Aeroshell 5 out of production?

[propjoe]

Originally Posted by rocketbob

I wont use Aeroshell 5 in my mower let alone an airplane. I have dried up old stock tubes tubes that I've thrown in the trash. Greasing Hartzells ever year causes more problems than it prevents. Pushing fresh grease in increases the likelihood of separated oil getting past the teflons and big orings. Radial movement is less than 1/8" at the bearing balls so its impossible for fresh grease to make its way to the interface between the bearing balls and the races.

Sir,
With all due respect, this is very bad advice. Mowers? I have a few of questions:
How did you come to this conclusion that lubrication of a Harztell is not a good Idea?
Do you realize that is against the published recommendations of Hartzell the manufacturer of the propeller?
Have you read the owners manual?
Regards,
Joe

[propjoe]

Originally Posted by jcarne

Soooo... anyone know if this stuff is out of production? Spruce has an indefinitely back order and I can't find it in stock just about anywhere. Would really like to lube my Hartzell with it and not #6.

It is out of production right now. The plant literally blew up. They almost had a Force Majeure.
https://www.manufacturing.net/safety...-illinois-town

>>MODERATOR EDIT: 3rd party non-VAF-advertiser link removed per VAF posting rules.<<

I took that pic on my way to RFD that day to go work on my plane. It burned for days and there was a TFR over the fire as well. Nasty, big fire:

[propjoe]

Originally Posted by bjdecker

Sort of -- when the mineral oil separates from the paraffin, it has a nasty tendency of seeping past the blade root seals and into the slip stream; ending up on the windscreen, airframe...(sigh) the chunky paraffin is left behind.

Disgusting "pimple popper" pictures attached for reference.

edit: this is Aeroshell 6 after only 6 months of disuse. (airplane was down for paint...)

You pump grease into one side and the grease should come out the other side of the hub, or until you have inserted 1 oz of grease. Count the pumps into a shot glass if you are unsure what 1 oz looks like. The most important thing I can tell you is that you need to poke the hole where the grease is to emerge with a piece of safety wire or a paper clip or something similar. The wax in the grease will make a temporary plug, so poke before you grease. You add 1 oz or until it emerges out the other side. That is all it gets until next year or 400 Hours, which ever is 1st.
My comments start of post #19 of this thread.
https://vansairforce.net/community/s...=201837&page=2
Direction is given in Hartzell owners manual 115N
https://hartzellprop.com/MANUALS/115N-0000-A.pdf

Here is a Hartzell Video:
Lubrication starts about 19:00:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LHSWwJzWgRU

Please call Hartzell or contact myself with any questions pertaining to greasing your prop.

[Stevea]

[quote=propjoe;1579353]It is out of production right now. The plant literally blew up. They almost had a Force Majeure.
https://www.manufacturing.net/safety...-illinois-town


Sooooo, that explains why Aeroshell grease of any type is on "Indefinite Backorder" from Aircraft Spruce! Huh, wish I'd known that while waiting for a tube from Spruce, and finally locating it on Amazon.

[DanH]

Originally Posted by jcarne

Care to elaborate Dan?

The mineral oil seeps out of it rather quickly. So, load a new tube in the gun, grease the prop, place it on the shelf. Come back in a few months to find an oil puddle, and solids the gun won't pump. Didn't take many annuals to get tired of that nonsense.

I've had better results with #6...and grease my tractors with it

[BobTurner]

Originally Posted by DanH

The mineral oil seeps out of it rather quickly. So, load a new tube in the gun, grease the prop, place it on the shelf. Come back in a few months to find an oil puddle, and solids the gun won't pump. Didn't take many annuals to get tired of that nonsense.
it

+1. The shelf life is ridiculously small. I always wonder what the condition is of the grease in the prop.

[rocketbob]

Originally Posted by propjoe

Sir,
With all due respect, this is very bad advice. Mowers? I have a few of questions:
How did you come to this conclusion that lubrication of a Harztell is not a good Idea?
Do you realize that is against the published recommendations of Hartzell the manufacturer of the propeller?
Have you read the owners manual?
Regards,
Joe

Correct. I would not use Aeroshell #5 on my mower let alone a certified aircraft. It is an old clay grease formulation that does not perform well.

I have a copy of the service manual that is only available to authorized shops and have torn down many of these props and put them back together for experimentals or disassembled them for transport. I also have a source for parts that are only available to authorized prop shops. I also can read. The last propeller I disassembled was November 2021.

I do many owner-assist annuals and condition inspections. I have on several occasions observed Hartzells start spitting grease after servicing them. The path of grease between the zerks WILL NOT flush all grease out. Packing the cavity where the grease resides simply can force separated oil past the teflons and blade oring.

[jcarne]

Originally Posted by propjoe

It is out of production right now. The plant literally blew up. They almost had a Force Majeure.
https://www.manufacturing.net/safety...-illinois-town

******SNIP*****

I took that pic on my way to RFD that day to go work on my plane. It burned for days and there was a TFR over the fire as well. Nasty, big fire:

Thanks for the reply Joe, that explains it!

Originally Posted by DanH

The mineral oil seeps out of it rather quickly. So, load a new tube in the gun, grease the prop, place it on the shelf. Come back in a few months to find an oil puddle, and solids the gun won't pump. Didn't take many annuals to get tired of that nonsense.

I've had better results with #6...and grease my tractors with it

Interesting, are you sure that's not backwards? I had heard others say it was the other way around as far as oil separation. In any sense, a few people have mentioned that #6 had a formula change (possibly what prompted Hartzell to change?) so I'm a little nervous about using the 6. Two guys specifically reached out to me via PM a few months back to ask if my prop was pissing oil all over the wind screen like theirs was. One even went so far as to get Hartzell to warranty it and reseal with the new stuff. My prop was however manufactured by Hartzell before the formula change.

https://vansairforce.net/community/s...d.php?t=178968

[bjdecker]

...I think Dan got confused --

https://vansairforce.net/community/s...d.php?t=178968, post #4

[propjoe]

Originally Posted by DanH

The mineral oil seeps out of it rather quickly. So, load a new tube in the gun, grease the prop, place it on the shelf. Come back in a few months to find an oil puddle, and solids the gun won't pump. Didn't take many annuals to get tired of that nonsense.

I've had better results with #6...and grease my tractors with it

All grease will separate under the force of a normal lever and Pistol type grease gun. Its the spring. Try and Pull the handle on the grease gun back so the spring is not continually pushing on the grease. When you need grease release the spring, purge of air, grease the prop per Hartzell 115N and pull the spring back until you need it again. Its about all you can do, unless you remove the tube of grease.