DIY Servicing, Greasing the car.

DIY Servicing, Greasing the car.

 

Many of us are at an age where we wish nature had given us grease nipples on our bodies joints; knees, hips and elbows especially. But the reason they have lasted as long as they have is because the body lubricates them naturally. Joints on old MGs need lubricating as well, and its not automatic like nature does for us. You will have heard of ‘sealed for life’ steering joints and universal joints, which did not exist when our cars were built. By now due to being replaced often, it is very likely items like steering track-control-arm ball joints and prop-shaft universal joints (U/Js) will be of this modern sealed type. That means they have no grease nipples so you cannot grease them, just renew them when they wear out. Unlike modern cars, ours require very regular servicing, king-pins (grease) and early TA suspension trunions (oil) every 500 miles in some cases. Whilst modern grease may be capable of longer use, it still gets squashed out as quickly as in olden days, so it is best to keep to the servicing schedule.

 

H&S. Oil and grease can cause skin problems, you can get a barrier cream from motor factors/Halfords, or wear thin plastic gloves to protect you. Used engine oil is particularly bad as its full of old combustion acids,etc.

 

Grease is only ordinary chassis oil (SAE30 usually, often with Lithium added) in a soap solution. If in doubt ask for a general

purpose grease suitable for chassis. The ‘soap’ makes the oil stick to the metal and not run off. It also holds the oil to the areas that need lubrication. The oil itself gets between the two mating metal faces in a thickness of just a few molecules to keep them apart and help them ride over each other easily. Wear does take place and this makes the grease turn black and require renewing, as well as replenishing where it has been squeezed out. (Beware those who use Graphite grease, as its black to start with.) This is why, when you pump in new grease to a king-pin, you pump away until you get NEW grease oozing from the joints. This removes those minute bits of torn-off metal that turned the grease black and will eventually act as a grinding paste, increasing wear. It is also very important that you wipe away the excess grease from where it oozes out as it will attract dirt which is an even worse grinding paste.

 

The grease is applied by either an old-fashioned hand-operated gun, or a modern high-pressure pump type-gun (see

photo). If your car still has the pre-war nipples for the old type, it is advisable to fit the later rounded-nipples to suit the high-pressure gun. This gun locks onto the nipple as you pump the grease in, and will shift any blockages, where as the old hand pumped one will not. The photo shows old and new type nipples, with a long nipple used in the U’Js on the prop-shaft. The high-pressure gun can generate very high pressures and if you have a blocked joint, it will blast out the blockage with a loud bang. To fill both of these hand type guns requires a grease tin with a plastic diaphragm inside (see photo). You remove the pump end of the gun, place the open end of the

grease chamber over the hole in the diaphragm, and force the grease in by using the little piston on the gun. You then lock-off the chain, screw the pump end back on, and release the chain. The gun will then need ‘bleeding’ to get any air out using the little screw bleed. Or you can buy your grease in sealed tubes that you simply pop into the grease gun designed for it, this is a much cleaner method. Currently a tin of grease costs £6 (enough for at least four servicings), and a pressure grease gun £10, from Halfords.

 

Study the lubrication diagram for you car in its handbook (front end of a YB in one diagram, back half of a TA in the other)

. Old cars can have a lot of nipples requiring attention, but some will be every 500 miles, others up to every 3,000 miles depending upon their location. Note that often the steering rack and suspension trunions require OIL, not GREASE. If you are deft you can use your grease gun with oil in it, but once you have filled it with oil, get it onto the rack’s nipple quickly as

the oil will start to run out of the gun. Or you can buy an oil gun. Keep grease and oil well away from the later rubber bushes fitted to the suspension, it will rot the rubber very quickly. One aspect of DIY greasing has now come to the fore and that is saving money. Just how are you going to book your car into a garage every 500 miles? At £60 an hour your running costs will be huge and trying to find a garage who can deal with old cars can also be a problem. Today they simply are not geared up for the intensive man-handling of an old MG and its multiple grease nipples. The other aspect is that by getting out and getting under you will see things that might need attention before they get serious.

 

Now that you have studied the lubrication diagram in your handbook you will know how and where the nipples all are. One that will probably be missing is that on the water-pump as well as those on the U/Js and steering joints. But double check, sometimes the ‘long’ nipple has been removed and you will need to screw one in to grease that U/J. There is a U/J nipple each end of the prop-shaft inside the U/J and one on the sliding joint at the gearbox end. Obviously to get to them you will

either need to jack up the car, or get it over a pit. You will also need to be able to turn one rear wheel to get access to the U/J nipples. Whilst you are under there, the hand-brake cables will need greasing as well. Again pump in grease until clean stuff comes out of the ends. Wipe off the black muck that comes out to stop it attracting dirt. H&S. Jacking up a car is fraught with danger and a very certain way to very serious injury if not done safely. Use axle stands and chock the wheels. On the TD/TF, YA,YT and YB there are extra grease nipples in the pedal-box, which requires four bolts undoing to gain access. That is six nipples so far under the car. Occasionally you might find the nipple on the sliding joint missing, it runs very close to the top of the transmission tunnel and may be sheared off. Owners often fit a grub-screw to keep out the dirt, fitting a nipple just during servicing.

 

The steering and independent front suspension (ifs) on the YA,YT,YB,TD and TF is bristling with nipples. Originally there were seven (one for oil on the steering rack). To grease this area it is best to simply put a jack under the spring-pan to relieve the suspension of the car’s weight, only lifting the wheel just off the ground. If the king-pin has been assembled correctly the top and bottom trunions nipples should face forward so you can see them with the steering on either full-lock,

see photo. With the weight on the jack pump in grease until you get clean grease oozing out, the king-pin with be ‘relaxed’

and that grease will get into every groove of that Morris Threaded Trunion. If yours are new like mine, it will be quite hard to pump the grease through the tight clearances, but if a bit worn much easier. The top trunion of the ifs can seize if not regularly greased, which leads to the bolt through it shearing off. If you get a dry squeaking on depressing the suspension, check that trunion. The steering joints need greasing as well if they have nipples, do not be surprised if water comes out of the little rubber boot first, they get a good dousing every time it rains, from the tyres.

 

The TA,TB,TC,YA and YT have grease nipples on there front and rear wheel bearings. The TD,TF and YB have none on the wheel bearings, the rear axle relying on oil splash from the differential, and the front bearings upon being re-packed with grease at the intervals on the servicing sheet.

 

The first time you carry out this quite athletic task, it might take you all morning or afternoon. But once you know the car you can get it down to an hour easily. If doing just the 500 mile lubrication of those king-pins it can be done in 20 minutes (as long a those nipples face forwards).

 

Now its time to put black finger prints over the bathroom sink as you wash your hands, satisfied you have done a good job, for very little cost.

 

NC.