dielectric grease for door seals?

[pastvast]

After reading on the forum that a silicone spray will prevent your door seals from freezing shut, I finally got myself to Autozone to purchase some. However, the guy at the counter recommended dielectric grease instead.

So... will dielectric grease (which we previously bought for MAF issues) actually work well in preventing frozen doors?

 

[dieseldorf]

Sure, but what happens when you brush against it and it gets all over your dress?

 

[TonyJetta]

I use silicone spray, on a paper towel; Helps to make sure it's a thin coating on the seals.

I agree dieseldorf: The grease would leave too much residue & get on your clothes. Not to mention silicone spray should have dispersants in it, to help it spread & stick.

HTH

Tony

 

[pastvast]

Wow... thanks for the quick reply.

I hadn't thought about the grease getting on my clothes. If you knew me, you'd find the dress comment quite laughable!! You know I've got a swanky event to go to when...

Back to Autozone I go... before the doors freeze up again!

 

[ruking]

Actually dielectric grease works very very very well for a very very long time. I had a tube or two of old miltary specification, dielectric grease, past "useful shelf life" in 1975. I put it on my rubber door seals on a (in) 2001, Corvette when it was new. We are going on the 2006 model year and I have yet to "renew." It is as functional and supple as the day it was applied. I would go so far as to day the door seals function BETTER with the dielectric grease applied than not.

 

[dieseldorf]

Stephanie, may I offer this an an alternate?

It does what you want:

It’s the clean, convenient way to stop squeaking, sticking and prevent wear on any exposed surface needing lubrication. Cleaner than grease and oil, neater than aerosols—won’t overspray.

MANY USES:
Home • Car • Workshop • Sports

The handy, clean way to lubricate:
• Sliding door and window channels, curtain rod slides, latches, doors, drawers.
• Balky zippers on clothes, boots, galoshes, snowsuits, wetsuits, tents, tarps. Weatherproof—won’t dry-up or wash off.
• Auto sunroof and seat track guides. Also door fittings, trunk and hood latches, ash tray guides.
• Screws and nails for easy driving into hardwood, concrete and metal. Also for power and hand saw blades for smoother and easier wood, plastic, metal cutting. Won’t stain.
• Fishing rod ferrules for easy assembly and disassembly.

I have a 20yr tube of this stuff I used to use on v belts to quiet them right down. I also had a GM with T-tops (y'all remember T-tops?) and used this stuff in the winter time to prevent tearing....it did work.

You can also go with the 1Z gummipflege but the product above may be better suited for preventing the freezing/tearing scenario.

 

[dieseldorf]

Also, silicone is a great way to deteriorate/ruin rubber moldings.

 

[BDison]

True some silicone sprays will eat the rubber seals because it has harsh solvents in with the silicone. I heard that a way to test to see if you have the "harsh" silicone spray is to spray a styrofoam cup with it. If it disolves the cup in any way, you have the "harsh" stuff.

Also, silicone is a great way to deteriorate/ruin rubber moldings.

 

[pastvast]

No luck at Autozone, no luck with the "everything foreign" dealership, no luck at the hardware store. All I'm getting are blank stares and even worse the "crazy woman, doesn't know what she's talking about" look.

The only up-side is that I can find it online (so I know you guys aren't making stuff up), but S/H is outrageous. I suppose one more morning of fighting to get into my car will make me think $7 S/H is CHEAP.

 

[jasonTDI]

Go to Audi, BMW or Merz and get the stuff.

 

[BDison]

I need something like that for another car. I went to my local BMW dealership yesterday and they said that Gummi Pflege had been discontinued. They said that they tried to hoard as much as they could and have only 2 tubes left, for shop use only. I asked if there was a substitute that is similar and they said that they are trying some stuff called Carboflo. Does anyone know anything about Carboflo?

 

[millsap2]

Jason... my reference to the "everything foreign" dealership was the local Audi/BMW/Subaru... dealership. They were the ones who gave me the "crazy woman" attitude.