Synthetic moly grease recommendation

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cib3k

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Hi all, this is my first post on this forum.

I need help finding a fully synthetic molybdenum grease that doesn't have any mineral oil in it. A PAO, lithium and molybdenum mix would be ideal. Could somebody recommend a few products, preferably some that are widely available?

I need the grease for a training equipment that has plastic slide bearings inside, which sustain some of a person's weight. It's plastic on metal friction under heavy load, which generates some heat. The current lubricant is a poor amount of black grease (probably graphite or molybdenum based) and I want to replace it. As mineral oils might degrade plastic over time, I'm looking for something fully synthetic. I need molybdenum as it has very good anti-wear properties.

Thanks for any suggestion.
 
Thanks, but these are not fully synthetic. The Valvoline SynPower MSDS says that its base oil is Heavy Paraffinic Distillate (64742-54-7). Amsoil GPOR2 also contains between 20-40% of petroleum based oils (mixture of many CAS numbers).
 
They seem to be Group III base oils and are widely permitted to be marketed as synthetic oils, but I'm not sure of their effect on plastics.
 
Originally Posted By: cib3k
As mineral oils might degrade plastic over time, I'm looking for something fully synthetic.Thanks for any suggestion.

From where did you come up with this? As far as I know, PAO base oil is more harmful to seals and elastomers than petroleum base oil. In motor oil for example, PAO base oil is always mixed with Group V base oil to meet the API seal-life and seal-compatibility tests.
 
Quote:
PAO base oil is more harmful to seals and elastomers than petroleum base oil.


Not harmful, it just does not have any seal swell capabilities.

The OP said nothing about seal or elastomer compatibilities.

PAO is pretty inert wrt plastics.
 
Originally Posted By: MolaKule
Quote:
PAO base oil is more harmful to seals and elastomers than petroleum base oil.


Not harmful, it just does not have any seal swell capabilities.

The OP said nothing about seal or elastomer compatibilities.

PAO is pretty inert wrt plastics.

As far as elastomers are concerned, PAO shrinks the seals if used alone, as far as I know. I don't know about plastics in general or particular but I don't expect PAO to be any better on plastics than Group III.

API/ILSAC specs have a certain +/- range of seal shrink/swell, seal hardening, etc. Neither too much shrinkage nor swelling is acceptable. Again, as far as I know, PAO alone shrinks the seals too much and for this reason Group V is always mixed with PAO to meet the seal-compatibility specs of API/ILSAC grades.

This Amsoil Web site confirms my knowledge that PAO shrinks the seals. So, to answer the OP again, PAO base oil is not any more inert with polymers than petroleum base oil, and in fact it could be less inert depending on the particular base oil and material.
 
Originally Posted By: Gokhan
Originally Posted By: MolaKule
Quote:
PAO base oil is more harmful to seals and elastomers than petroleum base oil.


Not harmful, it just does not have any seal swell capabilities.

The OP said nothing about seal or elastomer compatibilities.

PAO is pretty inert wrt plastics.

As far as elastomers are concerned, PAO shrinks the seals if used alone, as far as I know. I don't know about plastics in general or particular but I don't expect PAO to be any better on plastics than Group III.

API/ILSAC specs have a certain +/- range of seal shrink/swell, seal hardening, etc. Neither too much shrinkage nor swelling is acceptable. Again, as far as I know, PAO alone shrinks the seals too much and for this reason Group V is always mixed with PAO to meet the seal-compatibility specs of API/ILSAC grades.

This Amsoil Web site confirms my knowledge that PAO shrinks the seals. So, to answer the OP again, PAO base oil is not any more inert with polymers than petroleum base oil, and in fact it could be less inert depending on the particular base oil and material.


Molakule does not blow smoke and knows what he is talking about. He has a wealth of knowledge that did not come from some website trying to sell you a product.
 
That is just an Amsoil dealer site. That is NOT AMSOIL OFFICIAL.

Anyone who thinks some yet to be named hard plastic behaves as an elastomer seal in in a fluid lubricant is grossly under educated on the subject and should not be qualified to give advice on organic chemistry. Hey, but it's the internet - EVERYONE IS AN EXPERT.

Until we know the plastic in question, we really don't know....

I could venture to say in general a PAO without solvent PPA's may be a bit easier on hard plastics in general - but we are talking formulated greases not motor oils.
 
Originally Posted By: Pablo
Anyone who thinks some yet to be named hard plastic behaves as an elastomer seal in in a fluid lubricant is grossly under educated on the subject and should not be qualified to give advice on organic chemistry. Hey, but it's the internet - EVERYONE IS AN EXPERT.

Until we know the plastic in question, we really don't know....

No one made that claim.

But please go ahead and educate us on the comparative effects of PAO vs. Group III base oil on various types of plastics. Quantitative tables of volume, hardness, and tensile-strength change for different types of plastics would be useful and appreciated.
 
Originally Posted By: Pablo

Until we know the plastic in question, we really don't know....


I work in the plastics industry and Pablo is absolutely right about this. But if the plastic is some kind of nylon I would not be too concerned about exposure to oil at room temperatures. However, I'm sure a little googling will uncover a multitude of products that are marketing as plastic-safe grease.
 
Originally Posted By: Gokhan

No one made that claim.



No, not exactly. My comment wasn't 100% directed at you, but it appears you and others have spent a huge chunk of this thread talking about PAO's and seals. At best, it's simply not relevant. Enough said on PAO's and elastomeric seals.
 
Originally Posted By: Pablo
My comment wasn't 100% directed at you, but it appears you and others have spent a huge chunk of this thread talking about PAO's and seals. At best, it's simply not relevant. Enough said on PAO's and elastomeric seals.

But, if you take a closer look, I and others have been trying to convince the original poster that he can use a grease with any type of base oil and it would be fine. The original poster for some reason thought that a PAO-base-oil grease would be vastly superior to a Group-III- (or I- or II-) base-oil grease in his application because his application has plastics.
 
Seems like a product like Super Lube might be ideal. But, it has teflon as the boundary lube, instead of moly. It is a very "clean" grease and claims plastic and fitness equipment compatibility.

Could someone interpret the MSDS at the bottom left of this link to tell us about "synthetic" or not (even if its a moot point):

http://www.aaaindustrialsupply.com/superlubesyntheticgreasewithptfeteflon21030-.aspx

Their plastic/rubber compatibility chart:
http://www.super-lube.com/files/pdfs/Super_Lube_Compatability_Chart1.pdf ....... not compatible with EPDM....a common auto product.
 
The Super Lube is an excellent suggestion. Also available as John Deere Multi-Purpose Extreme Duty Synthetic Grease (TY25744, TY26599)

Ed
 
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