Windlass oil

[TiggerToo]

Much to my surprise, I discovered last week that our Lofrans windlass (Cayman 88) has an oil chamber to lubricate the gears. Not having touched this for ~23 years, I thought it might be a good idea to replace the oil. So, in I went with a suction pump... (access is via a very easy to remove plastic bolt at the front of the windlass, which I have failed to spot over the decades (!)... complete failure. The oil is too thick to remove by suction (it is not really possible to warm up the whole thing, as one does on the engine). The (very thick) oil looks in good condition (colour/no emulsion), so for now, I just added a bit of fresh gear oil closed everything up, and I have come here to ask advice.

To remove the oil, I suspect it will be necessary to remove the windlass and drain it by gravity. Sounds like a pain...

What would you do? What do you do?

 

[vyv_cox]

EP90 gear oil is little more viscous than 20w-50 engine oil, which suggests that your very viscous oil is seriously degraded. I would add some diesel fuel or paraffin, operate the windlass unloaded for a short time, then try sucking it out.

 

[Norman_E]

My Lofrans Tigress had the same sort of arrangement, and had suffered 7 years of regular use in charter before I bought the boat, so I arranged for the engineer who used to service the engine to take it off, strip it down and rebuild it. I was glad that I did as I saw him do the job. The oil was dirty (though yours sounds worse if it is really thick), and a stripdown, clean and new oil was just what it wanted. The oil in mine showed some sign of worn bronze, though the big bronze wormwheel was still in good condition with little visible wear.
It is going to be pretty difficult to suck the old oil out even if you thin it as Viv suggests. are you sure your windlass has no drain plug? If it does not I would be inclined to remove it in order to drain it and flush it out with thin oil or diesel before refilling with the proper gear oil. The alternative is a stripdown and clean, as I had.

 

[Refueler]

Your post got me thinking .... my windlass only gets a brush up and repaint job every two years or so .... as far as I know hasn't been 'serviced' in maybe 30 odd years .... certainly not in the ~25 yrs I've had it.

Works perfectly ... but prompted by your post - I checked online and cannot find any reference to oil in mine !! Just to lightly grease parts ..... phew !!

Lofrans Royal Manual Windlass ....

 

[Refueler]

Just looking through Lofrans site again ... maybe following are useful :

Oil capacities

Seems for Cayman - 1/2 litre of SAE 90 - 140 ..

Manual :

Manual

Just trying to help if haven't got already ...

Strange reading through the manual - cannot find any reference to oil or changing it !

 

[TopBanana]

Gosh, another job for my winter list too then

 

[vyv_cox]

Just looking through Lofrans site again ... maybe following are useful :

Oil capacities

Seems for Cayman - 1/2 litre of SAE 90 - 140 ..

Manual :

Manual

Just trying to help if haven't got already ...

Strange reading through the manual - cannot find any reference to oil or changing it !

Regular oil change is definitely required for my Maxwell windlass, which operates on the same principles and materials as most others.

 

[Refueler]

Regular oil change is definitely required for my Maxwell windlass, which operates on the same principles and materials as most others.

I was just commenting that I find it strange that the Lofrans windlasses with oil ... such as Cayman .. Tigres etc. - there's no mention of it in the owners manual.

I have a Royal anyway .. which does not have an oil bath ... even though I've read some online that say they have found oil in ...

Lofrans Oil Capacity Table has no mention for the Royal at all.

 

[TiggerToo]

Strange reading through the manual - cannot find any reference to oil or changing it !

That is exactly what I thought. I remember reading through the manual years ago, when I have to get a replacement part. There was no mention of oil or changing it, just as you say!

Anyhow, we have a "plan".

Thanks to everyone who has responded to this thread. Very useful.

 

[Refueler]

That is exactly what I thought. I remember reading through the manual years ago, when I have to get a replacement part. There was no mention of oil or changing it, just as you say!

Anyhow, we have a "plan".

Thanks to everyone who has responded to this thread. Very useful.

I think the fact it uses such a heavy oil ... SAE 90 up to 140 .... the idea is that you would never change it unless you'd stripped the machine for repairs etc. Bit like back axle of a car.

As long as there is no leak of water / other into the caswe - such oil is never really subjected to much stress ... compare to a cars back axle ....

 

[Neeves]

I'm with Vyv, but then we both have Maxwell windlass.

Our windlass is easy to remove, has a sight glass (transparent nut) to access the oil, chamber. The servicing is recommended annually. The other item to check is greasing the shaft.

Windlass are incredibly robust - most people don't service and they appear to run 'for ever'. As viv says Maxwell and most (all?) other windlass operate on the same engineering the difference might be the materials used and the motors - but if you've seen one you seen most. They are have the same sort of gearing - and all use oil and have seals.

If the seals go - you will get seawater and mud in the gearbox. Checking the oil in the gear box and cleaning/greasing the shaft is dead easy (on a Maxwell) (not more complex that dismantling a sheet winch) might save buying a new one, every 5 years - I'm not taking the risk.

Jonathan

 

[Refueler]

all use oil and have seals

Sorry but not correct .... they have seals but not all have oil. Lofrans Royal for example.

If you have seen a Royal with oil in it - then whoever put it in is wrong.