Leaking Oil From Myford super7 Plus Big Bore

[Bob HeppleParticipant @bobhepple92956]

My Myford is dripping oil from the Gear Box has anybody any idea where abouts this could be comming from and is it usual. the drip is left side at the back of box is there any oild ceals ?? helpmbefore I strip it and propably mess it up.

cheers Bob

[Bob HeppleParticipant @bobhepple92956]

[Jens Eirik Skogstad 1Participant @jenseirikskogstad1]

There is not wrong with the oil is dripping out of bearing, do not strip the lathe if the bearings is in good condition and well adjusted against play and chattering under use. The lathe has not recycable oil as the industrial lathe with main spindle in the enclosed gearbox with oil. Wipe out oil of the lathe periodical since the oil has drip feed oil container in each bearing for the main spindle. Also there is no oil seals to preventing the oil is dripping out of bearing. The dripping oil container has adjustable valve to control oil consumption, be careful the bearings is not running to hot caused too little oil amounts.

Edited By Jens Eirik Skogstad on 27/02/2012 20:42:09

[NJHParticipant @njh]

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

[Andrew Moyes 1Participant @andrewmoyes1]

I seem to remember raising the same question a while back. After retro-fitting a new gearbox to my 40-year old ML7, there was a continuous weep where the leadscrew emerges from the gearbox casing. I think the bottom of this bearing is slightly below the oil level when topped up to the level of the right hand filler plug (I was definitely using the correct plug). Perhaps my lathe isn't quite level… which gets back to another topical subject. The leakage went away when the oil level dropped a little so I left it at that.

Andrew M

[David LittlewoodParticipant @davidlittlewood51847]

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

[Ian S CParticipant @iansc]

Theres a couple of sayings around here,'it leaks, it's english', or with motor bikes "if it stops leaking you'v got a problem" (comparing it with a Japanese bike). Ian S C

[CabengParticipant @cabeng]

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!

[Bob HeppleParticipant @bobhepple92956]

Thanks for all the advise I was told it was because it was over filled. I have only just got this lathe while getting a DRO unit for it I was cleaning it up, so I checked the oil level so removed the filler plug where in the manual it says fill to just the hole and guess what I got flooded out with dam oil so I guess the prviouse owner or the dealer I purchased it off filled it up too much. problem solved BUT THANKS ALL.

[David LittlewoodParticipant @davidlittlewood51847]

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

[Bob HeppleParticipant @bobhepple92956]

Norman

I will take note of what you have said, I read an article and thought the front screw was the levle plug so oil went everywhere after refilling, oil is still dripping and you may be correct.. will keep an eye out can this. Please not though the leak is not small… I will keep watching..

Bob

[James BParticipant @jamesb]

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

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