Yorkcraft YC-15P planer

[Rick_B]

So I'm installing a Byrd head in this planer and am at a point where I need to seal up the gear box and fill it with oil.  Based on the recommendations in the user manual I will be usinga 50 weight gear oil.  The question is how much?  The fill port is about 2/3 up the side of the gear box and there is gearing above that port.  If the gear box is vertical then the oil level is dictated by the fill port location.  However, I have seen at least one picture where the gear box is on its side when the oil was put in - this would allow complete filling of the gear box.  Using this horizontal method would get the gears atthe top of the box to be pretty much submerged in oil.  Using the vertical method, getting oil up to top would depend on a "splash" technique.

I'm wondering if anyone has a planer with a similar situation and, if so, how you accomplished the oil fill?

Thanks

Rick

[oakey]

Rick
Most common is that it gets filled to the fill plug never any farther the spinning gears will take care of the rest

[Rick_B]

Rick
Most common is that it gets filled to  the fill plug never any farther the spinning gears will take care of the rest

That's the way I was leaning Oakey - thanks for the confirmation

[kurt18947]

Modern synthetic gear oil is interesting. I needed to replace the oil in the gear box of a small Shop Fox metal cutting band saw. I went to the automotive place that does our work and asked for a small jar of gear oil. They give me a blue synthetic, don't know the brand. I cleaned the old lube out of the open gear box and poured in new. Just out of curiosity I powered the band saw up with the lid still off the gear box. That synthetic oil REALLY sticks to the gears as they rotate.I'm a believer in synthetic oil. I know some say they're a waste of money and perhaps they are for people that are careful about sticking to factory recommend oil change intervals or more frequent. For the rest of us, I think synthetics are worth the premium. Just my opinion.

[Steve N]

Normal is blue, green to a blue/green mix.

This one is blue from the container

Royal Purple is indeed purple, and is the choice of all the gearheads I know, especially in higher heat applications