Grease gun Questions

[Jerome]

I keep thinking that my grease gun is empty ( pumping but easy and nothing comes out) however when I go to replace the cartridge it has plenty of grease. is it the gun or am I doing something wrong.
thanks

 

[dirtworksequip]

As long as there is grease in the gun it should pump it out. The only reason it would not is if there is air trapped in the tube. If all the air is out then it should be pumping out any remaining grease. Old gun? New gun?

Sincerely, Dirt

 

[JRobyn]

Generally, this is due to pockets of air in the cartridge. USUALLY the only air is when you put on a new cartridge, but it's not unusual to have bubbles down in the cartridge. The "pump" on the gun works very poorly (if at all) on air; it needs the incompressible grease in the pump cylinder to pull a new shot of grease from the cartridge.

There's usually an air vent screw on the top of the gun. When it stops pumping, loosen the screw a turn or so, and try pumping some more. Sometimes it helps to rap the whole gun on something solid to get the air bubble to pass. When it starts pumping again, retighten the screw and you're good to go (until the next bubble).

- Jay

 

[kozak]

If you don't have that air vent screw that JRobyn is talking about, just loosen the top cap with the nozzle on it & then re-tighten & try giving it a few pumps. May have to do this a few times.

From my experience the lever operated grease guns work better than the gun style but that could just be the make.

Vic

 

[number two]

I've found on most grease guns you can pull out the plunger,then give it a 1/4 turn and it will lock onto the follower(the thing that follows the grease down the cartridge). Then loosen the head a turn or two(not too far!)and push on the plunger. This pushes the grease down the tube a little,expelling air-I never even feel the grease moving. Tighten the head back up and try pumping. This method always works for me. Occasionally I have to repeat the procedure,but it will work. Good Luck.

 

[number two]

Forgot to mention to rotate the plunger back that 1/4 turn and push it back in before tightening the head back up. Should have proofread my post before posting-sorry.

 

[LAD1DER]

my grease gun (cheap model) has a spring that pushes the plunger and grease out of the tube. My spring is messed up, so sometimes it hangs up and doesn't push the plunger. May be your problem.

 

[Jerome]

Thanks all I'll look for the vent.

 

[TwinWillows]

Mine have vents & even then sometimes I have to unscrew the discharge tube & give it a few pumps after installng a new grease cartridge - if you do this have a rag handy & be prepared to screw it back in quickly as the spring in the gun will pretty quickly be squirting grease out the open hole.

 

[schiker]

I have had cheap guns that the spring and plunger quit pushing the grease up like mentioned already. I had one that plunger would bind in the tube threw that one away. If it doesn't have the locking key thingy on the rod for the piston to push it you can tap it on a block of wood (top downward) to help it seat and push the grease down just like you probably do a squeeze mustard container. I had one I had to bang pretty good at times.

 

[Skyco]

I've ended up with several grease guns over the years. I noticed the spring that keeps pressure on the cartridge can vary greatly. I have one old gun that has such a strong spring it is all I can do to pull the plunger out against the spring. That one never quits pumping Other newer Chinese ones have much weaker springs and can be problematic

 

[Slacker]

Put it in the sun for an afternoon, fitting down. That has cured mine a few times.