Vintage Windmill and Wind Generator Forum

How much oil does it hold, how many times have we heard that question? Well we all know an 8' Aermotor holds two quarts but how many of you know how much an XL hooded sweat shirt holds. I'll give you the rest of the story first. Several months ago I got a phone call asking if I would move a standing windmill about two hundred yards across a field near the site of the owners new house, Of course I said yes, I always say yes before my brain goes into gear but I'll learn one of these years. Well last week the moving day arrived, First thing was climb up and drain the oil and rig to let down with the crane. I asked how often the oil had been changed, "never" was the reply. To drain oil I use a one gallon jug with the top cut back but the handle remaining, filled about quarter full with sawdust to keep the oil from slushing around but still easily holds two quarts. Well the windmill was way above the platform so I had to climb up onto a girt about two feet above the platform, strap off and barely reach the oil drain. Did I mention a forty foot tower, sustained wind at 20 mph + and gusts to a least 30 mph. Well anyway as I removed the drain plug I expected a trickle but, oh no, it was a gusher. Similar the the stream produced by a large horse in my estimation. The gallon jug filled quickly and soon overflowed, I was strapped off so I wasn't going anywhere and the oil which was black and sludgy was running down my arm covering the earlier mentioned sweat shirt. Seemed like it would never stop but finally it did, with that high wind everything for a half acre down wind was well oiled. When I got down off the tower the owner remembered changing the oil a couple of years back, how much did you put in I asked ? Well, I filled it up was the reply. So the answer to the initial question of how much oil a sweat shirt holds according to my trial and error method seems to be just a little over a quart before it soaks through and starts running down your leg on the inside of your trousers. Just gotta learn to say no...

Thanks for sharing ivan

Ivan, an old fire captain I worked for would say, “Oil and blood, a teaspoon feels like a gallon when it hits you by surprise.”

Dang. I can relate.

Just got a lesson like that last weekend. Was helping a buddy service out a old Cat 941B track loader that his uncle had for years and died and he ended up with it. I was under it to check the oil levels in the two final drives they probably hold a gallon each. Pulled the plug on one and it was right at the plug level like it should be pulled the plug on the other one and the seal from the rear end had been leaking oil into the final and I had around five gallons of universal hyd oil coming out a one inch plug at me laying under the Cat. I got a nice bath. Yes we will be pulling the final and repairing the seal.

lol, great story

My story was a John Deere A rear end it was topped off with the water it had been catching all those years setting idle. At least I was on the ground not strapped to a 40 ft windmil tower in the wind. Neat story Ivan thanks for sharing.

Ivan Great story, but now I have made a mess on my keyboard and the screen is wiggling.