Hi Bob

That's an interesting question – I too have a little oil collecting under the gear box on my Super 7. It's not much and I don't feel inclined at present to investigate too far. A couple of thoughts though. Firstly are you sure you've not overfilled it? Sorry if this is obvious to you but the handbook states that … correct oil level is to " …remove the level plug ( at the right-hand end of the box) and fill to overflowing with S.A.E. No 30 oil" The screw at the front left is not the level point. but gives access for a long screwdriver to tighten one of the screws attaching the gearbox to the bed. It could be that this attachment screw is the source of your leak as the manual says " Ensure that the rubber sealing washer is correctly positioned in the recess before tightening the captive screw"

I would be interested in comments from more knowledgeable Myford owners than I on the issue.

Regards

Norman

Bob,

It doesn't do to get too paranoid about these things. My FB2 milling machine developed a slight oil leak from the spindle about 10-15 years ago, to the point that if I don't use it for a few days I have to wipe drips of oil from the chuck and the base of the head. However, in that time it has probably leaked less than 50 ml of oil – and I hate to think what I would have chucked away if I had drained it to fit new seals. It doesn't affect the function, and when set against the cost of the new seals and the risk of me cocking it up I don't think the decision to leave it was wrong.

David

Bob: wlecome to the dripping big bore club! Mine does the same, also drips oil from the headstock (look under the lathe, on top of the raising block) and the right hand countershaft bearing, although this oozes out of the end of the housing, around the operating handle.

Is the oil completely clean, or does it have some black stuff in it? If so, that's almost certainly a contribution from the front spindle bearing.

It's certainly an incontinent machine – my old faithful S7B doesn't do it anywhere near as much – but maybe that's because I don't oil it as often as the new one!

Graham,

Thanks for the suggestion, will give it a try.

Missed your reply – the setup of this forum does not make it easy to see replies to one's posts automatically without going through the rather cumbersome bookmarking procedure.

David

Hi Bob,

Your problem may well be overfilling, but thought this may also help, as I had a similar problem after a rebuild.

Looking from the front of the gearbox, on the lower left is a large flat screwhead. If you remove this (when the gearbox is empty..!) you can access a fixing screw at the back of the gearbox that is in a direct line with the hole. This is one of the fixings that retains the gearbox to the bed. There should be a o ring between the gearbox casting and the bed around this fixing – was missing on mine, and oil would continuously weep.

Just a thought – perhaps see if the leak subsides after a while.

I'm no stranger to oil leaks either – I can tell when the oil has run out on my Series 2 Land Rover as the leaks stop…!

Hope you get it sorted.

James