Piston seal lube.

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smurray
Posts: 11
Joined: Mon Mar 27, 2006 3:56 pm
Location: Toronto

Piston seal lube.

#1 Post by smurray »

I have been looking EVERYWHERE for a silicone base lube that I can use on the piston seal. CTC, Plumber supply, Home Hardware etc etc etc. Is this stuff ok? its all I can find ...

http://www.screwfix.com/app/sfd/cat/pro ... 3&id=52410
350mag1
Posts: 261
Joined: Thu Sep 01, 2005 9:50 pm
Location: South River Ontario

#2 Post by 350mag1 »

If it's a synthetic seal you have, a little high quality moly on the outer lips of the seal is all you need. Jim Maccari sells the proper moly for this application. I've heard people using Honda 60 .(I think that's what its called)which contains a high percentage of moly. The key is not over doing it. If silicone is really what you want to use, dielectric (silicone) grease is available at most automotive and hardware stores.
RossB
Posts: 365
Joined: Thu Sep 22, 2005 3:06 pm
Location: French River, ON

Piston Lubrication

#3 Post by RossB »

3-in-one silicone spray contains only 2-4% polydimethylsiloxane.
The other ingredients are:
25-35% hydrocarbon propellant
20-40% naptha
30-40% petroleum products and parafins
If it had a jelling compound added it would pretty close to napalm.
Once the propellants and naptha evaporate, after aiding penetration, it's a fair general purpose lubricant with no known airgun applications for which there is not a better alternative.

Pure silicone oil is used in the shocks on radio controlled toy racing cars.
Try a hobby shop which sells the cars.
It is also used to lubricate photocopiers and printers.
Service shops might sell you a pill bottle full for a donation to their coffee fund.
I like to put a drop or two - NO MORE- of pure silicone oil through the transfer port of both my leather and synthetic sealed springers every 500 shots.
Silicone is a good seal lube, not a piston lube.

As 350 noted, the piston lube of choice is moly paste.
It is ideal for lubricating the steel to steel, piston to cylinder contact points.
smurray
Posts: 11
Joined: Mon Mar 27, 2006 3:56 pm
Location: Toronto

#4 Post by smurray »

Ok, well noted! no Napalm in the on the piston seal! ;p

seriously, thanks for the help. I'll try the local garage and see what they can do for me. I have some Hoppe's #9 brand Moly that I purchased at a gun store and it seems pretty high quality, would that do the trick?


smurray
RossB
Posts: 365
Joined: Thu Sep 22, 2005 3:06 pm
Location: French River, ON

Moly "Compound"

#5 Post by RossB »

Hoppe's #9 is a Moly "Compound" which does not state % Moly content.
It is possibly very low percentage moly with a lot of graphite and kerosene.
Hoppe's likes kerosene - it is a favourite ingredient in their cleaners and lubes.
The aeromatics that they used to include in their bore cleaner which created the "I love the smell of Hoppe's #9" were banned.
Apparently they were carcigenic.
If a moly lube does not state % content, I am always hesitant to use it where moly paste is specified.
Honda is probably the best local source for small 1-2 ounce quantities of 60% moly paste.
The smallest jars of 65% Fel-Pro (Locktite) 65% Moly paste are 8 ounces costing 30 dollars or more.
I own 17 airguns and service many for others.
8 ounces of 65% Moly will last me a decade.
Try Honda for a small amount and find someone on this site to share.
Slash5
Posts: 16
Joined: Mon Dec 19, 2005 9:54 pm
Location: Southern Ontario
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#6 Post by Slash5 »

Silicone oil is only needed on leather seals. Any late model gun will have synthetic seals which do not require chamber lube.
If you are doing a lube tune, you need some moly for the piston sliding surfaces with a smear on the rear edges of the seal.
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