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I've just redone my front end (though not the steering box, given that the pitman arm and box were 'tight')and now, once filled with 90 weight gear oil, I realize the steering box is leaking. I imagine it would empty in about a week; I guess that explains why there was so much room for the gear oil I put in!
Someone posed the question about a simliar problem with a different car (non-Volvo)in a wll-known car magazine and the columnist/mechanic suggested filling the box with wheel bearing grease. I know that my seal needs to be replaced but right now I just want to drive the car. Any harm going with the grease suggestion?? Does the box have to come out to fix this problem permanently?
Many thanks.
Kai S.
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I read an article in Commercial Car Journal that some of the truck automatic greasing systems use a new semi-liquid grease. I suppose you could try that as it would flow better than regular grease.
I would add a flexible tube to a grease gun and try to fill the box from the bottom, driving the dirty oil and stuff out the top of the box.
If that worked, you could add clean grease from time to time, and make sure that all parts got some lube.
--
'96 855R,'64 PV544, '67 P1800, '95 855, '95 854, the first three are mine, heh, heh, 405,000 miles put on 8 bricks
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I saw your Duett on the Brickboard and it sure looks like a twin of mine. My roof rack isn't on yet and I still have a few finishing touches but I'm almost there.Surf board is on order.
Jeff
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posted by
someone claiming to be belinda
on
Mon Jun 19 18:26 CST 2006 [ RELATED]
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This is an interesting concept. The benefits of flooding the gear box with oil are that the gears are fully submerged in the lubricant... Also, I'm wondering how important the viscosity of the oil is to the gearbox performance. Since the gears turn very slowly, probably doesn't make much difference. Grease is comprised of about 80% oil (the rest is called the gelling agent or "thickener"), the purpose of using grease is to hold onto the oil, then release it like a sponge when necessary. Grease can be better than oil in applications where the oil runs out. I guess this could work, tribologically speaking. I'd try to make sure all the gears were well coated with a layer of grease to protect them from rusting - which leads to corrosive spalling wear eventually.
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posted by
someone claiming to be belinda
on
Tue Jun 20 11:10 CST 2006 [ RELATED]
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According to this, I think you want to use an NLGI grade 3 (soft) grease, as opposed to NLGI grade 2 (stiff) version.
http://www.olis.oecd.org/olis/2004doc.nsf/43bb6130e5e86e5fc12569fa005d004c/1a84f68fcaee2076c1256f58004aff9a/$FILE/JT00174617.DOC
"2.4.1.4 Greases
125. Greases are used in situations where it is not feasible to provide an oil supply, e.g. in wheel bearings, constant velocity joints, steering components, etc. Greases, which are essentially oils plus a thickening agent, lubricate components by means of the slow release of oil from the grease structure. Many of the greases used in automotive applications contain additional EP (extreme pressure) agents, as well as solid lubricants such as molybdenum disulphide. Grease thickening agents include alkali metal soaps (normally lithium and calcium) of fatty acids (normally 12 hydroxystearic acid), polymers (normally polyethylene or polypropylene), diatomaceous earths and a variety of other materials used in specialised applications. The oil component is normally hydrocarbon based, but certain synthetic fluids (polyalkylene glycols, silicones etc.) are used again for more specialised applications. Very soft (semi fluid) greases are specified in place of gear oils by some manufacturers."
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posted by
someone claiming to be belinda
on
Tue Jun 20 11:19 CST 2006 [ RELATED]
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Woops, sorry. Got dyslexic. NLGI grade 0 is the softest, grade 3 is pretty stiff. This property is measured by dropping a cone into a sample of grease and measuring how far it penetrates. So the higher "penetration" the softer the grease ("worked" penetration just refers to the test method were the grease is mixed up before 60 times, before carrying out the test, as grease has a memory and the amount it's mixed or "worked" prior to the test will affect this stiffness measurement). So NLGI grade 2 is softer than grade 3. I've personally never run across a grease that was softer than grade 2 (1 or 0), so not sure they exist. You can typically find grades 2 and 3 at the automotive stores (or Walmart), I believe.
NLGI grade 0, worked penetration at 25oC = 375
NLGI grade 1, worked penetration at 25oC = 330
NLGI grade 2, worked penetration at 25oC = 285
NLGI grade 3, worked penetration at 25oC = 235
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I've been running mine with grease in the box since I've owned it (7 years, 4years as a daily driver). It was that way when I bought it, so who knows how long it's been set up that way. It's worked great for me, and I haven't had any problems....
--Ethan
--
'64 PVMoneypit, '93 945 Turbo
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"64 PVMoneypit" I like that!
I guess mine would qualify, except that most of the stuff I've been spending money on has been for my satisfaction, not because the car needed it.
LOL
Steve
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I'll be rebuilding my gear box in a week or so with the new kit from Olof. I'd love to hear more about filling the steering gear box with grease. Anyone else have any experience with this? Pros, cons?
--
Tony 1958 P444 (44408), ID 187797 : See site for info
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I recently rebuilt my box with Olof's kit because of a leak, and refilled with oil- no leaks, problem solved, and I managed to adhere to factory spec. Life is good...
Rob
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Hi, Mine has grease also. Actually it is a sort of mixture of synthetic grease, ('cause I had it on hand) and 90 wt, ('cause there was some left in the box), it had a slow leak, so I filled it up with the grease. I just packed it in by hand. It has been that way for 3 years now and seems Ok. I am sure one day i will rebuild it.....one day.
Chris
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