Shop description of grease that has lost its consistency and flows like a thick liquid. The usual causes are mixing incompatible thickeners, heavy water contamination, long shear in a high-speed bearing or extreme heat. Soup leaks past seals, runs out of the housing and leaves the contacts starved, so finding it is a signal to purge the bearing and check what went into the gun.
Pulled the end cap and it was pure soup in there, somebody pumped lithium into a polyurea motor.
Also heard as
- souped out
- soupy
Related terms
Grease compatibility
Whether two greases can be mixed without losing consistency, dropping point or stability.
Polyurea
Non-soap grease thickener with long high-temperature life, standard in sealed electric motor bearings.
Cone penetration
Depth a standard cone sinks into grease in five seconds, the basic measurement of consistency.
Purge
To pump fresh grease into a bearing until the old grease is pushed out of the relief port or seal.