Lubricant For Canon Printers?

[PeterBJ]

According to service manuals the lubricant used for Canon printers is the Floil KG107A manufactured by Kanto Kasei, Japan. Canon part number is QY9-0057-000. This product seems nowhere to be found, but I found an MSDS: https://msds.canon-europe.com/Environment/CENVMSDS.nsf/0/E8B9FEC1C6E04000C1257A6F004551FF/$FILE/QY9-0057 FLOIL_KG-107AE.PDF#page=2&zoom=auto,0,791

This is the important part of the MSDS:

FLOIL KG-107A
Grease
COMPOSITIION BASE OIL: Synthetic oil 70-80wt%
THICKNER: Lithium soap 5~15wt%
OTHERS: Additives 15~25wt%

So I think the alternative in this post is a good one: http://www.printerknowledge.com/threads/printer-grease.3396/#post-23346 , but I couldn't find this product in the EU. Instead I found this reasonably priced product which seems available almost worldwide, also in the Copenhagen area. It is a white Lithium grease intended for lubricating gears in RC model cars, these gears are both plastic and metal, so I think the product is suitable for printers also: http://www.pilotwear.com/store/p/54677-Grease-White-Lithium.html

Has anybody tried this product or has recommendations for other products which are less elusive than the Floil KG107A?

 

[websnail]

Had a thought and checked the CRC-tasktron site for grease:
http://www.crc-tasktron.co.uk/index.php?app=ecom&ns=prodshow&ref=HY90007

Not quite the same part number but seems to be a grease and lubricant...

 

[PeterBJ]

Thanks for the info. The product is Molykote EM-50L from Dow Corning, so I will start searching for info to figure out if the product is a suitable replacement for Floil KG-107A.

 

[Ron350]

Check out the Molykote EM-30L grease before spending the extra money for the EM-50L



AT first glance the EM-30L looks like a better all round grease for plastic.



I found EM-30L on US ebay.

http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_trk...C0.X&_nkw=Molykote®+EM-30L&_sacat=0&_from=R40



Please let us know what you end up using.

 

[PeterBJ]

Thanks for the tip. It looks like the product is well suited for the purpose: http://www.gannonoils.co.uk/Automotive/Automotive_Greases/Molykote_EM-30L_Plastic_Grease.html

 

[fotofreek]

I've used a product called Tri-flow for the bar that the printhead travels on. I've sprayed a very small amount on my finger and wiped the bar with it. It is composed of a very light viscosity petrolium oil and Teflon. This has worked extremely well for getting rid of the squeeking noise when the original lube is pretty well gone.

 

[PeterBJ]

Thanks for info. I think silicone based products should be avoided, as they seem to cause problems with electric contact points. From the specs of the Molykote EM-30L: "Does not contain silicone thereby preventing problems with contact point failures" and this: http://budgetlightforum.com/node/26854 .

The grease is needed for a Pixma 5200, so I would be very sad if I ruined the printer by using a wrong lubricant, as you cannot buy a replacement: "They don't make them like that any more".

 

[Tudor]

@PeterBJ : Where do you want to apply that grease? Do you need a conductive grease or just a grease that works for both metal and plastic?

 

[PeterBJ]

I want to lubricate moving plastic and metal parts per the instructions in the service manual. The printer has developed some creaking noises especially at start up. For cleaning electric contact points at the print head and the print head carriage and in micro switches I use an electronics contact cleaner. I think the Molykote EM-30L is the best product suggested till now, as it is claimed to be safe for plastics. Maybe some petroleum products could damage plastics?

I dont know if the silicone products cause electric contact problems if they are accidentally applied to electric contact surfaces or if silicone can also evaporate from where applied and condense in places where it is not wanted? I remember a notice in an amateur radio magazine never to use a silicone oil spray inside a radio. The silicone ruined an antenna changeover relay and some other contact points.

 

[Tudor]

These are meant as a guide:
http://machinedesign.com/mechanical-drives/lubrication-tips-plastic-gears-and-more
http://machinedesign.com/site-files...esign.com/images/plastic-and-lubricant894.jpg
http://nerfhaven.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=16267

Molykote EM-30L seems a good choice.