Some years ago in a catalog (for a VW place maybe?) I ran into a tip for using original Permatex (the brown, oily, smelly stuff) for for exhaust pipes and mufflers when you had sleeve joints (as everything had then) that you might want to get apart in the future. While not an "official", recommended use, the tipster said, the Permatex would effectively seal the joint, but break apart easily when any parts needed replacement again, acting in effect as a release layer. I tried it and it worked really great, much much better than silicone or anti-seize, and I used it on all my cars for years. Eventually the new cars didn't use slip joints any more and I stopped doing exhaust work, and I forgot about the trick. I was helping a buddy with an older car a few days ago and remembered****, only thing is, I couldn't remember if it specified hardening or non-hardening. I suspect it doesn't matter, since the Permatex must char down to almost nothing, but I am curious if anyone else uses or remembers this trick.
The Jalopy Journal
