TC-W3 as a storage lubricant for airless sprayer?

[Brons2]

I recently aquired a refurbished Wagner Twin Stroke 9155 airless sprayer. I was going through the setup and cleanup instructions and in the manual, for "Long Term Storage" which seems to be anything longer than 16 hours, that you should put a cup of either separating oil (Wagner P/N 0516913) or just plain household oil.

In the past on a different Wagner airless sprayer I just filled the inlet with 3 in 1 and that seemed to work fine. However on this new-to-me sprayer, it's a highboy and the inlet is facing straight down. This makes it more difficult to just fill the inlet port and pump it out. You would have to turn the sprayer upside down to do that. I tried that last night and it just makes a lot of mess and wastes the light oil that you are ostensibly lubricating the pump and piston with.

So it occurred to me that I might want to buy a large amount of light household oil, so I could fill up a small cup to put underneath the intake, so that the pump can pull the light oil up into the device. But last night I was shopping at Walmart and it appears they don't have any large quantities of light household oil like 3in1, WD-40, Pblaster, etc.

So then I walked down the oil aisle and thought, what's the lightest oil they have in the automotive section? 0w20 is probably still way too thick for the application. Then I noticed the gallon of Supertech TC-W3 for like $12. It would take me a long time to go through that whole gallon a few ounces at a time. It seems pretty thin. Maybe could be mixed with a light solvent like paint thinner to make it even thinner?

But is TC-W3 suitable for this task? I guess my concern would be the level of ash content in the TC-W3 oil, maybe it's too much for a paint sprayer. I don't suppose anyone's done a VOA on 3in1 or the Wagner OEM "separating oil". Maybe someone's done a VOA on TC-W3?

Opinions? Suggestions?

 

[Brons2]

You can browse the manual here:

Sprayer Manual Download Page

 

[ARCOgraphite]

TC-w3 is ashles (TC is low ash), but this doesnt matter (moot point) since there will be no ash unless the oil is burned, also the metallic compound is many factors smaller than any paint pigment.
IDK what oil is compatible with the paint you will use as I am not a spray painter. I would not use a thinner to thin an oil as that would EVAPORATE in storage. A thin, cheap (approx SAE 10) non varnishing oil would be Dexron III ATF. Otherwise use a light duty compressor pump oil.

 

[JHZR2]

Id be most concerned with the additives and solvents. TCW-3 can have some stinky solvents in it, for example the wal-mart brand I bought once absolutely stinks. Texaco seems to have the least odor.

Personally Id go find some 10 or 20W ND oil and use that. WHat is the volume required? How are you sure you have gotten it all out? Is it compatible with latex paints?

 

[hatt]

I've always used paint thinner, kerosene, or diesel in my Graco gas rigs.

 

[Brons2]

I got some Graco "Pump Armor" today. It comes in a bottle that the suction tube fits right into.

As for the other questions, in order to get the storage material out of the pump, you detatch the return hose from the main suction hose and put it in a separate bucket. Then you turn the unit on "prime" and it will purge the material out of the return hose. You can use either water to pump out the storage material or actual paint. I used water when I unboxed it, it ran clear after a second or two.

I plan to use the sprayer with both latex and oil based paints. I am going to acquire a 211 or 209 tip that I will use to spray trim.