Strained relations with my grease gun

[JucenBrudi]

I've been doing the chassis lubes for most of our 83k miles on our '04 Winnebago Adventurer with Workhorse W22 chassis. Most of those years I've managed to complete the lubes despite a chronic problem with my manual grease gun; make that 2 grease guns. I bought a second, pneumatic, one hoping it would be easier and resolve my problem. It is easier, but both grease guns have this problem.

After awhile, but well before I have emptied a cartridge, they stop putting out grease. I apply the procedures to clear air pockets and that eventually has helped me finish each job. Today, however, I got through 5 or 6 zerks and can't get either gun to perform. I have checked and there is plenty of grease in each gun.

To make matters even more irksome, when I pull the plunger (part of the procedure to empty air pockets) grease, lots of it, comes out the bottom of the unit at the opening with the plunger catch. Over the years I am certain I have pumped more grease out the rear of the gun than I have pumped into zerks.

I've talked with guys at Autozone where I bought the manual gun and I've talked with mechanics working on our rig. No one seems to have encountered my problems or to have any suggestions to resolve them.

Does anyone have any suggestions?

Bruce

[DriVer]

Quote:

Originally Posted by JucenBrudi Does anyone have any suggestions?

I have Lincoln, single hand pump gun with a 14" rubber hose and it's worked well for me since day one. The only thing I'm upset with is my grease liquefies in the gun in between grease jobs. (6 months)

[dieselclacker]

Put it in the frig DriVer. Yeah, right

Dieselclacker

[Good man]

Bruce,
It sounds like you are having a blockage on the business end of the grease gun and the application of more pressure on the plunger piston causes the neoprene head of the piston to deform... thus allowing grease to escape back into the dead space behind the pusher... make sense?

Then, when you "unload" the cartridge, all that grease comes out because the plunger wipes it clear of the tube and wastes it.

There can be several causes...
1. There is an "impaction" of dried grease in the hose or the fitting.
2. There is a deformation of the zerk fitting which does not allow the grease to pass into it.
3. There is a slight varitation from one brand of fitting to another which is not apparent, but will prevent the grease from flowing. If someone has replaced a grease fitting, it will cause problems.

A good test procedure is to use a known good fitting and apply the usual amout of pressure to see if the grease is flowing.
Good luck,
Jim

[DriVer]

Quote:

Originally Posted by dieselclacker Put it in the frig DriVer.

Don't laugh - That would work! In the summer here my garage can get up to 100+ degrees in no time. There's no insulation over the garage. I am thinking about a garage vent that pulls air through the door but I'm a fearin' that'll pull A/C air out of the house even through I have a good metal door between the living space and the garage.

The worst part of liquefied grease is it drips down my arm when I'm lubing the fittings and it drips all over the driveway (actually a parkway )

[RoyM]

LOL Bruce, I hate to break the bad news but that blankety blank grease spitter is fulfilling it's mandate to aggravate you. That is it's mission in life.

[Mr JP]

Bruce, Over the years I have had several of the air grease guns do the same thing. That is why I now use a single hand pump unit and it works very well and you can tell how much pressure it is taking to get into the zerk. Good luck JP

[Mr JP]

DriVer, I with you on the liquefied grease issue. Here in Southern Nevada (Las Vegas area) the summer temps in the garage are well above 100. I store the grease gun wrapped in a rag and in a plastic bag which helps save some mess !!

[DriVer]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mr JP I store the grease gun wrapped in a rag and in a plastic bag which helps save some mess !!

I did that. When I pull the gun out of the bag, it's a yucky mess BUT better in the bag.

I store my gun with the handle pulled out.

[retiredrlk1]

Driver
Do you have ventilated soffit on the overhang of your garage? Is the ceiling open to the rafters(trusses)? If both of these are true, you can use a small fan to exhaust the air in the attic area and garage area at the same time. Just consider the cubic feet area you are exausting.

[DriVer]

Quote:

Originally Posted by retiredrlk1 Driver Do you have ventilated soffit on the overhang of your garage? Is the ceiling open to the rafters(trusses)? If both of these are true, you can use a small fan to exhaust the air in the attic area and garage area at the same time. Just consider the cubic feet area you are exausting.

Thanks for the suggestion ....

[JCM]

Make sure that you are wiping off the zerk fitting before trying to put grease into it.

[DriVer]

Quote:

Originally Posted by JCM Make sure that you are wiping off the zerk fitting before trying to put grease into it.

I agree and the reeason why you wipe the fitting is so that you do not introduce contamination into the jaw of the grease gun.

[JucenBrudi]

Hi Gang,

I hate to start a conversation, especially a lively one, then not show up. I've been following comments but have also been busy researching grease guns and preparing Sticks & Bricks for selling.

Here's where my grease gun problem stands at the moment.

I have no problem with liquification. I've seen drops of oil, but not enough to even be concerned about storage. The grease guns just sit on the shelf. The grease inside looks new.

There is no blockage of hardened grease in the hose. The pattern of function/malfunction has been sort of off and on, good grease, no grease. It seems clearly to be a matter of the gun failing to feed grease.

It doesn't seem to be a matter of clogged or malfunctioning zerks or the adapter head. I always clean the zerks and grease moves one moment then not. When grease fails to move on the zerk it also fails to move off the zerk.

I think I said in my original post that my pneumatic gun is a Sears brand, not a Craftsman. I was wrong, it is a Craftsman. I generally expect better performance from the Craftsman brand over the Sears brand.

I've seen several favorable comments about the Lincoln brand so I read about them. Their product descriptions mention two things which seem relevant to my complaints. They mention good "priming" function and precision construction of the plunger to avoid "passby."

Now, I could be off base here, but bad priming would seem to explain my problem keeping the grease flowing. Also passby would be an excellent term for the grease moving from in front of the plunger to behind.

So, I have ordered a Lincoln hand grease gun, model 1134. In fact, it just now arrived. I'll be back under the chassis today and will file another update.

I like using the pneumatic gun, it is much easier to work with, but I ordered the manual one to check out the Lincoln brand and minimize "throwing good money after bad." If it solves the problems I can try their pneumatic models later; they have a bunch.

Thanks for all the help. My problem may be solved; too early to know .

Bruce