Hopefully there is an ex Machinists mate around.?
I have searched everywhere on line and with fellow sailors with no success.
In rebuilding the MG set for my TDE, I have run into some issues.
Electrically everything is fine and working perfectly.....BUT the simple process of putting in 4 new bearings and packing them??.
I had no idea what was Navy type A grease?
Sodium.base,Calcium base? I doubted it was lithium.
What viscosity,?Was it traditional NLGI grade 2 grease? NLGI grade 1?
Anyway, after tearing down and cleaning the motor and original generator last February. I replaced all bearings and packed them all with red lithium NLGI grade 2 grease which was standard up until 30 years ago on electric motors.
The TDE ran fine for a month...but then the armature went bad and I was looking for a new generator
I was lucky enough to find a nice one and tear it down,cleaned up everything.Baked in the oven again for drying...then meggered again..All great.. Then a new coat of glyptol on all the windings Works fine.
But,I have had issues of one bearing running 10 degrees warmer than the other.
And also it's very difficult to get the correct amount of grease into the bearing cups.
The manual procedure is opening the relief plugs,pumping in new grease at the fill fitting until old grease is purged from the relief port.
Then run a half hour leaving the drain open to let excess grease release pressure. Then close off.
If you pack things to that extent..all 4 bearings. Motor and generator , will fling grease off the grease shields for an hour before it stops throwing any more...and appears to run fine afterwards.
I tried NLGI grade1 (lower viscosity) in that warmer bearing careful not to overpack with grease which naturally causes overheating.....but no change AND it really flings the lighter grease.
I finally pulled generator apart. Cleaned and removed both old bearings and put in new bearings.
But I have no idea at this point what to do but lightly pack with red lithium NLGI 2 grease again.
Anyone with an idea of what mystery Navy Type A grease was in 1942??
Thanks,Ron,NU6F.