I’ve always owned boats and have used marine grade grease for everything I own.
Now that I no longer own boats I’ve used up the last of my marine grease.
What do you guys use and suggest to start fresh with on my automotive projects?
Is marine grade grease an excellent option or is there something better for our classic C3’s.

 

1) the color of the grease is not a property
2)Castrol Pyroplex Blue has a tackifier that gets sticker if it gets damp or wet. Can be used for both your bearings & fittings.
3) shameless plug - I worked in the Castrol division of BP for 10 years.

 

Thanks!

 

https://petroleumservicecompany.com/...SABEgK_pPD_BwE

will likely come from the same folks when you find it on Amazon.

 

I like the Royal Purple Synthetic grease.......
If you don't like synthetic.....Morery's is a great product. Super tacky....sticks to anything.....
moreyoil.co.nz/product/moreys-bigfoot-ep2-grease
Hard to get here....Lucas makes a similar product.

Jebby

 

https://msdspds.castrol.com/bpglis/FusionPDS.nsf/Files/62F09E84AE6443C680258A01004CF050/$File/WEPP-CUFKYV.pdf?openelement

 

I have used a few different ones in the past. I am currently using Redline CV-2 GREASE WITH MOLY in the 14OZ TUBE. Just mentioning it as I have no evidence it is as worse, as good or better than any other.

I use it on my wheel bearing and when greasing the suspension.

 

Sounds like a thread I would read on 'bobstheoilguy' forum. Seems to me, grease is grease, and even an unpopular grease is better than no grease. I've never really given grease much attention, and everyone has their preferences. Similar to motor oil....

I just buy what's on sale that day at the local Wally World (or KMART up until a few years ago), and I haven't noticed any issues. I have no brand loyalty when it comes to grease. As long as I'm not racing or driving my Vette into the lake, then

 

It's not! And sometimes unpopular grease isn't better than no grease. Some grease components are incompatible with other greases ....and combining the two together can result in two good greases becoming watery and losing lubricity. That's bad. Surely you must have seen this over the years?? It's doesn't happen often, but it can and does. Most owners wouldn't know it if it happens inside a ball joint (till he's replacing it in 1 or 2 years).

There are seminars on 'good grease' strategies in the industrial world to prevent unintended grease-related costly problems. Back in my industrial work days, I'd occasionally have an industrial customer lose a bearing (and often a large, unobtainable)...and lose production downtime, because some guy grabbed the wrong grease gun, or a new contractor/apprentice, just put in "whatever". One of the rare times I went to an oil change place they (before I could stop them) put a bunch of white lithium grease in truck driveshafts that turned watery. Had to clean that out later.

The best approach is to buy & use the same exact grease, or buy a case of grease tubes and put on the shelf so you can use the same grease all the time ...for years (in case your supplier changes *His* grease supplier). If it's a new vehicle, remove the zerk and squeeze some grease out and check it for compatibility with what you normally use. And/or completely squirt the old unknown grease out of U-joints. At least that's the normal recommendation when encountering unknown greases.

Yeah Bobstheoilguy is probably the better place to go...

 

Good advise - I get it, but do most members who purchase a C3 vette (or any old car for that matter) first squeeze out the old grease before adding more? I don't think that happens as often as you think it does.

Seems like a poll thread may be in order here. When bearings (or other greased components) fail, its probably more attributed to poor design, improper alignment, harsh impact, neglect (not greasing at all), simple old age, or all of the aforementioned - on average. Any moving part will eventually fail, no matter how well maintained. Heat, above all, kills moving parts eventually.

You can always trace the corner cases for any argument, but how many can you trace due to incompatible greases that are responsible for failure without examining each and every failure that ever happened yourself? As long as you're using grease spec'd for your vehicle, you should be fine.

If you remove improper grease from a used car you acquired and fill with 'proper/recommended' grease, chances are that the damage (to some extent) has already been done, and the life has already been shortened. Using the 'proper' grease will help extend the life of the part, but you have no way of knowing how long until you take it apart.

If you don't know the full history of the car, there is no telling HOW many times incompatible greases were used over the course of the car's lifetime. That's why I try not to think about it. It would drive me crazy. If the part fails, I'll replace it.

Nitpickyness like this would make Corvette ownership not so fun, and I already like tinkering with my Vettes

 

Grease Guns. It's not a crime.

 

I’m not looking for any scientific analysis on different greases, just one or two that is used by my fellow enthusiasts.
Like I said in my opening post, I’ve generally used marine grade grease from Mercury Marine on everything I’ve owned and it’s never let me down.
But since everything on this build will be new and never greased, what is a good grease to start and stick with.
One I can use everywhere on this car and not some off brand not easily available.
Jebby brought up the idea of synthetic grease, which never crossed my mind until now.
I know Lucas products have been proved to be good and noticed Mobil has a good synthetic grease available.

 

Here's a post from early this year that you've probably seen. But just in case you haven't...

https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...endations.html

 

I just called my local Napa auto parts store and they have the Royal Purple in stock.
It looks like the winner.
Thanks everyone!

 

I've been following your build thread for a while now, OCB. Lookin' good! Excited to see the progress. For anyone who hasn't been, check it out. Very interesting journey.

https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...d-project.html

 

I just read through this thread.
Very interesting, thanks for sharing and thanks for the plug on my thread!
Much appreciated!

 

Oh ....I'm sure it rarely if ever happens ...like you say. Most times a guy is going to be ok. But when ya consider, guys inspect their cars for belts/hoses/brakes/...and the fuss for hours over oil & filters, taking a few minutes making sure ya don't trip up over grease is just another aspect to add to the "best practice" list to avoid unnecessary problems or expense. The best practice is to stick with and use the same product consistently.

I probably should have suggested, a guy can usually grab a little grease off the side of the ball joint or U-joint on a new car (new to owner), with a finger, inspect it, and test it out with the grease you have. I mean ya probably don't need to remove a zerk and see what comes out, but that would be best. Because the quickie change shop might have shot in some green lube that went bad. Either way, a quick test is only a couple minutes. If what is there on the ball or U-joint is a blond grease, chances are high your new similar-looking blond grease will be ok. Or go get some. If it's a dark grease, chances are your dark matching grease will be ok. Those are not hard and fast rules ...so take some in your palm and mix together with what you have. You'll know pretty quick if it's going to go thin and 'watery' or not. If it's u-joints, work through a lot of grease to displace what was in there previously. And then stick to what you put in there.

I personally would never shoot any 'mystery' grease, or "bought it on sale" grease in any of my vehicles w/o first looking & testing it. Why do you think Mfgrs did away with zerks on new cars? Ultimately costs, but to increase longevity too. Owners or shops either weren't consistently doing the required maintenance, and/or having problems from different outfits putting in their own different greases. (murdering them!) ...ha ha.

I have multiple grease guns with different types of grease, depeding on what I encounter. The issues don't seem to be as bad as they used to be. But overall, on my cars, I buy & use the same grease from the same supplier since forever.

 

The internet Lied!
I went down to my local Napa Parts store to pick up some Royal Purple synthetic grease and they don’t stock it.
They can special order it but it can’t be purchased in store.
They did have Valvoline synthetic with moly which was recommended and got great reviews.
I’ve always used and trusted Valvoline products so I purchased some and will stay with that.
Thanks again!

 

I would personally stick with normal, easy-to-obtain & commonly used grease/s myself, Like NAPA ..or a Mobil 1 ...not boutique products. That's more likely what a shop would use. Seems less likely to run into problems. Properly lubed joints on Corvettes driven a few thousand miles a yr with normal off-the-shelf (quality) grease, should last almost forever. You can be almost assured if anyone else in the future applies grease it likely won't be RP. (nothing against RP products)

But, hey, to each is own. Most likely everything will work out fine.

.

 

Valvoline came out with the first synthetic grease I was aware of around 1996........I went to Royal Purple when I was at the engine shop in the 2000's because we had an account with them.......I then started getting my buddies to use them in their trailer bearings as many were burning up.......haven't had one burn up in years.......BUT, the stuff, as you found out....is not easy to get.......but I have never heard of a brick and mortar store not being able to special order something.......I mean, if I can buy it online so can they.....

Jebby