Vet

I filled my Z51 toe link ends with Mobil 1 Synthetic grease last time. Bought a new tube, first time I ever used synthetic grease. I did not overfill the joints, filled normally using a good hand pump grease gun. Grease is a red color.

A few days after I filled the joints, I noticed red "oil" dripping from both the toe link ends onto the inside of the rear rims... dripping from the zerk fittings. Wiped everything off, figured maybe normal just after filling the fittings. But it continued.

Every week or so I have thin red colored oil dripping equally from BOTH toe link ends onto the rims. Ambient temperatures have been normal (70 - 85 F) and the car is not tracked, brakes never get TOO hot. So I do not understand why this synthetic oil continues to drip out of the zerk fittings as if it were water. And no, I have not driven in heavy rain too much lately so I do not think it's an issue of water getting inside the joint boots.

I'm ready to attempt to flush out the Mobil 1 grease with some regular non-synthetic grease so I can stop this oil drip issue. I know all grease drips over time, but this Mobil 1 is out of hand with the dripping.

Anyone wanna buy a nearly new tube of Mobil 1 synthetic grease?

First I swapped out synthetic gear oil in my differential for non-synthetic gear oil to eliminate chatter. Now I am ready to flush out synthetic grease for non-synthetic grease because of dripping. I am losing my faith in synthetic lubricants. I sure hope the Mobil 1 synthetic motor oil we use is good!

Cory@LS2PortWorks

I've noticed the same drips on mine.. but it usually stops after a couple of days. That said, I always see a red wet spot on the zerk fitting everytime I look. I don't see any more drips so I assume all is well.

H&J

I put small vacuum line plugs on mine....no more drips. Looks like dust cap and keeps dirt off the zerk fitting.

Vet

Thanks for the replies.

Are both you guys using the Mobil 1 synthetic grease?

Pipedreams

this stuff sucks. I greased my fittings last year and drip, drip, drip I called Mobil 1 and they said something must be wrong with the batch. Over the summer I saw a puddle of red oil had come from the grease gun and went all over the floor. All the oil separated and made a mess. I just don't think it can hold up in the heat. The GM part for grease was only sold in large quantity for like $36

Pipedreams

PS: Mobil 1 will refund you money, just call or write

Irv

Try Valvoline's synthetic grease. It doesn't drip. I have to admit, though, it is not clear to me what the value proposition is for synthetic grease.

Vet

Guys, thanks for the info. So I'm not the only one with this Mobil 1 grease "drip" issue.

Wondering if it will be a problem mixing non-synthetic with synthetic... because the only way I can think of how to get the Mobil 1 out of the joints is to "push" it out - displace it with new non-synthetic grease.

I just checked my car again this morning... end links still dripping, inside of the rear rims are VERY coated with this red oil.

Oh well, gave it a try... now back to regular non-synthetic grease like I've been using successfully for the past 25 years.

HOUTEX

royal purple syn grease is the best, most napa stores have it.

catbert

I've had Mobil 1 grease drip the three times I've bought it over 4 years...I think the "bad batch" is BS. I really don't have much confidence in Exxon/Mobil lubricants, and don't use their oil either. I don't care how much cross marketing they do with GM to get GM's stamp of approval.

UDRIVESLOW

you are over greasing the joints....
do you go until the boot is a bubble???
if so that is way to much....
1 pump is normaly fine....

JmpnJckFlsh

Even though I used to work for Exxon, I don't use their lubricants simply because I prefer the competition. Mobil, OTOH, makes superior lubricants. I have seen Mobil products in a competitor's refinery.

Based on Vet and Pipedream's experience with the Mobil One grease, I will skip the synthetic grease to avoid the mess. Mobil once made a high tech molybdenum grease that was a dark gray metallic color which I found to be excellent. I bought a 20 year supply of that Mobil grease (minimum purchase was a six tube carton), and the last tube or two had some minor separation of the oil. I had to store the grease gun in a plastic bag to keep it from leaking.

Actually, I doubt that there is much difference in chassis grease sold under any brand (NLGI? standards have to be met), and there is little justification for synthetic grease. Few of us will ever drive our vehicles hard enough to cause failure if recommended maintenance intervals are maintained. Of course, there is little use for chassis grease these days anyway, since most fittings are prelubed and sealed. JMHO as a former maintenance engineer and lifetime gearhead.

Edit: If the GM grease comes in "large quantity" as in a case of tubes, maybe several of us should go together and buy a case. If it's a five gallon bulk quantity, fagettabotit. Or, better yet, maybe we could talk Gene@Fred Beans into breaking into a case for CF members and selling it a tube or two at a time.