Plugged Grease Zerks

[SaxMan]

While doing the chassis lube on Baby Blue tonight, a few of the grease zerks were not working properly. I'd hook up the grease gun and all I'd get is a big wad of grease all around the zerk. I tried unclogging with a pin. It worked on one but not the others. Is there a way to clear a plugged zerk, or do I go ahead and replace the zerk with a new one? Or take the zerk off, clear it and put it back?

 

[Jim_Gruber]

Hmmm propane torch a quick hit and try it again. If not replace zerk fitting?

 

[nomad]

I take them off and clear the hole. Once they are off you can clear the zerk with the grease gun. The cheap foreign grease gun tips that are sold now aren't much good though. I have a supply of Alemite tip's that I have been hoarding and I throw the new ones away when I buy a gun.

Kurt.

 

[Rut]

Kurt X2! The new ones are not as good as the old and sometimes the ball valve is completely stuck.
Rut

 

[CaptRandy]

Remove and soak in mineral spirits, use toothpick to remove hard grease then re install.

 

[HealeyRick]

An old mechanic's trick that I never had much luck with is to put a shop rag over the zerk and put the grease valve over the rag then shoot the grease.

 

[tomshobby]

Many years ago there was a tool available that worked pretty well. It fit on the zerk and then was hit with a hammer to force the grease into a stubborn zerk.

Something like this only made to use a hammer.

Here it is. https://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200430913_200430913

 

[SaxMan]

I finally got under the car. I did a mixture of replacing the zerks outright and clearing the clogs for other zerks which didn't match up to the ones I ordered. I shot the older zerks with some Finish Line Citrus Degreaser. That is my "go to" degreaser for my bicycle work. It worked like a champ. I also found that my grease gun tip didn't always properly engage the zerk, so I had to do a fair amount of jiggling to get the tip to fit properly. It was, as expected, a filthy and nasty job. At the end of it, though, all the zerks now worked properly and the nasty older grease was replaced with nice new grease. All that's left to do now is to tune the carbs and Baby Blue will be ready for another season of driving.