Centec 2a Gear Box Oil

[martin cross 1Participant @martincross1]

Hi, I've seen the odd thread on this subject relating to CY2 oil but I have come across another 2A document which says use vitrea 41. I am assuming one is a later edition and the vitrea 41 is the choice.

There is a site https://www.alexoil.co.uk/content/7-shell-pre-iso-iso-lubron-oil-reference-guide which gives you a Lubron equivalent to v41 as Lumach 100 available in 1lt and upwards.

Reckon 2lts will suffice.

[martin cross 1Participant @martincross1]

[not done it yetParticipant @notdoneityet]

Lubrication has moved on in 70 years. A good iso equivalent will be fine.

[SteviegtrParticipant @steviegtr]

Well I know a lot of Classic british bike owning guys. They all use the old Mineral straight oil. I have many times said why on earth don,t you put some semi synthetic oil in. The answer is always that you cannot because the engine tolerances & the way it is lubed will not work.

[Paul KempParticipant @paulkemp46892]

Smith and Allan will have something suitable.

Paul.

[not done it yetParticipant @notdoneityet]

Posted by Steviegtr on 20/01/2020 22:02:59:

Well I know a lot of Classic british bike owning guys. They all use the old Mineral straight oil. I have many times said why on earth don,t you put some semi synthetic oil in. The answer is always that you cannot because the engine tolerances & the way it is lubed will not work.

It’s a gearbox, not an engine? Modern engine oils don't contain zinc additives, for a start.

[SteviegtrParticipant @steviegtr]

Ah did not realise it was a gearbox. Oops

Steve.

[geoff adamsParticipant @geoffadams14047]

Hi Martin been out to workshop my centec 2a brass plate says shell vittrea 41 or mobil oil heavy went to my local motorist discount center they got on the internet and came up with an substitute ep 80w 90 gear and differental

hope this helps Geoff

[peak4Participant @peak4]

Posted by geoff adams on 21/01/2020 12:52:20:

Hi Martin been out to workshop my centec 2a brass plate says shell vittrea 41 or mobil oil heavy went to my local motorist discount center they got on the internet and came up with an substitute ep 80w 90 gear and differental

hope this helps Geoff

Geoff, I'd be wary about using an EP gear oil in anything with bronze bushes.
I believe Vitrea 41 equates to a plain ISO100 weight gear oil

Bill

[geoff adamsParticipant @geoffadams14047]

hi peak4 i can only go by the info given to me would be interested to known why i should be wary of ep oil with brass bushes ?

any thanks Geoff

[Dave HalfordParticipant @davehalford22513]

There are no bronze bushes in the Centec

[PlasmaParticipant @plasma]

Curiously I have just renovated a 1947 vintage hay mower which has a Villiers 2 stroke petrol engine driving a steel worm and brass wheel transmission.

The manual states to use SAE 30 oil as the 2 stroke mixer, and crucially says to use the same grade of oil in the gear box.

When I stripped it the gear box definitely had thick gear oil in it. Something the manufacturer warned against. Mainly because the internals are splash lubricated.

I would have put money on using a specific gear oil but Pennine lubricants echoed exactly what the engine manufacturer said in 1947.

Bough a 5 litre can of classic car SAE 30 for 24 quid, job done.

Mick

[Thor 🇳🇴Participant @thor]

Posted by geoff adams on 21/01/2020 14:07:15:

hi peak4 i can only go by the info given to me would be interested to known why i should be wary of ep oil with brass bushes ?

any thanks Geoff

Some EP additives can attack yellow metal alloys, see here.

Thor

[OldironParticipant @oldiron]

Posted by Steviegtr on 20/01/2020 22:56:13:

Ah did not realise it was a gearbox. Oops

Steve.

Steve The clue is in the thread title.

regards

[not done it yetParticipant @notdoneityet]

Morris Minors used engine oil. So did BMC Minis. Note that automatic minis did not like low viscosity or too-slippery oils. The 80/90 gear oil was not quoted as an EP variant so would not eat yellow metals. 80/90 gear oil is about the same viscosity as SAE 30 engine oil.

One reason why folks stick with single viscosity oils is because they are likely non-detergent. Changing to a detergent oil might well clean all the sedimented sludge, accumulated in the engine, and hold it in suspension.

[T.BParticipant @t-b-2]

Posted by Dave Halford on 21/01/2020 16:08:34:

There are no bronze bushes in the Centec

I can't remember about the main column gear box , but the MK3 vertical head certainly has bronze parts and the VH requires the same type of thick oil as the column gear box , so it would make sense to have one oil to use on both !

[martin cross 1Participant @martincross1]

Having re read the manual I now have. It does refer to spindle drive and gear box. ‘shafts in the gearbox are well supported by ball bearings’. No mention of bronze anywhere.

[martin cross 1Participant @martincross1]

Thought this might be of interest. 2A internals.

[Dave HalfordParticipant @davehalford22513]

Posted by T.B on 21/01/2020 17:15:11:

Posted by Dave Halford on 21/01/2020 16:08:34:

There are no bronze bushes in the Centec

I can't remember about the main column gear box , but the MK3 vertical head certainly has bronze parts and the VH requires the same type of thick oil as the column gear box , so it would make sense to have one oil to use on both !

This Centec is horizontal only and I don't have a Mk3

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