Oil or grease?

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Larry S

Larry S

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I am replacing my speedo drive on my mk3 and I would like to know whether I should grease or oil the new unit before installing? I’ve read numerous threads with conflicting information. Which is best? I would prefer to use a product that would be readily available at the auto parts store. Whichever I ultimately decide upon, I was basically going to remove the grease nipple and either pack it with grease or fill with oil and replace nipple. I know this would not be the ideal way but since I don’t have the correct grease gun fitting it’ll have to do. I think my idea will work, I just need to know what to fill it with. And yes I know being that I mentioned the word oil, this could be beaten to death. If anyone has a better idea please share with a step by step. Thank you all for the collected knowledge.
 
Use a good quality grease. If you don't want it to wear out grease it before you ride it. I'm not kidding. Use your discretion. It makes a mess but easy to clean up.
 
While there, remove and wipe down the speedo inner cable, then a thin layer of grease on it. Cured my wobbly speedo needle. Also, same to the tacho cable.
 
Larry S said:
I am replacing my speedo drive on my mk3 and I would like to know whether I should grease or oil the new unit before installing? I’ve read numerous threads with conflicting information. Which is best?
Click to expand...

Ok, so you've read through numerous threads giving conflicting information and now ask "what is best?" which is only likely to result in even more conflicting information (sorry, I couldn't resist that one :)).

Best? Probably the Jewel Amber Oil recommended by Jim Comstock...
www.accessnorton.com

Standard grease fitting for speedo drive

Has anybody found a standard grease fitting that screws into the speedo drive w/o retapping the threads? I'd like to use a standard USA grease gun on the speedo drive. It is a replacement from Baxters. They are getting quite expensive so I don't want this one to let loose. Thanks in advance, Marshal
www.accessnorton.com www.accessnorton.com
...however, I use gear oil now, (left-over EP140 used for the sealed swinging arm spindle assembly) not grease as I found grease tends to be squeezed out from the gears and then sticks uselessly to the inside of the housing (until I guess the housing becomes hot enough to melt the grease!).
 
www.klueber.com

ISOFLEX NBU 15

www.klueber.com www.klueber.com

This stuff.
Still on the balls & rollers after 15 years of continuous use. Doesn't channel out.

Wheel bearings too.

Kluber | NBU-15 | Grease

Kluber NBU-15 Grease - A high-speed grease with a good pressure absorption capacity. It consists of a combination of ester oil, synthetic hydrocarbon oil and mineral oil and a barium complex soap. It offers good protection against wear and corrosion and is resistant to water, media and oxidation.
www.allworldmachinery.com www.allworldmachinery.com
 
Amber oil leaves the speedo to be artistically flung by the hub though. Maybe the 140wt isn's as visibile but agree that grease really doesn't fill the bill.
 
You knew you would get more conflicting views......you got em.....it took 5 replies to get 4 lubricants!! And the other reply was an, albeit useful, comment on greasing a cable!

Quit while you are ahead! :oops:
 
All you need to do with those odd grease fittings is to put a shop rag over the fitting before connecting the gun. The grease passes right through the rag without squirting out the sides. (Or get one of those little brass grease pumps that came with the early tool kits.)
 
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Onder said:
Amber oil leaves the speedo to be artistically flung by the hub though. Maybe the 140wt isn's as visibile but agree that grease really doesn't fill the bill.
Click to expand...
The model in question, however, is an 850 Mk3 so any fling would become supplementary chain lubricant. :)
Oil or grease?

Edit: Come to think of it, lubricating the drive gearbox with chain lube might not be a bad idea? I might try that next time.
 
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Best stuff this:

The main use of whale oil was for illumination and machine lubrication.[16] Cheaper alternatives to whale oil existed, but were inferior in performance and cleanliness of burn. As a result, whale oil dominated the world for both uses.
 
I had forgotten the many upgrades that came out with the MkIII!
 
FFS don't tell the Japanese or Norwegians. Otherwise all we'll be seeing on tv is images of greenpeace & whale catchers.
 
alans said:
FFS don't tell the Japanese or Norwegians. Otherwise all we'll be seeing on tv is images of greenpeace & whale catchers.
Click to expand...
Wife is Japanese and thus has all the requisite Yakuza contacts. Where I get mine.
 
This is what I use for speedo lube injection, less than $10 at wally mart.

Have a second one for SA oiling.
Oil or grease?
 
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Tornado said:
The main use of whale oil was for illumination and machine lubrication.[16] Cheaper alternatives to whale oil existed, but were inferior in performance and cleanliness of burn. As a result, whale oil dominated the world for both uses.
Click to expand...
whale
oil
beef
hooked.
 
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