The lubricants are formulated to blend with the paint and prevent it from drying. There are two lubricants I will talk about and those are TSL (throat seal liquid) from Graco and Piston Lube from Titan. TSL, is a lubricant developed by Graco for their pumps that is unique in that it will not cause blemishes in your finish if applied to latex or solvent-based paint. Piston Lube was developed by Titan to do essentially the same but it is slightly different than Graco’s TSL.

These lubricants should not be replaced by such common lubricants as motor oil or mineral oil because they can cause fish eyes, runs, and can discolor the finish if dripped into the paint or used in place of piston lube.

Different brands of airless sprayers generally require their own specific fluids, so make sure you always use the fluid recommended by the manufacturer. TSL and Piston Lube prevent solvent and latex based paint and coatings from drying onto the displacement rod and packings, extending the life of the pump. 

TSL is a mild acid based liquid whose purpose is not to keep packings lubricated, but to prevent debris, paint and dust from drying on the piston. The TSL formulation is a proprietary blend including phthalic acid esters (phthalate ester, phthalic acid esters, tricresyl phosphate, white mineral oil)

TSL keeps the paint soft and forms a lubricating film on the displacement rod. TSL is specifically formulated to protect the piston and packing from corrosion and drying out keeping your sprayer functioning as designed.

Premature throat seal leakage and packing wear can occur when TSL is not used in the pump wet cup. A thin film of paint can accumulate on the pump displacement rod while the pump is running. When the pump is not being used and the displacement rod is exposed to air the film of paint on the rod can dry and harden. When paint has dried on the displacement rod and the pump is restarted, the throat packings are damaged and will begin to leak.

Titan piston lube is a highly refined petroleum oil 99.5%. Titan piston lube is specifically designed to lube the pistons and prevent wear on all of the piston parts, packings and throat housing. 

I have been asked in the past if Graco TSL will damage Titan packings. I did some research on this subject and actually spoke to a Graco engineer. I was told that some of the ingredients in TSL can actually damage packings of low grade airless sprayers as the packings are made with cheap seals that will deteriorate when they come in contact with TSL. However, the Graco engineer stated that Titan packings will not be affected by TSL because the seals are made with high grade materials.

I have in the past received some real cheap airless sprayers to test and they had no form of lubrication. Pumps like Dino Q6 simply do not last for more than a handful of hours due to the lack of lubrication. So if you are searching for a pump that will last you may want to stay away from DIY sprayers requiring no lubrication. 

To prevent premature throat packing wear, fill the pump wet cup full with TSL for Graco and Piston Lube for Titan. All pumps have some location where the lubricant is squirted or added that fills the upper reservoir where the piston goes through the upper packing. This is referred to as the wet cup. Periodically wipe out the wet cup and put in fresh TSL or Piston Lube. There you have a few tips to keep your investment up and running making you money. To watch my up close videos on pump maintenance and repair visit my YouTube channel Paint Life TV HERE

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