How long does grease store without deterioration?

[MidnightRider]

A garage tidy up has brought to light a few old tubes of unopened Finishline Teflon synthetic white grease and a large tub of pink grease (cant recall the name) of pink jelly like grease that somewhat resembles Swarfega in look and transparency.

I also have some wheels (cup/cone) serviced with Finishline Teflon immediately before storage in the clean dry garage. The wheels have been out of action for a few years.

In your view,
- is any of this grease still likely to be useable (it looks OK but I dont want to damage the hubs)?
- do I need to re-service the cup and cone bearings in the wheels or can I just use them, as they spin OK when I tested them by hand?

Thanks for opinions.

 

[lazybloke]

Grease goes "off"?
Hell, I've been using the same tub of Castrol something for at least 20-25 years, maybe nearer 30.
I reckon it'll last several generations!

 

[MidnightRider]

Grease goes "off"?

No idea, thats why I asked. I did not know if there was any difference if the grease was marked up as 'fully synthetic' either. Not even sure what the non synthetic content might be. Grease is a mystery to me.
However your answer is helpful, many thanks.

I suppose your dilema will ultimately be which relative, friend or charity to leave your tub to? Tricky one.

 

[wafter]

I think the two potential issues are separation (if present the solid lube particles drop out of suspension leaving a think oil carrier and claggy caked solids) or the carrier evaporates, leaving it sticky and stodgy.

If it's neither of the above you should be fine, if it's separated it can be mixed up again and if it's dried out but you know what it was based on, you could potentially add more oil...

 

[biggs682]

If you are worried about using it send it down to me and I will use it

 

[MidnightRider]

it's dried out but you know what it was based on, you could potentially add more oil...

Finishline seem a bit furtive about that... or did, maybe more info on recent tubes for all I know.

I once serviced bike hubs which must have contained something similar to the pink goop, possibly the same stuff. It was still running around in the hubs OK about 15 years after the bike had been built up at the factory (Raleigh Nottingham). Not a lot of it left in there, but what was there was seemingly still functioning and for all I know, they did not put much in there in the first place. I think that was one of the reasons I tried to find a similar pink goop at the time. Not sure how effective it still was, the wheels still turned well, rolling for ages with a hand spin.

 

[mustang1]

Grease goes "off"?
Hell, I've been using the same tub of Castrol something for at least 20-25 years, maybe nearer 30.
I reckon it'll last several generations!

One should consider it an heirloom.

 

[MidnightRider]

One should consider it an heirloom.

Wonder if anyones ever challenged a Will, due to the lubricants being dispersed badly ?

 

[slowmotion]

Cycle bearings are so ridiculously lightly loaded compared to engines that the grease longevity fades into insignificance.

 

[cougie uk]

I'm still on my first tub of grease that I must have bought about 40 years ago. It looks like new.

 

[FrankCrank]

Had the same tub for getting on 20 years now, and in a tropical climate it shows no sign of deterioration.
If I still had hair I think a slathering on top would look quite snazzy, but maybe that's just me.

 

[Paulus]

I'm still using a tub of grease that I got from the Engine shed I was first attatched to in 1976. There is only an inch or so in the bottom of the old sweet tin I asked the running foreman to fill up, but it will outlast me I think.

 

[gbb]

I suppose if anyone was that fussy about the separation of constituents, then maybe place the tub in a bowl / pan of hot water, allow the lube to soften then mix up thoroughly.
But I might be over thinking it. As Slow-motion says, the load on cycle bearings is nothing compared to the heat and speed industrial or automotive bearings run at.

 

[fossyant]

Send them to me if not sure.

 

[Jameshow]

Send them to me if not sure.

I've PM him before you....!!🤣