Is this grease OK for my shifter?

[TheRuss]

OK, so it's a bit late for me to be asking this, as I did it a few months ago, but I wanted to check if I should leave it or change the grease out.

Basically, I fitted a short shifter in my car, which had the usual plastic collar and ball as a pivot point for the lever. I think the collar is made or nylon or something similar. Not sure about the ball, but it's plastic again by the seems of it.

Anyway, I used this grease, as it was all I had lying around and seemed like it should do a decent job. Will it be OK with the plastics, or should I change it out for white grease or similar? The shifter seems fine in use, I just want to make sure that this stuff isn't going to eat or degrade the plastics in any way.

http://www.evanscycles.com/products/fini..._plid_#features

Many thanks

Russ

 

[Falken]

From what I know nylon is fairly resistant to petroleum.

I'd personally use a White Lithium grease from a tub or a grease gun tube.

http://www.newmantools.ca/pipestoppers/NYLON_chem_resistance_nt.pdf

 

[BigCahuna]

I'd use it if the area of the shifter isn't exposed to road dirt or water.If it is, your probably better off leaving it dry.,,

 

[aquariuscsm]

I used Mobil 1 grease (the red synthetic grease) when I`d installed a short shifter awhile back. I eventually installed the stock shifter and used the same Mobil 1 grease on the shifter ball joint.

http://www.mobiloil.com/USA-English/MotorOil/Other_Products/Mobil_1_Synthetic_Grease.aspx

 

[TheRuss]

Nah, the ball part of the shifter doesn't get dirty. So I should be OK with leaving this grease in there, or should I remove it and change to a different grease?

 

[double vanos]

I used a Teflon based bike grease on my BMW shifter and it is fine.

 

[TheRuss]

Great, thanks. I appreciate your reply. Glad I'm not the only one!

 

[INDYMAC]

This is what Honda recommends for shifter grease where the plastic pivot ball sits: http://www.inlinefour.com/hosuhiteurgr.html

 

[CELICA_XX]

I used white lithium grease on my shifter. This picture was taken before the grease (stock 11 year-old shifter).

I used a small popsicle stick to lube all the linkages, and I am happy with the results.

If I could do it again, I would like to try and use a thick needle / syringe to apply the grease. It would allow me finer control to get into the small spaces, as opposed to just slapping it on there

 

[Kestas]

I use one of those acid brushes to apply grease for general lubrication.

 

[TheRuss]

Thanks folks. It looks like white grease would have been the proper grease to use then, but I think what I used is fine. I just smeared it on by hand, as I had the whole shifter out to install the short shift kit. I probably put too much on, but the car seems to shift fine, so as long as the grease i used plays nice with the nylon parts of the shifter I should be OK.