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MG MGA - Who would grease the pinion rack?

Well, I did….I am definitely a newbie in this LBC world and am trying to get my 1956 MGA running and on the road.

Yes, one day, I was moving around the car and wherever I saw a grease nipple I pumped lithium-grease into every grease nipple I found.

However, while reading some forum posts I just learned that the steering pinion does NOT take grease, but oil.

May I ask you how big my damage might be?

Is there an easy way out of this mishap?

What do you think I should do?

As always, thank you so much for your valued input.

Best regards,
Hansueli
Hansueli Ryser

You have just done what everyone else has done at one time or another. No real damage done. If it makes you feel better, pump some oil through the oil nipple and it will dilute the grease, and you will find the leaks in the rubber boots!

All will be good in the world..... CR
C.R. Tyrell

The steering rack does not use grease because the action of the pinion gear on the rack is like a pump, it moves the grease out along the rack and it does not return.
This eventually leaves the pinion area with no lubrication.
It is a real pain to disassemble the rack to remove the grease.
My suggestion is just to add the correct grade of oil at frequent intervals . This oil will remain in the area where the gear operates while the grease will stay out at the non-used ends of the rack.

Mick
M F Anderson

"CR" and Tyrell, thank you for your imput. Man, I feel much better.....!!!!!!

Is there another greace nipple that should never get any grease?

Also, I am correct, the oil that the pinion needs is 90 grade?

Thanks again and have a wunderful Sunday,
Hansueli
Hansueli Ryser

All other nipples takes grease although on some early MGA engines oil was used for the water pump. Nearly all MGA water pumps use grease. Read the article below:
Do not mistake brake bleeders for nipples.

http://mgaguru.com/mgtech/cooling/cool_108b.htm

The oil for the steering rack is hypoid 90 grade. Usually shown as EP 80/90 or something similar.

Mick
M F Anderson

Many thanks Mick for your great advice.

Yep, I stayed away from the bleeders. But thanks for the safety-check.

Do you know who carries these oil-hand-pumps?

Happy Sunday,
Hansueli
Hansueli Ryser

http://spitfireoptions.com/ProductR.html

I read somewhere, maybe on Barney's site, that while you do want to fill the steering rack with oil, the nipple on the same unit for the pinion shaft is probably better served with grease.

Disassembling the rack can be a real pain in the neck. I did mine on the workbench, and would hate to have to do it on an assembled car. I found a lot of grease mixed with the oil inside... They have probably all been greased at one point or another.

-Del
D Rawlins

This thread was discussed between 11/07/2015 and 12/07/2015

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