My Baby Griots is leaking Oil

[MarkD51]

Hello All.

Last Saturday I was going to use my little (latest generation) 3" Griots D/A to do some polishing of tight accessible areas of my Tahoe's Roof.

When I pulled the machine out of the little Stanley Tool Box I store it in, I noticed some clear Oil leakage had occurred at one of the front Vents and as well some Oil in the bottom of the Tool Box.

I wiped it off, selected an Orange 3" Griots Pad, the machine seemed a bit noisier and sort of clunky sounding from the last time I used it, and correction-Pad rotation was virtually non-existent, even on speed 6.
(I switched to the PC with 3.5" Plate and 4" HT Pads instead)

Is this something to be concerned about? This is only the second time I ever used this machine, and it has never been stored outdoors, or subjected to any temperature extremes, always kept indoors. Where does such Oil come from, the Geartrain? Or?
Mark

 

[sunday joe]

Isn't there a lifetime warranty on Griot's machines ?

A phone call wouldn't hurt.

 

[01GreyStangGT]

I'm on my 3rd one.

 

[Kamakaz1961]

You do have a lifetime warranty with the GG 3" So I would call Griot's. I have a Griot's 3" DA and if someone wants to PM me I will part ways with it but you have to pay shipping costs. I use the PC7424 XP with the 3" backing plate and it is better overall. I got both from AGO

 

[Setec Astronomy]

Sounds like oil separating from the grease. Ultimately that's going to make the grease "dry out".

 

[MarkD51]

Thanks all.

Not sure if this might be an issue, but I did not buy this machine from an authorized Griots Dealer. I bought it from the auction site from a private seller. It was brand spanking new though, was $60 and $7 to ship.

Not sure how Griots Garage would look at this, and whether I have any warrantee? I could perhaps say I got it as a Christmas Gift, no Reciept? LOL

 

[MarkD51]

Sounds like oil separating from the grease. Ultimately that's going to make the grease "dry out".

Yep, that, and a loss of lube protection where it is needed which I assume is for the Gear Train.

Not sure what I'd find inside, metal or plastic gears, but worse comes to worse I am fairy handy and suspect the machine would not be that hard to disassemble for a clean-relube with some high quality grease.

 

[Setec Astronomy]

I wouldn't worry about it right now. Honestly I think your perceived change in performance is just your imagination, and as far as it seeming to have almost no correction ability...that's because it has almost no correction ability. I do find it works better with microfiber pads, and should be an excellent damp sander (I haven't used it that way yet, but Mike Phillips has plenty of threads using it that way).

As you noted in your subsequent post, it shouldn't be that hard to relube at some point.

 

[MarkD51]

I wouldn't worry about it right now. Honestly I think your perceived change in performance is just your imagination, and as far as it seeming to have almost no correction ability...that's because it has almost no correction ability. I do find it works better with microfiber pads, and should be an excellent damp sander (I haven't used it that way yet, but Mike Phillips has plenty of threads using it that way).

As you noted in your subsequent post, it shouldn't be that hard to relube at some point.

Yes Setec, I understand your comments are correct, that the GG3 will work better with thinner MF Pads. Will definitely have to get some one day to have on hand.

 

[MarkD51]

I wouldn't worry about it right now. Honestly I think your perceived change in performance is just your imagination, and as far as it seeming to have almost no correction ability...that's because it has almost no correction ability. I do find it works better with microfiber pads, and should be an excellent damp sander (I haven't used it that way yet, but Mike Phillips has plenty of threads using it that way).

As you noted in your subsequent post, it shouldn't be that hard to relube at some point.

Setec/All,
If you folks followed my other post about the surgery, upon opening I found both no grease on the gears themselves, and that both Motor Brushes were broken in 1/2.

One 1/2 of one of the Brushes was just lying loose inside the machine, and upon carefully removing the other Brush and Brush Holder Assembly, that one was also broken in 1/2.

I linked to Brush changeout Vid in my other surgery thread.

Easily about a huge TBSP of Grease, and actually more like two, on both Housing Halves, slung out of the way, the Gears themselves were bone dry, nothing on them. Of course the Oil I seen coming out of the front Air Vents was simply separation of the factory Grease.

Upon re-assembly with the new Brushes installed, and due to the small amount of spring pressure of the Brush, noticed that they had a tendency to want to pop out, and thus if I didn't do some sort of shadetree fix to retain them so that they remained in place during the assembly, that the brushes would be again not correctly installed at the Armature, and thus probably another pair of broken Brushes in a short time span.

I used two small strips of Electrical Tape to retain the Plastic Brush Holders.

I suspect that from the factory, this may happen that when the two housing halves are being mated, the brushes pop out, and thus early failure of many of these machines. Sure, they'll run upon an initial test at the factory (just like mine was running before surgery), but not for long, and not properly even upon initial use. I did read one report from one user about the motor also not being correctly mounted within the housing, and again, this might've been the issue I was having?

I mentioned in my other thread, Griots does not carry replacement brushes, but they did say later in a follow-up email that no receipt is required for an exchange under their lifetime warrantee.

I did find one company online that does sell the proper Brushes for the GG3", at about $10.50 plus shipping.