Zerks that refuse grease!

[Coyote machine]

My relatively new tractor, 150+ hours seems to have some zerk fittings that refuse to take on grease. When the nozzle is applied the grease squirts out between the zerk and the nozzle and does not go into the fitting. Have tried several different grease guns, lever and pistol grip handles, and one hand holding the nozzle on the zerk and any other way I can think of. In one case I unscrewed the zerk and attached the gun hose directly to the port and had some better success, but when I removed the gun's hose from the hole the pressure in the fitting wanted to return the grease to my shop floor.
Am I missing something?
I know TSC has a fitting that is designed to blow out zerks that don't work or joints that are filled with hardened grease with a penetrating oil or something similar- would this be advised?Grease Joint Rejuvenator - 3950995 | Tractor Supply Company
Any comments, suggestions, solutions would be appreciated.

 

[JJT]

When that happens to me, I swap in a new zerk. They are about a buck a piece. I degrease the old one with some engine cleaner and put it back in the box for next time I have a problem.

 

[beenthere]

A new zerk would be my first attack of the problem. If that doesn't work, or you know that the joint is packed with hardened dirt/grease, then taking the joint apart and cleaning it is the second line of attack.

 

[oldballs]

That happened to me on a brand new MMM. I tried every trick just like Coyote did but never did get the grease into one of the leveler zerks. So I mowed all summer with out fixing it. With the mower off now, I'll fix it...just haven't got to it yet.

 

[PILOON]

Often heating the zerk with a plumbers torch will free it up.
Also a light tap perfectly centered to pop the tiny spring loaded ball valve back is all that is neded.

 

[Trails2004]

I take the zerk out- remove the pin from the tractor- clean the pin and remove any debris from the zerk and from the zerk hole- reinstall and I know everything is good to take grease- if this still fails- replace the zerk

 

[gerard]

I use one of those rejuvenators. They work well. I also read about loading a second grease gun with an oil and using that to blow out the zerk. Plan on trying that this summer. The loader has a lot of fittings as does my zero turn mower. It would be nice to "clean" them all out at once and shoot in some fresh grease.

 

[tommu56]

Some times if you change the load direction on the pin it will go in I usually try that first the pull the zerk put it on the gun and see if it passes grease if it does
I ream out the hole in pin if I can.
then use cleaner to clean passage if that strikes out i pull the pin

tom

 

[CurlyDave]

I carry a 16d nail with me when I grease. The nail lets me force a rag or paper towel into a recess around a zerk to clean it, and if the zerk is stuck and won't accept grease, I can push hard with the point of the nail on the little ball in the zerk, which has never failed to free it up.

 

[Dargo]

I take the zerk out- remove the pin from the tractor- clean the pin and remove any debris from the zerk and from the zerk hole- reinstall and I know everything is good to take grease- if this still fails- replace the zerk

Bingo! This has never failed with hundreds of zerks over the decades. Now I almost always just change the zerk while I'm at it if there has been a problem with it. When bought in bulk, replacements are about a quarter. At that price they aren't worth my time to fool with.