How and Where To Use Lithium Grease on Your Car

Keep white lithium grease on hand for a variety of uses.

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Greases and oils are inextricably linked to the human experience. Oil literally seeps from little holes in our skin. We put it in our hair. We use it to cook our foods. And most importantly, we use it to keep our automobile functioning correctly.

Decades ago, there were a few basic greases and oils used on cars, but today there are dozens of products designed for different specific tasks. Silicone grease, dielectric grease, WD-40, and penetrating oil are a few of the most commonly seen options, as well as the subject of today's discussion: lithium grease.

Lithium grease, specifically white lithium grease, is widely used in garages, but for beginners it's not super clear how and for what. Everybody who works on their cars should understand the differences between these greases, so we’ve laid out a guide as to what exactly lithium grease is.

Lithium grease is a popular medium-to-heavy-duty multi-purpose grease that is often used to lubricate metal-on-metal surfaces around the home and for automotive applications.

Each brand might have a slightly different formula for its grease, which is why you should always read the instructions as to how it can be applied, just as you would with an automobile owner's manual. In general, you’ll find a base oil, a thickener, and additives. Lithium is the thickener. In general, grease is a medium that holds lubricating oil.

To get specific, Liquid Wrench's white lithium grease ingredient list, with the CAS number in parentheses, includes petroleum distillates (8052-41-3/64742-47-8/64742-96-7), 2-(2-Butoxyethoxy) Ethanol (112-34-5), PTFE/BN Colloid (9002-84-0/10043-11-5), proprietary lithium grease, and carbon dioxide (124-38-9).

NGLI stands for National Lubricating Grease Institute, and it has a scale to rate and certify greases. According to the NLGI, the scale is for, "classifying the consistency of lubricating greases, based on the ASTM D217 worked penetration at 25°C (77°F)." NLGI Grades are in order of increasing consistency (hardness) as follows:

[Consistency number: Worked penetration range]

000 : 445-475 (very fluid)

00: 400-430 (semi-fluid)

0: 355-385 (fluid)

1: 310-340 (soft)

2: 265-295 (medium)

3: 220-250 (medium-hard)

4: 175-205 (hard)

5: 130-160 (very hard)

6: 85-115 (block)

Lithium grease will typically be rated NLGI 2, but always check the information to learn its capabilities and limitations, the product you have might be different.

Although lithium grease can be a multi-purpose product, it is designed to operate under specific performance loads, temperature ranges, and environmental conditions for which certain types of regular grease could not be used. This is due to the differing ingredient makeups of the greases.

Lithium grease is common due to its numerous advantageous properties. These include:

Lithium grease can be applied in numerous areas on your car. It can be used for:

Not every lithium grease is capable of handling bearing lubrication, so it's best to get a heavy-duty high-pressure grease designed for the job. The NLGI also makes this easy to find. Look for the certification tag, "NLGI GC-LB." The GC means it is certified for disc brake wheel bearings. The LB means it is certified for chassis lubrication. The NLGI has a list of certified products on its website.

Now that you know what it is, let's dig into how to use it.

Use this equipment to prevent mishaps and keep you safe.

This is a simple task that shouldn't take much time at all.

The video below has some great information about lubricants, but we do not recommend putting anti-seize on spark plugs as he does in this clip.

A. No, WD-40 Multi-Use Product and lithium grease are two different things. The company actually will not release the information of what's in WD-40's "secret ingredient list." However, the brand WD-40 does make its own WD-40 lithium grease.

A: You should never use grease on rubber, because the petroleum will eventually degrade the rubber and destroy it. This applies to plastic, as well, though it might take much longer to break down. If you’re unsure if your product is safe to use on the plastic, read the instructions and precautions.

A. Don't spray lithium grease on electrical wires or connections. Use dielectric grease instead. You also should not use it for heavy-duty applications that require grease rated for high pressure. Again, read the instructions on the product you have.

This article originally published on Car Bibles.