VP rubber shaft seal grease?

[contessaman]

Thanks to those of you who gave me advice for changing my cutlass bearing. I've got the new engine aligned and I'm just putting all the stern gear back together.

I've got the Volvo Penta dripless rubber shaft seal. Being generally allergic to Volvo prices, does anyone know what kind of grease is actually in the small and overpriced Volvo Penta sachet for safe use with this rubber seal?

It must be possible to buy a decent sized tub of the stuff to keep on board under some other brand name?

Thanks

 

[FullCircle]

It's not worth it as you only use tiny amounts each year. My little 25g tube of Volvo waterproof grease has lasted about 7 or 8 years now.

 

[langstonelayabout]

I use 'Carlube Aquaslip' blue grease in my dripless Volvo stern gland and am pleased to say that it remains dripless.

£8.49 for half a kilo. Use a McDonalds straw to insert the grease between shaft and seal.

 

[Kwik Decision]

Didn't your stern gland come with a tube of grease? The last one I bought, admittedly about 6-7 yrs ago, came with a 25 g tube of grease, which should last the lifetime of at least 2 stern glands. If you're near Universal Marina, River Hamble this weekend you can have a near full tube, as the Volvo stern gland was replaced with a PSS seal when the new engine went in.

 

[macd]

I know the 'genuine' Volvo stuff is a pretty colour, but the seals themselves are made by Eliche Radice.

In fact Radice, as many will know, also make a very similar seal under their own name, for which they also supply branded grease.

In contrast, however, the Radice tube makes no mystery of what's in it: silicone grease.

QED?

P.S. Silicone grease is a handy thing to have on board, anyway. It's what Jabsco et al use on their loo pump piston seals; it's harmless to most types of rubber, and almost universally recommended for O-rings, etc, etc. It's also widely used for waterproofing lectrickery. Even at Maplins 50g costs only a fiver. (It can no doubt be bought more economically in larger quantities, but smaller tubes are handier for the sort of jobs for which it's used.)

 

[davidej]

Have I been using the wrong type of grease all these years?

No wonder it started dripping - and after only 14 years. If I had used the right type it might have lasted for its design life -7 years.

 

[macd]

Have I been using the wrong type of grease all these years?

No wonder it started dripping - and after only 14 years. If I had used the right type it might have lasted for its design life -7 years.

I'm sure it's not your intention, but whatever grease(s) you're recommending are quite as anonymous as Volvo's
My personal preference is for yak's butter, since you so rarely hear of a yak sinking at sea. You can also put it in your tea if it's rancid enough. (Been there: once.)

 

[contessaman]

I know the 'genuine' Volvo stuff is a pretty colour, but the seals themselves are made by Eliche Radice.

In fact Radice, as many will know, also make a very similar seal under their own name, for which they also supply branded grease.

In contrast, however, the Radice tube makes no mystery of what's in it: silicone grease.

QED?

P.S. Silicone grease is a handy thing to have on board, anyway. It's what Jabsco et al use on their loo pump piston seals; it's harmless to most types of rubber, and almost universally recommended for O-rings, etc, etc. It's also widely used for waterproofing lectrickery. Even at Maplins 50g costs only a fiver. (It can no doubt be bought more economically in larger quantities, but smaller tubes are handier for the sort of jobs for which it's used.)

Well I've already got a big tub of that in my scuba kit bag so I'll use that then! Ta!

 

[Plevier]

I haven't seen the Radice grease but I am quite certain from using it that the Volvo blue grease is not silicone.
It seemed to me to be the same as this http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Mobil-Gre...096443?hash=item25948d943b:g:JOYAAOSwAuZX460q which I used on a KiwiProp. This is not an ordinary lithium grease, lithium complex is different (any chemist care to jump in)?

 

[FullCircle]

I haven't seen the Radice grease but I am quite certain from using it that the Volvo blue grease is not silicone.
It seemed to me to be the same as this http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Mobil-Gre...096443?hash=item25948d943b:g:JOYAAOSwAuZX460q which I used on a KiwiProp. This is not an ordinary lithium grease, lithium complex is different (any chemist care to jump in)?

I think you are right, it is the Mobil grease.