MG-Cars.info

Welcome to our Site for MG, Triumph and Austin-Healey Car Information.

Parts

MG parts spares and accessories are available for MG T Series (TA, MG TB, MG TC, MG TD, MG TF), Magnette, MGA, Twin cam, MGB, MGBGT, MGC, MGC GT, MG Midget, Sprite and other MG models from British car spares company LBCarCo.

MG TD TF 1500 - Oops! Grease in Steering Rack

After replacing all the front and read end bushings with poly bushes, I decide it was time to lube all the grease fittings. Well, as the title says, I had a brain fart and put grease in the steering rack.

I have no idea what was in there before. I know it's supposed to be 90 wt. gear oil as per factory spec, but who knows for sure what was in there. The car has been driven so little the past 5 or 6 years I never touched the rack.

In any case there's Mobile 1 (red) synthetic in there now. The archives show some folks have shot some Marvel Mystery Oil or gear oil in there to dilute things, and help lubricate the ball joints. My question is, will the oil mix with the synthetic grease, or does it matter if it mixes or not?

The steering is more positive now, but I'm concerned about dry joints with the grease.

Any input appreciated.
L Karpman

I did the same thing a few years ago. Doesn't seem to harmed anything.
P.W. Lester

Grease is moved out of the contact points and does not flow back in. The few miles you probably drive it will be future owners that will deal with your issue. Regards, tom
tm peterson

I put grease in the rack before I realized it should be oil. Subsequently, I put oil into each rubber boot by slackening the clip on each end and squirting 90W oil in there with my oil can.
Ron Coates

Ron,
I thought I was the ONLY one that has used a squirt can inserted in the upper end of the gaitor. I was about to ask how to pump OIL into the grease fitting on the rack.....is that actually an oil zerk? If so, what sort of pump is used?
Frank Bice

Piece of tubing inserted in the bung hole and a funnel elevated above the radiator works for me. Spillage when you remove the tube has to be dealt with.
G Evans

Frank: You can modify a cheap grease gun into an oil gun. I did this (sort of to the following) and it works fine. There are are general instructions at the Ontario MG site:
http://www.omgtr.ca/technical/highpressureoiler/highpressureoiler.htm
Peter Pope

You can also pull out the fitting on the rack and use a needle injector grease gun fitting on a converted grease gun. When oil starts to run out, you know it's full. Put the fitting back in and your good to go. PJ
Paul S Jennings

G Evans,
Further to fitting a piece of tubing into the bung hole, you can insert the nipple of a plastic squeeze bottle of 90w into the other end, and just squeeze the bottle,, you only need a short length of tubing, and you know immediately when it is full,,, less spillage,,

SPW
Steve Wincze

Using Steve's method, will gravity flow allow oil to find it's way into the gaitors? If so, does one then need to top it off again, to replace the oil that went into the gaitors?
Frank Bice

Frank,
It will flow into the Gaiters,, It will flow the same as if you used an aplicator that attached to the existing nipple,,

STeve
Steve Wincze

This thread was discussed between 27/01/2015 and 03/02/2015

MG TD TF 1500 index

This thread is from the archives. Join the live MG TD TF 1500 BBS now