3 replies to this topic

[fotostars]

I just received a tube of it from Mazdacomp and it shows an expiration date of February 2012.
I called them and they claimed they've never heard of an expiration and have no way to check it before sending it.
They're willing to take it back and refund but can't guarantee the new one I order will be "current".

So question: Is the expiration date on the tube really matters? Or can I just use it and it will be performing as good as it should?

[Keith Novak]

I didn't notice there was an expiration date but I had a tube that didn't dry recently. One of the chemicals might leach out of the plastic tube over time I suppose.

[Dennis]

I got one last week with the same use by date. When I called to ask about that they said just use it. I had ordered it because my old tube said use by Apr 2011. I only buy this very expensive goo because I thought it was the gold standard. Now I'm thinking, maybe not.

I'll use this tube to put together my rebuilt engine next week but after that ??? RTV blue? Permatex #2?

Dennis

[Keith Novak]

Black and gold are both pretty dependable and sold everywhere. Can't say much about blue other than it's semi transparent so I'm suspicious of it but I don't know why.

Your typical RTV will cure so effectively with any contact to air that unless you're a shop and use it all the time, the dispensing end will get clogged to where it's easier to punch holes in the tube and dispense it from the side after a while than to dig a hole deep enough in the nozzle to dispense it from the cap end. It's cheap too so you can afford to throw away the tube.

My tube of mazda gray shows no sign of clogging the dispensing end at all. It's still undried goop in a tube. I also pulled an oil pan and found only the outside bit squeezed out actually dried after a couple weeks. I'm thinking it's better for production use where you use it up quickly than the stuff that sits in your tool box for 6mos to a year between uses, especially for what it costs.