Confused-Aerosol Silicone/Rubber Safety

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Didn't know where to post this.

Some pure silicone products imply that "petroleum based" versions might be detrimental to "some" elastomers. You read the label of many automotive care products to see that they contain petroleum distillates: Armorall, most sealants/waxes, etc.. Most (not all) silicone sprays with petroleum distillates say safe for rubber,plastic, vinyl, and painted surfaces.

Is aerosol silicone safe for automotive rubber?? Where did I get the idea they were not?

I remember reading a debate about the newer formulation of Armorall at the Meguires forum and a Meguires tech. stated that the petroleum distillates in these products were mild, flashed off, etc., and were safe to use.

I find it hard to believe that these aerosol products can state rubber,plastic,vinyl safe and then cause damage. Someone set me straight!
 
I used Silicone on my Saturn seals but those doors did not seal that well when I got it.

I have the same question. Someone just recommended a product specifically for seals I am going to try on my new car.

GPS Rubber Care Stick
 
I know that in the past some brands had a solvent in them that would damage some plastics. I have used some before that turned the trailer lamps that I was installing milky.
 
I worked in a lab for years. I got tubes of silicone based stopcock grease which is very high molecular weight stugg with no solvents, similar to silicone dielectric grease. Still have a couple of tubes. This stuff is great on rubber of all kinds and causes NO SWELL, just slowly absorbs and keeps the material pliable and resistant to oxidation.
 
As AVB said, it's likely the solvent carrier in silicone spray, and not the silicone itself that can damage an elastomer.
 
Originally Posted By: Kestas
As AVB said, it's likely the solvent carrier in silicone spray, and not the silicone itself that can damage an elastomer.


Is "petroleum distillates" on most labels a safe solvent carrier?? Fluid Film (FF) says it contains no solvents, but the SDS shows 3 petroleum components: http://www.fluid-film.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/SDS_Aerosol.pdf. My confusion is: does petroleum ingredients = harmful solvent? FF does have some CYA warnings about "some" elastomers and paint.

I've read over a dozen product labels and one or two did warn about use on plastic or painted surfaces. Most say that they contain petroleum distillates AND state that they are safe for rubber, plastic, vinyl, and painted surfaces. I bought a food safe "water based" LPS brand that claims all surface safety, but even its label contains "liquified petroleum gas".

Then, there are the very old ArmourAll discussions that set up these ideas about use no petroleum containing products on elastomers. Yet, we pump petroleum grease into vehicle bushings, etc..

I'm looking for an safe aerosol product to spray on some squeaky suspension bushings to see if that helps.
 
Edit timed out....this is not much different than the brake grease discussions. All brake greases claim rubber safe, yet we have people come here and say that brand XYZ brake grease caused their brake bushings to swell.
 
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