Technical Permatex ultra gray, not drying stories

POS permatex ultra gray
Used on a differential cover, thin application.
Damn crap isnt drying , so far been 24 hours. Got heater on in shop
New tube , newer lot number
Yeah, its supposed to need humidity, its 79% bla bla, Yeah surfaces were cleaned and wiped down with brake cleaner/carb cleaner.
Been Waiting for cure before I put gear oil in

Lets hear your story.

I'll probably take the cover back off clean everything again and buy a real gasket

 

The Right Stuff is almost always the answer.

 

Ugh ! ..... Did a real nice job cleaning and painting the cover and bolts before reassembly too . Im sure that will get fugged up cleaning that permatex crap off.

Diff covers is about the only thing ive ever used ulta gray instead of a gasket

What a Piss Off !

 

I haven’t had problems with Permatex yet but I’ve had problems with bathroom silicone.

I heard that if it doesn’t have that acidic smell then it won’t harden

 

I’ve been looking hard at the lubelocker gaskets. Reusable and no clean up. Anyone tried them?

 

Mopar makes a version that is far superior to the Permatex. I use it on the diff covers of my off road toys.

A Jeep dealership mechanic I know turned me on to it.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01EKNPGXS?ref_=pe_386300_442618370_TE_sc_as_ri_0

 

I have a tube of black that won't harden. First ever; 99% of the permatex hardens in the tube after first use. Texted Permatex several times to find how to make the tube reseal, no answer.

 

Ive used those type before , reusable, My dodge truck has them. I also like the plastic ribbed autotrans pan gaskets that are reusable, excellent.
Fug permatex

 

I used a Lubelocker and it works good, no leaks.

 

I used some ptex blue on some water pump gaskets awhile back. Surprised it never cured. I left it, as all I wanted it to do was impregnate the paper gaskets to make them a bit more durable.
I know most of these sealers will die in the tube if they get too cold...frozen. They seem fine, but won't cure and may be what happened in my case.

 

Ultra gray or black for diff covers.....Sealed hundreds=(fleet). Nothing less than a half hour,oil was added, and back in service. Never had one leak. I'de say a bad batch myself........ I only use that on my covers/chunks, and have never had an issue.......New lot #? Done them in freezing cold, and blistering heat.=Same results.

 

I use Permatex "Gear Oil RTV Silicone Gasket Maker" #31872. It's always worked well for me. I have had problems sometimes with old silicone or product that may have been frozen not curing, but not very often. The #31872 is supposed to cure a problem with synthetic oils using friction modifiers finding there way through other RTV sealers. I have seen this issue as well, but don't think it would happen to any quality RTV that was filled after the RTV was fully cured. (my opinion)

 

Strange thing is I used some out of this tube a couple months ago and even had small glob left on the outside of the tube that is /dry cured.
I also store my paint and gasket sealers etc in side my house not in the shop where it gets cold in winter

 

You need to use …

“ The Right Stuff “

When I service my rear diff
on my daily tow vehicle
I use this product my
primary diesel mechanic
recommended years ago





I pull the cover - let the fluid drain
and then use paper towels to absorb
the fluid the collects in the lower
diff housing and axle tubes

I used to spray non-chlorinated
brake cleaner into the housing
to clean off the ring & pinion
but my mechanic pointed out
that a thin film is needed after
changing the fluid to lubricate
the ring & pinion until the
new oil is slung up to cover
it after start up

I clean the diff cover inside
and out - then put it face
down on a flat surface to
make sure it hasn’t warped

Then I clean the cover
bolts and the diff casting
surface - get everything ready
and then spray a medium
even coating on the inside
diff cover flange and the
diff casting surface after
masking both with blue
painters tape to minimize
possible over spray

I remove the tape & immediately
assemble the cover to the diff
making sure I do no over torque
the diff bolts and squeeze out
the gasket material

I wait an hour or so and refill
the diff fluid


Jim

 

I can't speak to the Permatex Ultra Gray, but lately......
I've been noticing a lot of 2-part epoxies, including JB Weld, seem to be taking much too long to harden. Maybe it's my imagination but I'm getting suspicious that perhaps a California dog is wagging the tail's formula. I've been limping along using low oven settings (when the wife's not around) and baking in the Texas sunshine to get 'er done. This is not just old stale product but freshly bought and opened. I've even tried storing opened product in the spare fridge and maybe it's helped a little but it's nothing obvious that I can point to.
Is anyone else noticing any similar issues? Anything not like it used to be?

 

I use ultra gray almost exclusively. Usually on intake manifold china walls and oil pan corners. I had one instance of it not curing in the prescribed time. I had used an old previously opened tube on an oil pan and it took 3 days to cure but it did and the pan didn't leak. I only use a fresh tube on an engine build now.

 

Love them! Only thing I will use if it is available for the application. That is unless it has an integral o-ring like a Mag Hytec.

 

I've used bunches of permatex thru the years and never had it not harden at least that I know of. If it didn't harden I never had any leaks to make me thing so.

As stated above I wonder IF the government hasn't stepped in to make them change something in the formula...

..

 

Why would they?

 

GM offers the same type of stuff. Part #19369831. It's made by Three Bond. The TB part # is 1217H. My guys at work swear by this stuff. Not cheap at $40 list price but darn good stuff.

 

Ever since I learned of the Right Stuff from another Hamber I've been using it with good success.

 

I had the same issue. Used ultra grey on several surfaces putting my engine back together and it never dried. I've now re-sealed every one of those either with a gasket with Spray Tack or with black RTV. No issues.

I only used it once and I swore to never use it again. Garbage.

 

Would have been the right thing to do?

 

RTV (Room Temperature Vulcanizing) sealants use moisture in the atmosphere to cure. This means that if you live in a dry climate, the curing time is going to take be much longer than in a more humid climate. The geometry of the joint is also critical. How much of the joint is exposed to the atmosphere (and the thickness of the joint cross section) as the RTV cures determines how long it takes to cure. If you live in a dry climate, try misting the surface with water before applying the RTV. The joint will then have moisture inside of it which will help it cure - direct instructions from Three-Bond application engineers.

 

The other thing to remember this time of year "having the heater on" is not necessarily enough. If it was off all night and the metal is cold waiting until the room is comfortable is rarely enough time for the metal to warm up to a suitable temperature. Applying curing products to a cold surface will drastically reduce and sometimes stop the cure process.