-long and flexible spout to help get into that blasted cup! We have cans with flexible spouts, but not flexible enough. I can't get the tip exactly where I want it to be able to give a good squirt. I still have to be extra careful not to spill the oil. I did remove the trap, and moved the intermittent to the bottom. quote: Aaron Sisemore The EASY and LESS MESSY way to fill the oil on a Century is to tackle it from the rear.... Did that too. But that hole is so tiny, too. Some oil still spills out, but but I guess it's better to have it inside the gear compartment than all over the intermittent.  |  IP: Logged Pete Naples Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1565 From: Dunfermline, Scotland Registered: Feb 2001 posted 08-02-2004 11:52 AM                     Or remove the big silver screw in the middle of the intermittent on the operator side (it's really the cover for the input shaft endfloat adjuster)and fill through there.  |  IP: Logged Steve Scott Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1300 From: Minneapolis, MN Registered: Sep 2000 posted 08-02-2004 01:16 PM                     I second Aaron, I was always taught to fill oil from the gear side, not the operating side.  |  IP: Logged Scott Norwood Film God Posts: 8146 From: Boston, MA. USA (1774.21 miles northeast of Dallas) Registered: Jun 99 posted 08-02-2004 01:26 PM                        On the "C" intermittent, the oil fill tube is conveniently located next to the outer bearing of the intermittent sprocket. Why did Century decide to move it to a less-accessible location when they were designing the "SA" models?  |  IP: Logged Dustin Mitchell Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1865 From: Mondovi, WI, USA Registered: Mar 2000 posted 08-02-2004 04:08 PM                     Ken, just removing the trap isn't going to give you all that much more room. Did you remove the metal shield I was talking about too? As a side note, I must be lucky enough to have the perfect oil can, never had a problem filling from the operator side myself.  |  IP: Logged Manny Knowles "What are these things and WHY are they BLUE???" Posts: 4247 From: Bloomington, IN, USA Registered: Feb 2002 posted 08-02-2004 08:08 PM                     Ken, you are just starting out in the tech biz and the best advice to you is to have the right tools for the job. It's worth it to go out and get an oil can with a flexible neck. They aren't THAT hard to find. Mine came from the local NAPA parts store.  |  IP: Logged Ken Lackner Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1907 From: Atlanta, GA, USA Registered: Sep 2001 posted 08-02-2004 10:16 PM                     Dustin, I'm not sure what metal shield you are talking about.  |  IP: Logged Manny Knowles "What are these things and WHY are they BLUE???" Posts: 4247 From: Bloomington, IN, USA Registered: Feb 2002 posted 08-02-2004 10:35 PM                     To remove the gate/trap assembly, you have to slide it out toward you. The metal shield Dustin is talking about is the part the the gate/trap assy slides out of (and will slide back into). It is held in place by two screws near the top. On my units, these screws were "captive" and did not separate from the shield.  |  IP: Logged Mike Pennell Expert Film Handler Posts: 150 From: Tucson, AZ, USA Registered: Apr 2003 posted 08-03-2004 12:19 AM                     You could also invest 2 bucks at your nearest Ace Hardware and purchase a "Zoom-Spout" bottle of oil. Dump their oil and replace with the oil of your choice. It has a very flexible tube that fits perfectly in the oil "can".  |  IP: Logged William Hooper Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1879 From: Mobile, AL USA Registered: Jun 99 posted 08-03-2004 12:37 AM                        Gooseneck oilers that you buy at hardware stores are usually disappointing - the gooseneck often isn't flexible enough, it's too springy, it's too short, they start to leak after a while, etc. The best appliance for difficult small oiling jobs is the bottle that Ace Hardware's Zoom Spout oil comes in Ace Hardware's Zoom Spout Oil & oiler bottle The web site lists a price for a package of 12, but they are sold singly (& inexpensively) at local stores. The body of the bottle is about 4" high, & inside the neck is a plastic pull-out tube that extends to 14"! The tube & its opening are only a couple of millimeters wide. It gets through the long paths, tight crannies, & into very small holes. The oiler is so handy it's crazy. I've wound up buying more just for the bottles, unscrewing the top & transferring the oil to an oiler for general lubrication, & washing the bottle & refilling it with other fluids that need the bottle for application (label them, or confusion results). With plastic containers, you've got to be careful about refilling with different contents, because plastics tend to be specialized to withstand particular solvents. So often, a container which held an alcohol-based product will break down when refilled with a petroleum-based product, & vice versa. The Zoom Spout container has maintained its integrity when filled with methanol solutions, but it's best to leave one out in a pyrex dish for a week or so for experimentation with different contents. I've only been able to find them at Ace Hardware franchises, not Home Depot, Lowe's, etc.  |  IP: Logged

All times are Central (GMT -6:00)

This topic comprises 2 pages: 1  2

Printer-friendly view of this topic

Hop To: Select a Forum: Category: Operations -------------------- Digital Cinema Forum Film Handlers' Forum Large Format Forum Ground Level Feature Info, Trailer Attachments & REAL Credit Offsets Category: Community -------------------- Film-Yak Film Handlers' Movie Reviews The Afterlife Bob Maar's Joke-A-Thon Category: Classified -------------------- Equipment and Supplies Wanted/For Sale Help Wanted/Seeking Employment Category: System -------------------- Software Beta Testing Forum

The Film-Tech Forums are designed for various members related to the cinema industry to express their opinions, viewpoints and testimonials on various products, services and events based upon speculation, personal knowledge and factual information through use, therefore all views represented here allow no liability upon the publishers of this web site and the owners of said views assume no liability for any ill will resulting from these postings. The posts made here are for educational as well as entertainment purposes and as such anyone viewing this portion of the website must accept these views as statements of the author of that opinion and agrees to release the authors from any and all liability.