# Summit Lathe with Leaky Headstock



## Dave1979 (Nov 6, 2019)

Hi There,

I have just picked up a Summit 19-4 lathe that has seen better days. So far, we are scratching our head on repairing a leak in the headstock (we may just want to remove it completely to get a closer look) and replacing or repairing the oil pump in the headstock. I would be happy hearing from anyone that could point me in the right direction.

Thank You,

Dave


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## Cadillac (Nov 6, 2019)

Love that tailstock. Would think you can seal the headstock without removing casting from bed. Adds a lot more work removing.


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## gwade (Nov 6, 2019)

Do you have a manual for it?  I have a similar lathe just a little smaller (17-3) that came with
a manual.  Let me know if you need anything from it.


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## f350ca (Nov 6, 2019)

Could you put some dye in the oil to track where its coming from? 
I have a 16x80 Summit, been a good machine, the apron on it leaked from new, assumed it was leaking somewhere on the back side. One day the plastic sight glass broke, make a metal housing with a glass window and o-ring seal. The leak stopped. Apparently I never saw the clean oil oozing from it. 

Greg


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## Dave1979 (Nov 7, 2019)

gwade said:


> Do you have a manual for it?  I have a similar lathe just a little smaller (17-3) that came with
> a manual.  Let me know if you need anything from it.




A manual would be great if you would have one available.  Let me know the easiest way you would be able to send it.

Thank You,

Dave


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## Dave1979 (Nov 7, 2019)

f350ca said:


> Could you put some dye in the oil to track where its coming from?
> I have a 16x80 Summit, been a good machine, the apron on it leaked from new, assumed it was leaking somewhere on the back side. One day the plastic sight glass broke, make a metal housing with a glass window and o-ring seal. The leak stopped. Apparently I never saw the clean oil oozing from it.
> 
> Greg



I was looking at the machine a bit closer today and I did see the sight glass. I am still wondering if anyone here has taken the headstock off of the base of one of these.


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## gwade (Nov 7, 2019)

Here you go!  I need a steady rest for the Summit lathe if anyone can help me find one it would be greatly appreciated.


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## matthewsx (Nov 7, 2019)

Probably like my old British cars, when it stops leaking check the oil


Cheers,

John


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## westerner (Nov 7, 2019)

matthewsx said:


> Probably like my old British cars, when it stops leaking check the oil


Indeed. As you go to the shop for a rag to *check* the oil, just *grab* the jug of oil on the way thru

I love my 1990's Chinese lathe. I love my 1970's Ford trucks. I do not worry about oil leaks. I just pour oil, and drive the dang things.


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## Dave1979 (Nov 8, 2019)

westerner said:


> Indeed. As you go to the shop for a rag to *check* the oil, just *grab* the jug of oil on the way thru
> 
> I love my 1990's Chinese lathe. I love my 1970's Ford trucks. I do not worry about oil leaks. I just pour oil, and drive the dang things.



A little trickle wouldn't be so bad, bad this one seems to be a bit more than that. It would require probably a fill a week and floor dry every morning.


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## Richard King 2 (Dec 13, 2019)

As the others have said look at it closely after wiping it clean.  Many time oil leaks come from over filling the headstock because the oil site glass get a oil film haze on it and you figure it is empty.  Also there should be a 1/16 thick gasket under the HS top cover, the gear selector shafts have an O-ring that wears out.  The oil labyrinth on the main spindle front cover get plugged with crud and doesn't drain.  Or someone had it apart and did not install it with the drain hole down  It also may have a oil seal and not the labyrinth .  One more thing do you have the machine level?  I see from the spindle drawing above it has a labyrinth and it would leak if the headstock in higher  then the tail stock.  If the Taails stock leaks pull it apart and look to see if there is white felt placed in the oil reservoir on the bottom slide way so it lets the oil wick out slowly


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## Downunder Bob (Dec 13, 2019)

A very nice piece of heavy metal, enjoy.


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## tjb (Dec 13, 2019)

Do you know if the leak is constant or only when under power?  I have a leak in my 13 x 40 hobby-caliber lathe.  For the longest time, I thought it was a constant leak because I rarely saw evidence of a leak while using it - only the next morning.  Turns out the leak is coming from the area of the seal on the back side of the spindle.  It leaks pretty significantly under power, but I couldn't tell that because it generally pooled on the inside of the gear cover - until it was sufficiently full to drip over.  Even under power with the cover off, I could not see a leak.  Only when I was actually turning a piece of metal does it leak.  (It's my understanding there is something called a 'labyrinth seal'(?) that probably needs cleaning/adjusting/replacing that should fix the problem - at least that's what's been suggested to me.  I'll know more today when I'll have an assistant actually turn a piece of metal while I'm looking at the uncovered back side.

If possible, if you're not certain where the leak is coming from try looking at yours that way.  Might be the same problem.

Regards,
Terry


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