Air in grease gun --dumb question

[sixdogs]

I have greased things for decades and cannot figure out the air-in-the-grease-gun thing. Usually, if i get air I unscrew the top of the gun, start pumping again and things seem to work out. But not this time.
I have had a few cartridges in a row that quit pumping with maybe a third of the grease left and I cannot figure out how to get the grease going again.
I have a pump handle quality gun and using JD grease. I don't have one of those buttons on the top--but I have one I could use. Mine just has a plug where the button would have gone.
Any ideas on this? I simply cannot figure it out.

[Willis Fecon Bushhogging]

Originally Posted by sixdogs

I have greased things for decades and cannot figure out the air-in-the-grease-gun thing. Usually, if i get air I unscrew the top of the gun, start pumping again and things seem to work out. But not this time.
I have had a few cartridges in a row that quit pumping with maybe a third of the grease left and I cannot figure out how to get the grease going again.
I have a pump handle quality gun and using JD grease. I don't have one of those buttons on the top--but I have one I could use. Mine just has a plug where the button would have gone.
Any ideas on this? I simply cannot figure it out.

Sounds like its time for a grease gun. Try when it quits pumping, turn the gun upside down and kind of tap the gun top trying to force the grease to the top. It might work, but sounds like the seal is not working on the plunger

[Iron Horse]

I unscrew the top about 2 turns and as suggested , turn upside down and give it a bump or two on a tyre or simillar . The kinetic energy of the grease and plunger will force out any air then tighten again . There is also a trick in pumping out the air in a gun . Don't just pump , pump , pump , it will wear you out . Pump it 8-10 times and then hold the lever down and you will start to see the grease slowly ooze out . Repeat this step and you will see and hear the air pop . It's exactly the same proceedure you would use to bleed air out of a brake system . When the cartridges are filled at the factory air bubbles are sometimes trapped in the grease , this is what you are finding .

[J_J]

I believe your grease gun is sucking in air from the plunger assembly, or the seal at the threaded part of the gun. If the seals are good, repack the grease into the top of the gun, and push some more grease up the barrel, and then screw the two parts together. Good luck.

[ampsucker]

i just had this same thing happen on a new gun - less than 3 months old. i was using the smaller size tubes of grease and about a 1/3 or the way from empty, it stopped pumping.

the only thing i could figure is that i had been storing the gun on a hook by a hot west window and i figured the grease might have separated a bit and the thinner stuff ran down past the plunger and the thick stuff caused the plunger to stick. i had to unscrew loosen it several times and tap the heck out of it to get it to start flowing again.

if had this happen on old guns where i had to clean out the pump head with solvent, but never on a new gun. maybe it was a bubble in the tube from the factory like iron horse suggested or maybe something is up with the new grease formulations?

anybody else just recently start having problems?

amp

[Iron Horse]

It's like the air bubbles you see in a jar of jam (jelly to you guys) they are simply trapped when the container is filled . If it was a seal leaking air in the gun it would happen constantly , not intermitently .

[jinman]

Originally Posted by sixdogs

II don't have one of those buttons on the top--but I have one I could use. Mine just has a plug where the button would have gone.
Any ideas on this? I simply cannot figure it out.

I pulled the plug all the way out on my grease gun one time and had grease shooting out of the hole before I could get the plug screwed back in. It was a scene right out of a three stooges episode.

[CurlyDave]

Every time I pick up a grease gun it is like that.

[border collie]

All the grease guns I've ever used had a "purge" feature; If you encounter an air pocket, pull the handle for the plunger back until you feel it contact the plunger, rotate it 90 degrees and it will lock into the plunger. At this time loosen the head of the grease gun-NOT TOO MUCH, OR THINGS WILL GET MESSY! now you can either push against the plunger by hand or against a hard surface to expell the air pocket...works every time.

[Rowdius]

Another, stress relieving fix is to grab the gun by the plunger rod, and quickly swing the dang thing in a circle, sorta like the motion that girls pitch softballs (make sure there is nothing that you do not want grease on nearby.) Centrifugal force working to fix your grease gun and relieve a little stress.