About 15 years ago, I worked in a mechanical shop that had a 5 gallon
pail of what was called "water pump grease". There was no label on the
product, that is simply what everyone called it. It was super thick
grease, green in color. People used it for all types of things, such
as putting a finger-full of it in the rear cavity on an axle shaft seal
that has the little spring on the inside so that the spring did not
fall out from the shock when hammering the seal in place, etc.

Anyways, I filled up a margarine tub way back then and have been using
it for a few particular jobs. My supply is very low, and the shop that
had the stuff has long since closed, so I turn to the group and ask if
anyone has ever seen this stuff before?? If so where is a possible
source? thanks in advance, Ron

wrote in message
oups.com...
About 15 years ago, I worked in a mechanical shop that had a 5 gallon
pail of what was called "water pump grease". There was no label on the
product, that is simply what everyone called it. It was super thick
grease, green in color. People used it for all types of things, such
as putting a finger-full of it in the rear cavity on an axle shaft seal
that has the little spring on the inside so that the spring did not
fall out from the shock when hammering the seal in place, etc.

If by "water pump" it meant "drinking water pump", then it may be one of the
several food-grade lubricants pharmaceutical companies use to lube tablet
presses.

One of them I'm familiar with is an almost aquamarine greenish-blue. It's
very, very stiff when cool, and has less lubricity than, say, a moly grease;
but it's still a good lubricant.

FWIW, the food-grade greases are also usually very (I mean extremely)
sticky, so they stay where they're put, even on warm vertical surfaces.

You can find such lubricants in standard cartridges or in bulk from Natoli,
Inc. (www.natoli.com)

LLoyd

Water pump grease is on the same lines as a metric crescent wrench or a
1971 VW Beetle thermostat.


wrote:
About 15 years ago, I worked in a mechanical shop that had a 5 gallon
pail of what was called "water pump grease". There was no label on the
product, that is simply what everyone called it. It was super thick
grease, green in color. People used it for all types of things, such
as putting a finger-full of it in the rear cavity on an axle shaft seal
that has the little spring on the inside so that the spring did not
fall out from the shock when hammering the seal in place, etc.

Anyways, I filled up a margarine tub way back then and have been using
it for a few particular jobs. My supply is very low, and the shop that
had the stuff has long since closed, so I turn to the group and ask if
anyone has ever seen this stuff before?? If so where is a possible
source? thanks in advance, Ron

Automobile water pumps, up into the 1930's at least, had grease cups which
you filled with "water pump grease" and screwed down periodically to
lubricate the shaft bearings. It was a very heavy bodied grease intended to
function in contact with water. There are and have been many lubricants
formulated for optimum performance in particular service applications. I
have not seen water pump grease for many years but I suspect a modern
version could be found, perhaps for marine applicaations.
Don Young
"mr electron" wrote in message
oups.com...
Water pump grease is on the same lines as a metric crescent wrench or a
1971 VW Beetle thermostat.


wrote:
About 15 years ago, I worked in a mechanical shop that had a 5 gallon
pail of what was called "water pump grease". There was no label on the
product, that is simply what everyone called it. It was super thick
grease, green in color. People used it for all types of things, such
as putting a finger-full of it in the rear cavity on an axle shaft seal
that has the little spring on the inside so that the spring did not
fall out from the shock when hammering the seal in place, etc.

Anyways, I filled up a margarine tub way back then and have been using
it for a few particular jobs. My supply is very low, and the shop that
had the stuff has long since closed, so I turn to the group and ask if
anyone has ever seen this stuff before?? If so where is a possible
source? thanks in advance, Ron

I suspect a good substitute would be the wheel bearing grease intended
for boat trailers. Really sticky, does not wash out nearly as fast as
regular greases.

wrote:

About 15 years ago, I worked in a mechanical shop that had a 5 gallon
pail of what was called "water pump grease". There was no label on the
product, that is simply what everyone called it. It was super thick
grease, green in color. People used it for all types of things, such
as putting a finger-full of it in the rear cavity on an axle shaft seal
that has the little spring on the inside so that the spring did not
fall out from the shock when hammering the seal in place, etc.

Anyways, I filled up a margarine tub way back then and have been using
it for a few particular jobs. My supply is very low, and the shop that
had the stuff has long since closed, so I turn to the group and ask if
anyone has ever seen this stuff before?? If so where is a possible
source? thanks in advance, Ron

On Fri, 07 Oct 2005 04:38:24 GMT, RoyJ wrote:

I suspect a good substitute would be the wheel bearing grease intended
for boat trailers. Really sticky, does not wash out nearly as fast as
regular greases.

Yup. Look for Lubriplate marine wheelbearing grease at a store that
serves fishermen and/or boaters. It's green grease.

WalMart sells a similar (the same?) grease in tubes for the lower unit
of outboard motors. I have been using it in home-made bearings on
equipment stored outdoors and haven't seen any rust under the grease
yet.

jw

Water pump grease is on the same lines as a metric crescent wrench or a

1971 VW Beetle thermostat.


No it isn't! Water pump grease was used to fill the grease cup that
lubed the water pumps on early model cars. The appellation stuck over
the years as it was universally applied for other lube jobs [no pun
intendedG]. You can still get the same stuff in handy plastic cups at
any automotive store in shades of green or white [Lithium].
Bugs

On 7 Oct 2005 04:27:03 -0700, wrote:

WalMart sells a similar (the same?) grease in tubes for the lower unit
of outboard motors. I have been using it in home-made bearings on
equipment stored outdoors and haven't seen any rust under the grease
yet.

jw
Most outboards use GO80 or GO90 in the lower units, not grease. The
green wheelbearing grease comes in gun cartridges. It's thick, sticky
stuff. I used to pack my bearings every year with it. My present
trailer uses oil-immersed bearings so I don't have to do that anymore.

Check your local swimming pool supply place. Most carry
a green grease that may be what you are looking for.

Art

wrote in message
oups.com...
About 15 years ago, I worked in a mechanical shop that had a 5 gallon
pail of what was called "water pump grease". There was no label on the
product, that is simply what everyone called it. It was super thick
grease, green in color. People used it for all types of things, such
as putting a finger-full of it in the rear cavity on an axle shaft seal
that has the little spring on the inside so that the spring did not
fall out from the shock when hammering the seal in place, etc.

Anyways, I filled up a margarine tub way back then and have been using
it for a few particular jobs. My supply is very low, and the shop that
had the stuff has long since closed, so I turn to the group and ask if
anyone has ever seen this stuff before?? If so where is a possible
source? thanks in advance, Ron

Wood Butcher wrote:
Check your local swimming pool supply place. Most carry
a green grease that may be what you are looking for.

Art

wrote in message
oups.com...

About 15 years ago, I worked in a mechanical shop that had a 5 gallon
pail of what was called "water pump grease". There was no label on the
product, that is simply what everyone called it. It was super thick
grease, green in color. People used it for all types of things, such
as putting a finger-full of it in the rear cavity on an axle shaft seal
that has the little spring on the inside so that the spring did not
fall out from the shock when hammering the seal in place, etc.

Anyways, I filled up a margarine tub way back then and have been using
it for a few particular jobs. My supply is very low, and the shop that
had the stuff has long since closed, so I turn to the group and ask if
anyone has ever seen this stuff before?? If so where is a possible
source? thanks in advance, Ron


In case you prefer brown grease you could use:
Shell Extrema 2 E.P. Grease which resists
water and extremes of pressure and temperature. John
--
I'm getting old, I can't make up my mind:
When my glass is full, I want it empty.
When my glass is empty, I want it full.

Guess I'm showing my age(or lack of it). I have an ASE cert too :-)




Don Young wrote:
Automobile water pumps, up into the 1930's at least, had grease cups which
you filled with "water pump grease" and screwed down periodically to
lubricate the shaft bearings. It was a very heavy bodied grease intended to
function in contact with water. There are and have been many lubricants
formulated for optimum performance in particular service applications. I
have not seen water pump grease for many years but I suspect a modern
version could be found, perhaps for marine applicaations.
Don Young
"mr electron" wrote in message
oups.com...
Water pump grease is on the same lines as a metric crescent wrench or a
1971 VW Beetle thermostat.


wrote:
About 15 years ago, I worked in a mechanical shop that had a 5 gallon
pail of what was called "water pump grease". There was no label on the
product, that is simply what everyone called it. It was super thick
grease, green in color. People used it for all types of things, such
as putting a finger-full of it in the rear cavity on an axle shaft seal
that has the little spring on the inside so that the spring did not
fall out from the shock when hammering the seal in place, etc.

Anyways, I filled up a margarine tub way back then and have been using
it for a few particular jobs. My supply is very low, and the shop that
had the stuff has long since closed, so I turn to the group and ask if
anyone has ever seen this stuff before?? If so where is a possible
source? thanks in advance, Ron

Just as an aside, I seem to recall that air cooled VW Beetles did have a
thermostat which operated an air shutter in the cooling ductwork to help
control the engine temperature. :) PS: I am 74 years old.
Don Young
"mr electron" wrote in message
ups.com...
Guess I'm showing my age(or lack of it). I have an ASE cert too :-)




Don Young wrote:
Automobile water pumps, up into the 1930's at least, had grease cups
which
you filled with "water pump grease" and screwed down periodically to
lubricate the shaft bearings. It was a very heavy bodied grease intended
to
function in contact with water. There are and have been many lubricants
formulated for optimum performance in particular service applications. I
have not seen water pump grease for many years but I suspect a modern
version could be found, perhaps for marine applicaations.
Don Young
"mr electron" wrote in message
oups.com...
Water pump grease is on the same lines as a metric crescent wrench or a
1971 VW Beetle thermostat.


wrote:
About 15 years ago, I worked in a mechanical shop that had a 5 gallon
pail of what was called "water pump grease". There was no label on
the
product, that is simply what everyone called it. It was super thick
grease, green in color. People used it for all types of things, such
as putting a finger-full of it in the rear cavity on an axle shaft
seal
that has the little spring on the inside so that the spring did not
fall out from the shock when hammering the seal in place, etc.

Anyways, I filled up a margarine tub way back then and have been using
it for a few particular jobs. My supply is very low, and the shop
that
had the stuff has long since closed, so I turn to the group and ask if
anyone has ever seen this stuff before?? If so where is a possible
source? thanks in advance, Ron

the early VW didn't have such a thing, but my Porsche 356 does - a bellows
that operates flaps to direct hot air at the carbs when it's cold.

But (playing off your age), my 36 cadillac has bellows in the radiator that
operate a linkage that moves shutters infront of the radiator - there is no
thermostat to block the water flow like is found in modern cars.

"Don Young" wrote in message
...
Just as an aside, I seem to recall that air cooled VW Beetles did have a
thermostat which operated an air shutter in the cooling ductwork to help
control the engine temperature. :) PS: I am 74 years old.
Don Young
"mr electron" wrote in message
ups.com...