S80 FLC DECIDES TO DIVERT TO AN ALTERNATE ARPT WHEN A STRONG ODOR PERMEATES THE FORWARD PART OF THE CABIN. THE FLT ATTENDANTS RPTED THAT THEY WERE FEELING ILL FROM THE ODOR. THE MAINT CREW HAD USED A 'SPECIAL LUBE' FOR A STICKING SVC DOOR IN THE FORWARD CABIN AREA PRIOR TO DEP.

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WE ARRIVED IN PIT ON FLT XXX. WHILE AT THE GATE; THE FLT ATTENDANTS REQUESTED HELP WITH THE FORWARD CLOSET PULLDOWN DOOR; AS IT WAS HARD TO MOVE. I WAS NOT ON BOARD; SO THE FO TRIED TO FIND SOME HELP. HE WAS TOLD BY PIT GND PERSONNEL THAT THEY HAD SOME WD40 TO USE TO HELP. WHEN WE RETURNED TO THE ACFT WE FOUND ALL THE DOORS OPEN AND A LUBE TYPE SMELL INSIDE. IT WAS DEFINITELY NOT WD40 SMELL; SO I WENT DOWN TO THE OPS ROOM TO FIND OUT WHAT HAD HAPPENED. THEY TOLD ME THEY HAD SPRAYED SOME LUBE ON THE TRACKS WITH SOMETHING THEY SAID THEY OFTEN USED FOR THIS TYPE OF PROB. I DIDN'T LIKE THAT BUT WHEN I RETURNED TO THE ACFT THE SMELL HAD DISSIPATED LARGELY AND WE DECIDED IT OK TO BOARD THE FLT. THE 2 FLT ATTENDANTS WORKING IN THE FRONT OF THE PLANE SAID THAT THE ODOR BOTHERED THEM; BUT THEY BOTH FELT OK TO WORK IN THE AREA NOW THAT THE SMELL HAD SOMEWHAT SUBSIDED. FLT DEPARTED ON SCHEDULE. SHORTLY AFTER TKOF THE FO AND I WERE INFORMED BY THE FLT ATTENDANTS THAT THE SMELL WAS RETURNING WITH A REQUEST TO KEEP THE CABIN AS COOL AS WE COULD FOR A WHILE. HOWEVER; AS WE LEVELED AT CRUISE; FL310; 2 OF THE FLT ATTENDANTS ENTERED THE COCKPIT TO SAY THEY FELT ILL. WITH THAT; I REQUESTED TO DIVERT TO DTW -- THE CLOSEST SUITABLE STATION WHERE WE COULD GET HELP AND THE SIT REMEDIED. THE FO WAS FLYING AND DONNED HIS OXYGEN MASK. I COORDINATED WITH DISPATCH; ATC; DTW; FLT ATTENDANTS AND PAX REGARDING OUR DECISION. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR ACN 382171 REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATED THAT SHE IS FEELING OK NOW; BUT DOES NOT KNOW IF ANY CORRECTIONS HAVE BEEN MADE SINCE SHE HAS NOT HEARD FROM HER COMPANY ABOUT THE INCIDENT. HOWEVER; SHE DID SAY THAT THE MAINT REP FROM HER COMPANY WHO TALKED TO HER ON ARR IN DTW ADVISED THAT HE KNEW THE LUBRICANT THAT HAD BEEN USED BY THE SMELL AND SAID THAT HE WAS GOING TO ASSURE THAT IT DID NOT HAPPEN AGAIN. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR ACN 381301 REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATES THAT THE MAINT PERSONNEL IN PIT HAD SPRAYED A WD40 TYPE OF LUBRICANT ON AN INSIDE DOOR OF 1ST CLASS AREA. THIS COMBINED WITH A GRAPHITE WHICH HAD BEEN USED PREVIOUSLY AND BECAME TOXIC. WHEN AIRBORNE; TWO FLT ATTENDANTS CAME TO THE COCKPIT LOOKING VERY PALE AND PEAKED. SINCE DTW WAS SO CLOSE THEY DECIDED TO GET DOWN ASAP. THEY HAD GOOD COOPERATION FROM ALL CONCERNED. ONE OF THEIR CHEIF MAINT PERSONNEL WAS IN DTW AND HE GOT THE SLEUTH-WORK GOING AND DISCOVERED THE PROB. THE GRAPHITE PRODUCT WAS DUPONT 327 FOR EXTERIOR USE. RPTR WANTED TO ALERT OTHERS TO THE PROB.