Where's the grease?

[ajkolar]

I just got done replacing my u-joints on an '88 OMC Cobra 5.7. After getting everything put back together I went to grease the u-joints with Merc U-joint / gimbal grease. I can tell the u-joints filled up with grease as it got progressively harder to pump, but I can't get grease to oooze out of anywhere (like I expected it to start oozing out by the base of the caps) However it has just gotten about impossible to pump anymore grease. I noticed the caps fit into a rubber lip at the base, which I am guessing is not allowing the grease to push by. Is this normal? Or should I be able to pump enough grease to eventually see it pushing out at the base of the caps? Thanks!

 

[crazy charlie]

Re: Where's the grease?

Grease should be able to flow with some back pressure.If you cant get any to pump in ,you can start with taking off the zerk to see if it is clogged or probe in the hole with a stiff wire.

 

[ajkolar]

Re: Where's the grease?

Ok took everything apart today just to make sure everything was clear and try to figure out why I couldn't push grease through the ujoints. After removing both crosses and removing the caps I could pump grease through them. I did this to clear all the prefilled grease that was more stiff than the merc. u-joint grease. I then filled each cap (all 8) full of the u-joint grease. After installing the first cross I verfied that I could pump grease into it and it did push out the base of the cap as I was expecting (and hoping) I then installed the second cross, again with caps full of grease. I can't however get any additional grease to pump into this one. Is it possible to push the caps on too tight not allowing grease to flow through at the ends (seems like there would still be some kind of passage)? Is there something I am doing wrong here? With all that grease in the caps I would have to think they are adequately greased (even if I can't pump any more in)?

 

[ajkolar]

Re: Where's the grease?

Nobody has ever run into this before?

 

[crazy charlie]

Re: Where's the grease?

If all old grease is pushed out and new grease has replaced it then you are good to go.