These greases make up 70% of the current grease market.

Occasionally equipment manufacturers may recommend other greases for special reasons. Often this can be simply for the longer life properties. Where an automatic system is in use, clearly this requirement is already taken care of, however before reverting to a simple Lithium grade 2 grease the operator should check with the manufacturer to make sure the specification is not for the reason of other considerations such as shock loading, water ingress, heat etc.

Masterlube Greasemaster pumps will also pump other greases of NGLI grade 2 consistency, however when using these, the following points should be noted:

1. Although most of the more common grease bases will mix with our recommendation, (with the notable exception of Calcium), it is always advised to flush out the system before changing.
2. Lithium Complex and Lithium/Calcium Complex greases, although meeting NGLI grade 2 specifications, will be between 2 and five times harder to pump. This will lead to higher system pressures especially in colder weather. These greases are unlikely, however, to cause pressures exceeding the design parameters of the system.
3. Grease bases have a fibrous structure and in some cases these can be large enough to prevent it passing through the filter supplied with the Greasemaster II and 3 pumps. This will particularly be the case with Complex base greases and a few simple base greases where the manufacturing process has not fully homogenised the structure. In these cases it is open to the operator to either change greases (recommended), increase the frequency of filter cleaning or to remove the filter gauze. In the latter case it will then be necessary to take extra care when filling.
4. As well as oil and thickener (soap base) greases contain additives to enhance properties. These are unlikely to affect the system with the exception of Graphite which will build up on surfaces and effect tolerances.
5. All greases are subject to the gradual leaching out of oil over a period of time, this can cause blockages to occur within the system. This is not normally going to affect equipment which is in continual use. Where equipment is to be stood down for a period of months it is recommended to operate the system occasionally to move the older grease out of the system. It is also recommended that operators make their last fills with an NGLI grade 1 grease as this will slow the process.