Loctite "Blue" Shelf Life Is Only 2 Years

[SubLGT]

I was surprised to learn that the shelf life of Loctite 242 blue threadlocker is only 2 years from date of manufacture, for an unopened tube. Once you open the tube, shelf life is reduced to one year. I have a small unused tube manufactured in 2015, still in its blister pack, that I bought in May 2016. Nowhere on the packaging is there a cautionary statement about the shelf life.

http://www.loctiteproducts.com/tds/T_LKR_BLUE_tds.pdf

The TDS (last updated 2010) provides info on deciphering the date code, but it seems to need some updating. The code on my sample is 5MAC0399. The 5 indicates the year manufactured: 2015. The M supposedly indicates the month manufactured: M is the 13th letter in the alphabet, and therefore indicates the 13 month of the year, says the TDS. This of course makes no sense.

 

[Jimzz]

It will probably still work just be weaker. I have used blue thread locker that was over 2 years old and still worked. That was on brake parts.

For internal engine bolts that could cause major issues and/or time to get back to them always fresh and to spec.

 

[BigD1]

Mine still works just fine, and I bought it 10 years ago. I use it for various things, but mostly for screws on pocket knives.

The date code on mine starts with 8H which would be 2008. Sounds about right to me because I bought it a long time ago.

 

[SubLGT]

I looked at the Permatex TDS for their blue thread locker, and they do not specify a shelf life. They have this to say about storage:

Quote
...Products shall be ideally stored in a cool, dry location in unopened containers at a temperature between 46F and 82F unless otherwise labeled. Optimal storage is at the lower half of this temperature range...


https://www.permatex.com/wp-content/uploads/tech_docs/tds/24200.pdf

 

[ragtoplvr]

I have ½ a big bottle of blue given to me when it expired after only 2 years almost 15 years ago. It still works pretty good. Give it a day or 2, and you better have a good socket or allen cause it is not moving easily. So my opinion based on a highly significant sample of one is use away. Good for over 10 years if sealed and kept cool. No warranty expressed or implied about the accuracy of this statement, it is a personal observation.

Rod

 

[djb]

It's absurd to have a potentially safety critical product with an obscured expiration date, if that date is actually when the product starts to degrade.

I'm guessing that the date is primarily for industries where process control requires 'checking the box' that the products are within their expiration date. I'm familiar with electronics manufacturing where packaged parts have very tight date controls, even when it's not needed. When a board has 2000 individual parts, the slightest unreliability from surface oxide or absorbed moisture is a disaster. And with that many parts, no part of the process can be an exception.

 

[blupupher]

Originally Posted by djb

I'm guessing that the date is primarily for industries where process control requires 'checking the box' that the products are within their expiration date. I'm familiar with electronics manufacturing where packaged parts have very tight date controls, even when it's not needed. When a board has 2000 individual parts, the slightest unreliability from surface oxide or absorbed moisture is a disaster. And with that many parts, no part of the process can be an exception.





Yup, many of these products have an expiration date due to technical specs, not really a true expiration. If one part has an expiration, they all need to have one.
I worked at a place that made military vehicles. I have several bottles of Loctite superglue that "expired" that they gave me almost 10 years ago, and I am still using them with no issues.
The locktite also "expired", but it was still fine for use, just not of military vehicles. They almost never had any "expire" since they went through so much of it (they had purple on occasion, limited use for them, but they needed it occasionally).

I personally use the Blue Loctite 248 QuickStix. Easier to control how much goes on.
It also "expires", but I got mine off ebay for almost half price since it was "expired". I think my stick was made in 2014, and I use it regularly.

 

[HangFire]

Originally Posted by blupupher

Yup, many of these products have an expiration date due to technical specs, not really a true expiration. If one part has an expiration, they all need to have one.
I worked at a place that made military vehicles. I have several bottles of Loctite superglue that "expired" that they gave me almost 10 years ago, and I am still using them with no issues.


Well that's shocking. I worked at a place that made military vehicles, and every single liquid used in assembly had a sticker from QA on it with tracking ID, received and expiration dates on it. You couldn't throw them away, you had to check them back in when they were empty.

 

[blupupher]

Originally Posted by HangFire

Well that's shocking. I worked at a place that made military vehicles, and every single liquid used in assembly had a sticker from QA on it with tracking ID, received and expiration dates on it. You couldn't throw them away, you had to check them back in when they were empty.

But if you work in the same office with the guy in charge of disposing them...

 

[nbpt100]

I have some that is 15 yrs old and it seems to work. I give it more time to cure. I wonder how much of this product is on the shelf in stores where it is about to or has passed its 2 yr shelf life?

 

[ElectroMechanoMan]

I have used “old” loctite and never had it fail for me, however, critical assemblies have new.

 

[Urshurak776]

Our technicians go through the blue regularly (HVAC Industry, commercial side.) Not aware of them dumping it when it "expires." I'll check a bottle over at factory next time I'm there (there are 100's of bottles all over various workbenches throughout the plant.)

I will say, that perfectly good ladders are disposed of because the "stickers" on the side fade in the sun. Sometimes ladders are only a couple years old and some with very little use.

 

[paulo57509]

I used to get calls from the stockroom asking me if I could call so-and-so to see if I could get an extension for unopened, out of date materials, like thread lockers, epoxies, silicones, o-rings, etc.

My standing reply was, "There is not a manufacturer in the USA that will ever do that, so just throw it away."

 

[Cujet]

I have Loctite that is decades old. I can affirm that it works exactly as intended.