Oil Gun vs Grease Gun

[Member 10617]

I am looking at A-H Sprite Drivers Handbook to become familiar with servicing the Bugeye and find many references to " apply an oil gun." The accompanying illustrations show what we would call grease nipples, or zerks. Do the Brits really mean "grease gun" rather than an "oil gun"? Confusing thing is that instructions for servicing the swivel axle pins say that one should "apply oil gun to the two nipples on each swivel axle" when car is jacked up so as to let "the oil... to penetrate properly around the bushes." This would imply oil rather than grease.

I have never heard of an "oil gun."

Confused!

 

[dklawson]

I have never heard of an "oil gun."

I have no first-hand experience with lubing the suspension on a Spridget but I assume from the references that you quoted that they do mean oil, not grease. This would not be unheard of. The front suspension trunnions on Spitfires, GT6, and the like call for oil to be pumped in using Zerk fittings. Most people modify a small grease gun for the task.

 

[Member 10617]

Doug,

Many thanks. In fact, the SPRITE & Midget Owners Workshop Manual speaks of ten strokes of a gun filled with hypoid oil. Based on the Drivers Handbook, it doesn't seem like grease is used on any of the suspension and only on the wheel hubs (?!) That's a big surprise to me as all the front suspension points on my TR3 were lubricated with grease.

Any advice on how to modify a grease gun to pump oil?

 

[gfholl]

According to the manuals I have the steering rack should be filled (pumped) with 90w gear oil, but all other nipples should be lubed with grease. Some grease guns can be bulk loaded with oil, but I found it to be a messy project.

 

[Boink]

According to the manuals I have the steering rack should be filled (pumped) with 90w gear oil, but all other nipples should be lubed with grease. Some grease guns can be bulk loaded with oil, but I found it to be a messy project.

I've always pumped grease through the front suspension zerks. Can't imagine anything else.

 

[Member 10617]

gfholl and Boink,

Seems that folks this side of the pond mainly use grease instead of hypoid oil. Some say it is just a matter of keeping the units lubricated and it doesn't matter if it is grease or oil. Oil drips down into the nooks and cranies, of course, and grease may not. I don't know if this is a problem. If I could figure out how to pump oil into the zerks, I think I would try the oil but, as gfholl says, putting oil in a grease gun is quite messy.

Any tips on how to rig up a grease gun to pump oil other than just pouring it into the barrel and pumping it?

 

[nomad]

If you have a grease gun that has a removable plunger you can just remove the plunger, pour in some oil, keep the cylinder upright, and lube at your leisure. Done it that way for years. If you are fussy you can use 140wt for everything but the steering rack which should use 90wt.

Kurt.

 

[dklawson]

I had an extra "small" grease gun and I made a piston for it to replace the plunger used with grease cartridges. I use that on the Triumph trunnions. I believe you are supposed to be able to fill a full sized gun with oil the same way you would fill it with bulk grease instead of grease cartridges.

 

[Nelson]

I ran this web site a little while back. https://www.omgtr.ca/technical/highpressureoiler/highpressureoiler.htm I haven't had a chance to try it .

 

[Boink]

Well now, that's kinda neat!

 

[Member 10617]

I think I may be able to modify a small grease gun to accommodate oil. Thanks. I will also try the small palm oil gun that originally came with the MGA. Perhaps that may work.

One thing I still don't know is if the previous owner used oil or grease. I have read that this can be changed, i.e. oil can be introduced instead of grease, and grease can be introduced instead of oil.... but I'm a bit uneasy about that. Any thoughts?

l

 

[Member 10617]

Thanks for all the input!

 

[nomad]

No need to modify a gun if you just remove the plunger and have a flexible hose. Just pour in some oil and keep the cylinder upright. When you are done you can use it for grease again.

Kurt.

 

[dklawson]

I have read that this can be changed, i.e. oil can be introduced instead of grease, and grease can be introduced instead of oil.... but I'm a bit uneasy about that. Any thoughts?

I can only offer a handful of mixed anecdotal and technical comments.

In general you do not even want to mix lube vendors because of possible dissimilarities in the formulations. That said, who doesn't do this when servicing a 50+ year old car?

On cars like my early Mini, the steering rack is lubed with oil held in by the gaiters. Later cars switched to grease. The argument was that no one serviced racks to add lube so put something in that will stay in place. The problem is that grease gets squished out of the contact points and doesn't flow back in like oil does. In the end, greased steering racks on later Minis were not lasting as long as those on cars with oil filled racks. Many owners have switched back to oil rather than grease. That does force us to deal with splitting, leaking gaiters more often though. I have heard this same argument applied to the trunnions on Spitfires/GT6. It could be extended to Spridgets as well.

 

[Rut]

I've not tried it, but intend to do so on my Bugeye once I get to that point...corn head grease. It flows like a thick oil and fits in your grease gun like a grease cartridge. I've not seen anything negative about it, so I think it's worth a try.
Rut

 

[nomad]

Rut, corn head grease is still grease so I don't think it would be as good as oil. I've used it on ....corn heads....! Its thinner grease but I'm sure it would be better than what most of these racks have gotten over the years.

Kurt.

 

[Gerard]

Doug,

Many thanks. In fact, the SPRITE & Midget Owners Workshop Manual speaks of ten strokes of a gun filled with hypoid oil. Based on the Drivers Handbook, it doesn't seem like grease is used on any of the suspension and only on the wheel hubs (?!) That's a big surprise to me as all the front suspension points on my TR3 were lubricated with grease.

Any advice on how to modify a grease gun to pump oil?

That refers to the steering rack only, and yes, they do mean oil gun. Some grease guns can be used if they seal well enough to not leak, and some can be modified to be used for oil instead of grease, but there are oil guns made, typically for marine applications. Marine supply stores will have them.

 

[Member 10617]

Mystery solved! (I think). For those who have followed this thread, I started it by asking about instructions in the A-H Drivers Handbook that call for "applying an oil gun" to all the zerks in the steering and suspension. This seemed strange to me because I would have assumed the use of grease in the suspension zerks. Turns out that the Brits either did or still do use the term "oil gun" for an oil gun and a grease gun.

The SPRITE & MIDGET Owners Workshop Manual is much clearer. It calls for grease in all the suspension zerks and hypoid oil in the steering rack, just as Gerard says in the previous message. I understand that some people use grease even in the steering nipple, but I would think that grease would be a little hard on the rubber gaiter as in compresses and expands. Just a thought.

Whch leads me to the final question about this topic. The steering rack has a nipple (for oil). But it also has what looks like a plug (consisting of a secondary damper plunger, secondary damper spring, secondary damper cap, and housing washer). It is located just above the steering rack zerk ("lubricator"). Is this an alternative way to pump oil into the steering rack?

 

[Gerard]

Whch leads me to the final question about this topic. The steering rack has a nipple (for oil). But it also has what looks like a plug (consisting of a secondary damper plunger, secondary damper spring, secondary damper cap, and housing washer). It is located just above the steering rack zerk ("lubricator"). Is this an alternative way to pump oil into the steering rack?

I've never heard of anyone doing that way. The "usual alternative" is to pump in oil after removing one clamp of the rubber gaiter. Seems that would be a bit messy to do with in on the car.

 

[Member 10617]

Thanks Gerard. I plan to pump hypoid gear oil in by the zerk that is on the side of the steering rack. I believe I can use an MG-type grease gun (palm gun?), modified a bit for oil, or the original "grease gun" that came with the Bugeye. The car has come to me with a nice collection of original tools (standard ones and additional ones purchased by the original owner), including the grease gun.


I really appreciate your help and advice, as well as that of other members of this great forum. I know I will have many more questions as I get into this car. But, mainly, I just want to get it in and drive. The Blue Ridge Parkway is only 15 miles from me and is a wonderful ride!