Lithium Grease on Weather-Stripping

[Aquaticentipede]

Last year I put some white lithium (mineral oil based) grease on my 2010 Jeep Wrangler's hardtop weather-stripping & seals and kept it buttoned up until yesterday when the family and I went to the mountains with it off. When we got back, I cleaned off all the seals with isopropyl alcohol, re-applied a light coat of lithium grease and put the top back on.

The seals all appeared in good condition. I've seen rotted seals before and mine exhibited nothing remotely like it. When they were cleaned, no unusual traces of material were present on the cloth besides ordinary dust and dirt.

Now it just so happens I stumbled upon several articles and forums advising not to use petroleum products on rubber because it could potentially and more than likely degrade it over time. So now I'm concerned and thinking about removing the existing lithium grease and using something non-petrol based such as silicone grease.

The more I looked into it however, it became apparent that the fear of petroleum damaging rubber gaskets may be somewhat outdated, at least in modern day automotive applications and that perhaps this is just a never ending internet myth similar to the infamous WD-40 O-ring destroying rumor. Neither of which has anyone provided proof of. Are automobile manufacturers still using "naturally made" rubber for weather-stripping? I think not. Latex and office type rubber bands are obviously natural, but I would think technology has developed new, cheaper, and better alternatives to natural rubber particularly in similar outdoor applications.

My question is, should I strip the lithium off of everything and re-apply something safer, or you think it'll be OK? I'll probably go ahead and do that just to be on the safe side but I'm thinking it's not really all that important.

 

[JHZR2]

id use syl glyde or krytox myself.

 

[doitmyself]

This subject deserves some attention and I hope you share your research with us. I believe your concerns are warranted.

You need to pin down the actual type of rubber used in automotive weather stripping and seals, then go from there.

According to 303, they are made of EPDM: http://www.303products.com/shop303/index...ur-vehicles.cfm ....and you should avoid petroleum products.

This O-ring site says the same about petroleum: http://www.lumaco.com/oringmat.htm

I was surprised to find out that Super Lube is not EPDM compatible and was once told NOT to use silicone lubricant with silicone o-rings!

But, I also thought that front suspension rubber (tie rods,etc.) was EPDM, which doesn't jive with the petro grease theory.

Can someone enlighten us more???

 

[Kestas]

I wouldn't use petroleum-based products on rubber unless you knew exactly what you were doing. That means knowing exactly what elastomer you have, exactly what lube you have, and their compatibility. Silicone-based products are used instead, because silicone is conmpatible with just about all elastomers except, as Randy said, silicone elastomers.

I have no reservations with using lube on suspension and drivetrain components because I trust the manufacturers to use elastomers that are compatible with most common lubes. Weather seals are a different story.

 

[Aquaticentipede]

Excellent guys, thanks for the replies. The seals are likely going to be of the EPDM material. I've been schooled

I'm off to see if I can find some Krytox and get rid of the lithium grease.

- Joe

 

[bigmike]

Shen-Etsu Grease by Honda is what I use. A tube will last forever.

 

[NateDN10]

My Cobalt's owner's manual recommends dielectric grease for weatherstripping. I applied some 2 years ago and it's still there. Seems to be doing a good job.

 

[bigmike]

Forgot about that.. I've used dielectric grease before as well.

 

[Aquaticentipede]

Went to a couple of stores and was unable to find Krytox. Bought a can of CRC silicone only to discover the nozzle was broken off. Took that as a sign not to use it. Got the silicone refunded and simply applied some 303 Aerospace to the seals after thoroughly degreasing them which is probably what I should've done all along, lol.

 

[Quest]

to OP:

you should be able to find Sylglide in NAPA stores.

Shen-Etsu is great but difficult to come by. Also very expensive from dealerships.

Krytox is also good but difficult to come by also.

I use sylgilde for all rubber components: from EPDM based weatherstripping (to keep it from binding due to winter freezing in sub-zero weather) to brake caliper sliding pin and boot lubrication.

Q.

 

[doitmyself]

Beware that many spray silicone products contain petroleum distillates.

 

[Barrys]

A totally obscure recommendation from someone who doesn't know much but agrees with silicon grease on rubber...
For my old Passat, I actually bought a tube of their thick silicon grease for the sunroof track service. The (very senior) parts manager had never seen it before. I'm guessing it might be similar to the Shin Itsu grease mentioned above. Doing the sunroof tracks used about the volume of a dime and I had to wipe some off. It's amazing stuff.

Also, a gearhead friend swears by WD40 for the weather seals -- buys it by the gallon. Is he nuts or might he be onto something?

 

[vssjim]

I always used silicone grease around rubber to be safe, all the brake companies sell it for slides so it won't hurt the rubber boots on the pins. any parts store sells it through a brake companies lines so it's easy to find.

 

[spackard]

I used to be a silicone spray person (using one without a harsh solvent), but after I tried Krytox I won't use anything else.
What seems to make it so much better is the way it allows parts to slide when they move.

Silicone pops and grabs, giving a lot of noise that's similar in sound to wet sneakers on a shiny floor. Krytox seems to allow a very gradual slide. My '92 Acura Vigor is so much more silent. I put it onto the weather seals of my wife's '03 TL-S, which I didn't think was noisy to begin with, and it became very silent too. Gave some to my dad to try on his Buick, but he doesn't hear so well to begin with.

Just use a very small amount. I used a flannel cloth to rub it into the rubber. Also, almost no known solvent removes it so don't put it onto a window channel that will contact glass.

Wait long enough and you can find the GPL-203 on EBay for a reasonable price.