38mess
Well-known member
Is there any difference between marine grease and ordinary grease?
Grease
- Thread starter 38mess
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Bouba
Well-known member
Grease is the word...
Isn’t it usually white lithium grease for marine use ?
Isn’t it usually white lithium grease for marine use ?
wrr
Active member
Marine greases tend to contain calcium sulphonate rather than lithium salts, as calcium-based greases are regarded as having better water resistance and anticorrosive properties while lithium based greases have better thermal stability. Interestingly, some popular green marine greases smell strongly of phenol.
geem
Well-known member
Not necessarily. Lithium in grease can be a problem. Lithium grease is not compatible with salt water. It hardens.
Our rudder shaft uses a phosphor bronze bearing. It has a grease gun permanently plumbed in to the bearing. I used lithium marine grease and the rudder seized. I thought it was going to be a rudder off solution.
A chance discussion with and engineer on a big motor yacht and he explained to me about lithium and salt water. He suggested a particular grease they they used. He said it was compatible with existing grease and would likely wash out the hard lithium grease. It worked. The rudder is now lighter on the wheel than it has been for years. I have just order two more tubes of proper waterproof grease.
If you are not using the grease in contact with salt water, it may be OK for the application
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B27
Well-known member
I have 3 sorts of grease on my boat:
Stern tube Grease.
Winch grease
clear silicone teflon grease, which is used very sparingly on stainless/alloy interfaces like the gooseneck, a few sheave bearings etc.
Stern tube Grease.
Winch grease
clear silicone teflon grease, which is used very sparingly on stainless/alloy interfaces like the gooseneck, a few sheave bearings etc.
dankilb
Well-known member
I bought some ‘marine’ moly(bdenum) grease a while back it’s been so good I’ve left it in the gun and used it for most things (metal on metal). Even the winches had a light smear during service. I haven’t felt the need to switch back to a white grease.
ChromeDome
Well-known member
FWIW:
I once put some L2 BP universal grease and some Total Ceran WR2 marine grease on my front bumper. Two dots next to each other.
After driving in rain the marine version remained long after the universal had disappeared.
I once put some L2 BP universal grease and some Total Ceran WR2 marine grease on my front bumper. Two dots next to each other.
After driving in rain the marine version remained long after the universal had disappeared.
saxonpirate
Active member
Put the word 'marine' in front of anything and usually the difference is 'price'..
However @wrr makes a good points re lithium and calcium based grease..
Refueler
Well-known member
For stern seals which have greasers, trailer bearings etc - you should use Waterproof grease ....
As a stop-gap one cruise - I used ordinary car bearing grease in my stern seal - no chandlers where I was ... result was increased use of the greaser due increased water drip ... grease thrown around bilge area ...
Once I obtained another tub of waterproof - a) the amount needed via greaser was back to normal ... water drip back to normal ... and it was not thrown around the bilge area !
As a stop-gap one cruise - I used ordinary car bearing grease in my stern seal - no chandlers where I was ... result was increased use of the greaser due increased water drip ... grease thrown around bilge area ...
Once I obtained another tub of waterproof - a) the amount needed via greaser was back to normal ... water drip back to normal ... and it was not thrown around the bilge area !
