What is the best one size fits all grease (u-joints, wheel bearings, suspension and steering)? I have been using valvoline dura blend grease (or synpower) for a few years now and have no complaints, but I wonder if it is as good as some of the others on the market.
Best Grease?
- Thread starter sbc350gearhead
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try the water washout test on that grease
What is the water washout test?
Put a dab of the grease in your hand and mix in a little water. You will see the grease ubsorbe(sp?) the water and the grease will turn kind of milkey. It is not water proof. I use Schaeffer's 221#2 Alum. grease it is really tackey and 100% water proof. Really good stuff, read up on it here.
I use Royal Purple Ultra Performance Grease
NLGI #2.
NLGI #2.
I tried the water washout test several times with the durablend grease (I am out of the synpower). No color change or washoff. No apparent change in viscosity (from what I could tell). So does that mean it doesn't absorb water? Does that mean it is one of the best? Are there any better ones?
[ August 10, 2003, 11:54 AM: Message edited by: sbc350gearhead ]
[ August 10, 2003, 11:54 AM: Message edited by: sbc350gearhead ]
Is it a lythium grease? I don't think lythium is water proof and will wash out in time. I could be wrong though. If Bob does not drop in again try emailing him or start a new thread on this subject. I'd like to know as well!
Put a dab on a piece os card board and stick it in the freezer to see how hard it gets.
Put a dab on a piece os card board and stick it in the freezer to see how hard it gets.
I think it is just a petroleum based grease.....although I think that it contains moly. I will try the cardboard trick.
Grease is made of a thickener (base), oil, and additives. The base is usually a lithium or lithium complex material, sometimes aluminium complex, sometimes calcium sulfonate, bentone clay, or other materials.
The oil can be petroleum, synthetic, or a blend.
Molybdenum disulfide can be one of the additives, as well as tackifiers.
Ken
Schaeffer's 221 was a little on the hard side when I took it out of the freezer after a few days. When I touched it it did give and when I pulled my finger away it was still VERY tacky and stringy! I was using a NAPA grease that was a lithium grease and it was not water proof. I'm glad I found Schaeffer' grease!
The valvoline durablend package does not tell what base it uses. All it says is "made from petroleum". I tried the cardboard freezer trick. It did thicken up quite a bit, but didn't become hard or frozen. I don't have a thermometer, so I don't know exactly how cold my freezer is. Does anyone else have any tests or info on this grease?
P.S. I have noticed that after sitting for several months, there seems to be oil separating from the grease. Is that typical of the better greases?
P.S. I have noticed that after sitting for several months, there seems to be oil separating from the grease. Is that typical of the better greases?
Bleeding is most pronounced in low viscosity base oils such as in NLGI Grades 00,0,and 1.
While gross separation of the base oil from the grease is unacceptable, a small amount of bleeding is desirable. Again, a small amount, not a gross amount.
Greases can bleed while underpressure in a gun. Greases with a low thickener content are less affected by pressure than greases with a high thickener content.
There are a couple of tests for bleeding content.
Oil separation of grease in storage-ASTM D1742
Oil separation from lubricating grease ASTM D6184
While gross separation of the base oil from the grease is unacceptable, a small amount of bleeding is desirable. Again, a small amount, not a gross amount.
Greases can bleed while underpressure in a gun. Greases with a low thickener content are less affected by pressure than greases with a high thickener content.
There are a couple of tests for bleeding content.
Oil separation of grease in storage-ASTM D1742
Oil separation from lubricating grease ASTM D6184
And.....according to the spec sheet, the #2 221 schaeffers is only good down to 0 degrees. It can easily reach 0 degrees here in the winter time. Which schaeffer's would be best for this climate?
According to the valvoline website.....The synpower is a lithium based grease and it does not mention that it is water resistant.
It does not say that what base the durablend is, but it says that it is water resistant.
I found that rather odd.
BOB.....I was sort of considering the schaeffer's 221 everyone seems to rave about. According to a schaeffer's list I found, the 221 is good through 350 degrees F. The valvoline durablend is supposedly good though 400 degrees F, and the synpower is good though 425. Should it really matter? Is the 221 good for a jack of all trades type of grease?
It does not say that what base the durablend is, but it says that it is water resistant.
I found that rather odd.
BOB.....I was sort of considering the schaeffer's 221 everyone seems to rave about. According to a schaeffer's list I found, the 221 is good through 350 degrees F. The valvoline durablend is supposedly good though 400 degrees F, and the synpower is good though 425. Should it really matter? Is the 221 good for a jack of all trades type of grease?
350gearhead;
I don't think there is a one grease for all applications.
I bet that most of the u-joint failures are caused from too much grease, and not from the wrong type.
Moly in u-joints? Not for me, but moly is a great grease type for pins in heavy equipment.
I think Cat wats 5% moly.
I use that high moly grease for camshaft assembly lube.
Suspension components require an NLGI LB on the lable, wheel bearings a GC.
A synthetic 1.5 grade with LBGC should fit almost all automotive applications, except lubed for life CV joints.
I found that a lot of the grade 2s to be a little stiff for the cold Cannuck winters.
Take a look at the Micro gel thread in the aircraft section.
Is grease going to to go down the low viscosity path that engine oils are heading? Or have headed.
Point of interest. The pulp mill here uses a calcium sulfonate thickener for wet areas.
What happened to you on that 4.3 discussion? I was just gettin' warmed-up.
I don't think there is a one grease for all applications.
I bet that most of the u-joint failures are caused from too much grease, and not from the wrong type.
Moly in u-joints? Not for me, but moly is a great grease type for pins in heavy equipment.
I think Cat wats 5% moly.
I use that high moly grease for camshaft assembly lube.
Suspension components require an NLGI LB on the lable, wheel bearings a GC.
A synthetic 1.5 grade with LBGC should fit almost all automotive applications, except lubed for life CV joints.
I found that a lot of the grade 2s to be a little stiff for the cold Cannuck winters.
Take a look at the Micro gel thread in the aircraft section.
Is grease going to to go down the low viscosity path that engine oils are heading? Or have headed.
Point of interest. The pulp mill here uses a calcium sulfonate thickener for wet areas.
What happened to you on that 4.3 discussion? I was just gettin' warmed-up.
userfriendly......Is there a reason not to use a moly grease in U-joints? I have almost always used a moly grease in U-joints, and have not had a problem as of yet (as of yet being the key words...LOL).
You were just getting warmed up????? You make it sound like it was an argument...LOL. I do have one question though. Wouldn't a single pattern cam, changing your intake duration to your current exhaust duration, provide you with the same results as the 1.6 rockers on the intake side (perhaps even a different LSA)? Or are you concerned about loss of vacuum or loss of low end grunt with more duration at lash point?
You were just getting warmed up????? You make it sound like it was an argument...LOL. I do have one question though. Wouldn't a single pattern cam, changing your intake duration to your current exhaust duration, provide you with the same results as the 1.6 rockers on the intake side (perhaps even a different LSA)? Or are you concerned about loss of vacuum or loss of low end grunt with more duration at lash point?
SBC;
You likely will not have any problems with your moly grease in the U-joints, but is it needed?
When I see "moly-everything" lubricant companies welllllll, does this mean every other oil company has their heads up their ____?
If only life were that simple, ZDDP and moly. What are we going to do when heavy metals are banned from consumer products for enviromental reasons?
What are we going to talk about then? Calcium, borate, barium, and graphite?
Cam talk....
Could an expert on the subject write 10 pages on one event such as the intake valve opening point.
Let me throw this little question out to you...
You have this 325 CID small block Chev (4.128X 3.0) lol'
10.5 compression ratio, brand X heads that have a 215 CC intake port all done up with a 2.125" intake valve. 5.85" con rods.
You want to use this engine in a street driven car, but **** , those heads are big and the throttle response is slow.
To make that little engine snappier at low rpm, you need to speed up the intake port velocity. But how can you do that?
A. decrease the compression ratio
B. Increase the con-rod length to 6.125"
C. Reduce the intake valve size to 2.02"
D. Advance the cam, or by other means open the intake valve sooner. (tighter lobe sep)
E. Improve the low-lift intake valve flow numbers.
F. All of the above
You likely will not have any problems with your moly grease in the U-joints, but is it needed?
When I see "moly-everything" lubricant companies welllllll, does this mean every other oil company has their heads up their ____?
If only life were that simple, ZDDP and moly. What are we going to do when heavy metals are banned from consumer products for enviromental reasons?
What are we going to talk about then? Calcium, borate, barium, and graphite?
Cam talk....
Could an expert on the subject write 10 pages on one event such as the intake valve opening point.
Let me throw this little question out to you...
You have this 325 CID small block Chev (4.128X 3.0) lol'
10.5 compression ratio, brand X heads that have a 215 CC intake port all done up with a 2.125" intake valve. 5.85" con rods.
You want to use this engine in a street driven car, but **** , those heads are big and the throttle response is slow.
To make that little engine snappier at low rpm, you need to speed up the intake port velocity. But how can you do that?
A. decrease the compression ratio
B. Increase the con-rod length to 6.125"
C. Reduce the intake valve size to 2.02"
D. Advance the cam, or by other means open the intake valve sooner. (tighter lobe sep)
E. Improve the low-lift intake valve flow numbers.
F. All of the above
Bob is probably gonna kill us for turning a grease thread into a discussion on cam timing theory.....LOL
I am just a backyard greasemonkey, with no formal training or education with valvetrain timing, but here goes:
a) I don't see why decreasing CR would help low end......in fact, it seems to me that the opposite would be true.
b) (assuming the 2 rods have equal mass) I don't know if increasing the R/S ratio would have an effect on flow unless the increased dwell time at TDC and BDC will help fill the cylinders.
It seems to me that C, d, and e, would all help.
I am just a backyard greasemonkey, with no formal training or education with valvetrain timing, but here goes:
a) I don't see why decreasing CR would help low end......in fact, it seems to me that the opposite would be true.
b) (assuming the 2 rods have equal mass) I don't know if increasing the R/S ratio would have an effect on flow unless the increased dwell time at TDC and BDC will help fill the cylinders.
It seems to me that C, d, and e, would all help.
I thought I'd already answered that one today, must have been in another thread,...Ahh, here it is, copied from other thread...
We have a lot of clients up north that use the 221. You might want to consider the #1 for that time of year. I personally cannot speak for it otherwise as I've got too much common sense to get out in weather like that so can't speak from experience.
As for the topic of cams, yeah, why not carry that subject over to the mechanical tips section so we can keep it on track. Will remove these posts. Thanks guys.
Sorry Bob
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