Chassis Grease Dis-Continued

[Joe L.]

I’ll give another thumbs down to the red Mobil 1. Just like Patrick said, I have a thin red liquid leaking out of suspension parts I used it on. I threw away most of a new tube since I vowed never to use it again.

Gary

Gary-----


I think you would find that exactly the same thing would occur with the GM #12377985 EXCEPT that you would not notice it because that grease contained no red dye.

Chassis grease is a combination of an oil + a soap. Over time, some of the oil separates from the soap. The Corvette steering gear pitman shaft seal is not fully capable of 100% retention of any separated oil. If the oil happens to be dyed red, it will be clearly seen. If it's a natural, yellowish oil, it won't be nearly as obvious.

[Patrick H.]

If the oil happens to be dyed red, it will be clearly seen. If it's a natural, yellowish oil, it won't be nearly as obvious.

One would think that.

My car barn has an epoxy floor. I can see where any of the cars leave a drip or mark.
The red Mobil 1 doesn't just leave a few drips; it's a 3 inch puddle after sitting for a while. I can leave other cars sitting for the same time or longer and have zero drips.

I suspect that the oil part of the Mobil 1 grease is different enough, or the soap is thin enough, that it separates much easier than other greases.

[Joe L.]

One would think that.

My car barn has an epoxy floor. I can see where any of the cars leave a drip or mark.
The red Mobil 1 doesn't just leave a few drips; it's a 3 inch puddle after sitting for a while. I can leave other cars sitting for the same time or longer and have zero drips.

I suspect that the oil part of the Mobil 1 grease is different enough, or the soap is thin enough, that it separates much easier than other greases.

Patrick------

Well, that seems like a lot more than I would expect from the phenomenon I mentioned.

Was your steering gear box disassembled and scrupulously cleaned of the old grease before the Mobil 1 was installed?

[Patrick H.]

Patrick------

Well, that seems like a lot more than I would expect from the phenomenon I mentioned.

Was your steering gear box disassembled and scrupulously cleaned of the old grease before the Mobil 1 was installed?

This is from a front wheel bearing that it gave off that much.
Gary R told me that he doesn't use it in steering boxes any more because he had the same problem.

[Joe L.]

This is from a front wheel bearing that it gave off that much.
Gary R told me that he doesn't use it in steering boxes any more because he had the same problem.

Patrick-----

OK, was the old front wheel bearing grease scrupulously cleaned out before the Mobil 1 was introduced?

[Patrick H.]

Patrick-----

OK, was the old front wheel bearing grease scrupulously cleaned out before the Mobil 1 was introduced?

Yes.

I put a stack of old newspapers under the grease gun that holds the Mobil 1, and it's red.

[Gary B.]

Yes.

I put a stack of old newspapers under the grease gun that holds the Mobil 1, and it's red.

Same story with me. What first alerted me to the Mobil 1 separation problem was the surprisingly large puddle of red liquid under the grease gun hanging on my tool peg board.

Gary

[Joe L.]

Patrick and Gary-----

OK, then it's definitely a problem with the Mobil 1 UNLESS your grease guns were contaminated with another grease prior to your installing the Mobil 1 tube.

The soaps in some greases are not compatible with other greases. When contamination occurs, even a little, it can cause the oil separating from the soap. As I seem to vaguely recall, this is referred to as "bleeding". Since the Mobil 1 grease meets the GM #12377985 spec, I would not expect this to be a problem. However, maybe it meets it only as far as performance goes and not as far as compatibility. Or, it could be that any grease you previously had in the tube did not.

Beyond that, I have noticed what you describe for many different tubes of grease if they sit around for awhile including the 12377985 although it's not quite as apparent since those greases are not dyed red.

[Harry S.]

I believe this is what Gary R. is using on Steering Boxes now:

Lucas.jpg

[Gary R.]

I believe this is what Gary R. is using on Steering Boxes now:

Lucas.jpg

That is correct, this is the grease I use in my boxes now. Years ago, probably at least 20, I used Mobil 1. When I first started using it, I would open the tube and it would look fine. Then at some point that changed and once I opened a tube, I saw it already started to oil separate.

The final straw was with a box that was on an open frame in the TX sun. The red oil leaked past the new seals and puddled on the ground. I got that box back and removed all the Mobil 1 and never went back to it. On my own car, wherever I used it there were leaks- ball joints, tie rod ends, box.

Coastal at the time had a good grease and unlike most I checked at various parts stores, wasn't separating out when the tube cap was removed. I used it for a short time without issue, then it was revised and not the same.

The Lucas is a poly grease not lithium and like the John Deere corn grease is green and they're very close. I have not seen the Lucas separate but it is still a grease and any grease in a non-vented steering box, exposed to heat, may and probably will leak past the seals at some point.

[Mark F.]

...That is correct, this is the grease I use in my boxes now. Years ago, probably at least 20, I used Mobil 1. When I first started using it, I would open the tube and it would look fine. Then at some point that changed and once I opened a tube, I saw it already started to oil separate....

So, in my mind, Gary's comment above eliminates a cross-contamination issue - at least for his batch at the time (fresh tube opened and it's already separated).

Perhaps Mobil did not have enough compatible and/or effective emulsifiers to prevent this...that' could be one theory...

Another (as mentioned by others) if it sits long enough almost almost any emulsified product will settle out (separate) over enough time.

I had a can (probably still do, just can't find it) of Alemite grease from my grandfather that was probably from the '30s or '40s. Open the lid and it really had a pungent smell (biodegrading ?); but only a few milliliters of free-standing, separated fluid (oil) after sitting unused literally for decades.

I guess value engineering and trying to consolidate numerous products into one, all-encompassing replacement product doesn't always work ?

[Ray K.]

Well after a few weeks of reviewing and discussing the alternative to the GM chassis grease (#12377985), I've opted (rightly or wrongly) to go with Amsoil multi purpose red grease. In my discussions with the Amsoil tech and shown pressure testing videos, the Amsoil red showed better holding / tackiness capabilities than the Lucas red & tacky. Time will tell if I made the right choice.
This same Amsoil tech also supplies Lingenfelter Performance Engineering with their products. If the Amsoil red grease doesn't meet my satifaction I can return with no questions asked . . . .
Here's the Amsoil red grease info:
AMSOIL 100% Synthetic Multi-Purpose Grease

• Resists thermal and oxidation degradation for long-term performance
• Outstanding low-temperature pumpability and torque value, improving cold-season operability
• Adhesive and shear-stable to prevent squeeze out
• Excellent load-carrying and EP performance for heavy and abusive loads

Amsoil Multi Purpose Red Chassis Grease - 02Apr25.jpg