DeWalt 20V Grease Gun will not prime.

[Joelk]

I have had one for several years and a few times over the years, I have had trouble getting it to prime. After messing with it I always get it primed, but lately it has failed to prime more often and has required more messing around to get it to prime.

I TT a buddy that also has one and he said that he never uses his anymore because it takes too much time to prime, and he gave up trying.

Are there special priming techniques that anyone can recommend?

Are there parts that I/we should replace? If so, what parts?

 

[Bighead38]

Why or how is it losing its prime? I use my Milwaukee grease gun everyday and the moment I hear it go empty I throw a new tube in. Haven’t had to prime it. Same thing with my old hand held gun, I can only think of one time where I had to prime it.

 

[Joelk]

Use tube till it is empty, put a new tube in. May or may not prime, without messing with it further.

Some guns are more likely to self prime than others, but IIRC all of the guns I have used over 4+ decades have sometimes needed fiddled with to get them to prime.

I have a 12V Milwaukee also, and it sometimes needs fiddled with to get it to prime, but not as often as the DeWalt.

 

[Bogie1632]

Pull the grease hose off versus using the bleeder valve. Should solve your problem. I don't even mess with the valves any more on any type that won't bleed by pumping.

Good luck.

V/R
Bogie

 

[MrAmmons]

Not my video, but I believe Dennis covers what needs to be done here:

 

[Joelk]

I already watched that video(it is good info) and those are techniques that I have been using for years. For years I have backed off the threads a turn or two after installing a new tube as std procedure. Those procedures help, but may have to do multiple times, etc. and I am hoping there are other techniques that may work better.

I sure hope I can find a solution that does not require removing the GG hose each time I change tubes of grease.

 

[woody6904]

Usually with mine I will screw the tube on, but leave it a few turns loose. Then push the plunger in and then tighten the tube. 9/10 times takes right off.

 

[seanb02]

Usually with mine I will screw the tube on, but leave it a few turns loose. Then push the plunger in and then tighten the tube. 9/10 times takes right off.

^^^ This is what I do with mine as well. Works most of the time, but other times it is just cranky and takes messing with it for a while to get it to go. I've got a few hundred tubes of grease through it over the years, and its still going strong. When its colder outside it typically takes more to prime it than when it is warm and the grease flows easier.

 

[plinker]

Usually with mine I will screw the tube on, but leave it a few turns loose. Then push the plunger in and then tighten the tube. 9/10 times takes right off.

+2,

I've found on a couple different grease guns I've used that the barrel being too tight will cause a lack of priming (Lincoln 1162, M12 Milw.). Worst case is an minor air bubble/hiccup when going back to greasing.

 

[Joelk]

I have not messed with it anymore, but I did some additional searching and found that there is apparently a screen that can get plugged/partially plugged and cause/contribute to this issue. I plan to inspect the screen in mine, but have not done so yet. I will report here when I do.

I also read that grease should be stored standing up with the aluminum pull tab end down. This keeps the grease at the end where it should be to feed properly. Things I read, indicate that storing on it's side, may result in a air pocket forming along the side of the tube. In the past I have never paid attention to how my tubes of grease were stored, but I will in the future.

https://www.vehicleservicepros.com/...-chances-of-your-grease-gun-getting-air-bound

 

[seanb02]

I have not messed with it anymore, but I did some additional searching and found that there is apparently a screen that can get plugged/partially plugged and cause/contribute to this issue. I plan to inspect the screen in mine, but have not done so yet. I will report here when I do.

I also read that grease should be stored standing up with the aluminum pull tab end down. This keeps the grease at the end where it should be to feed properly. Things I read, indicate that storing on it's side, may result in a air pocket forming along the side of the tube. In the past I have never paid attention to how my tubes of grease were stored, but I will in the future.

https://www.vehicleservicepros.com/...-chances-of-your-grease-gun-getting-air-bound

That's a good point on the tube storage. Not something that ever occurred to me, but makes sense. The tubes in the shop stored upright in the case on the shelf do typically just drop in and go without extra fiddling. The ones in my service truck tend to require a bit more fiddling with priming after putting a new tube in, and those ones are stored on the side.

Hadn't made the connection before!

 

[Jswain]

When you load your new grease tube first take off the plastic cap, then before inserting the tube remove some grease from that end & Use that grease to fill underneath the head of the grease gun, insert tube like normal remove metal cap & enjoy. It might make a little mess as grease will ooze out as you're threading the body on but will pretty much eliminate all air/having to bleed off the grease gun.

And agreed with above removing the hose works A1 to bleed them off if needed.

 

[Joelk]

See arrows pointing up in top right corner of box.

 

[Joelk]

I think we have found a winner!!!

The screen in my gun was badly clogged. Had a layer of sort of wax like substance over about 90% of the surface.

I put in container of gas an sloshed around for a few minutes, let set and sloshed some more. That took some off, but there was still a lot there. I then wiped repeatedly with paper towels and sprayed with brake parts cleaner.

I put it back in the gun and neglected to fill the cavity under the screen so it was still reluctant to prime.

To get it to prime, I opened the bleeder, pulled the rod out and then put down pressure on the rod until it primed. That technique seemed to work well.

Will need to go through a few tubes of grease to make sure it is a semi-permanent fix, but I think this will do the trick!!!!!!!

 

[Joelk]

I am guessing that the brand/type of grease that is used is a factor in how fast the grease plugs the screen. It may also be that switching grease types may "cause a reaction" that leads to faster plugging, at least I have read some stuff that indicates some greases should not be mixed.

 

[Jbullfrog]

I had a tube this fall that wouldn't prime into my DeWalt. It was a year or so old. I tried a few times and then grabbed a new tube. I have scraped the screen a few times to take residue off of it.

 

[Joelk]

GREAT deal **** TODAY ONLY


https://www.homedepot.com/p/Milwauk...Charger-and-Bag-2446-20-48-59-2440B/310740656