Vacuum grease

[Whorse]

I bought Victor Reinz intake mani. gaskets @ $52 instead of OE BMW @ $90. I don't know how the OE gaskets feel but these feel very stiff and im planning to apply some vacuum grease on them before i install.
I didn't know how expensive this stuff is and i don't want to waste money on the wrong one.
The Dow stuff looks decent and is about 30 bux for a tube but says its only goof up to 200 degrees Fahrenheit. Is that enough?
I thought Castrol would be the way to go since this is made for automotive applications but its $1000 for 4 grams!!!!
Wow what is vacuum grease made of?
Which one do you guys recommend or have experience with?

Vaccum Grease list

Andreas
Queens NY
BMWCCA# 186796
86 325es (wrecked by careless driver)
87 325 300k (project for life) aka 1BADETA/Christine
00 540is 6spd 180k (daily driver)

[Whorse]

meant to say over $1000 for 4OZ not grams. btw i have fat fingeritis i meant to type GOOD not Goof

Andreas
Queens NY
BMWCCA# 186796
86 325es (wrecked by careless driver)
87 325 300k (project for life) aka 1BADETA/Christine
00 540is 6spd 180k (daily driver)

[edjack]

the supplier if you need to use this stuff? I really doubt it.
Ed in San Jose. BMW CCA member since 1987 (Nr. 62319). Golden Gate Chapter. '97 540i 6 speed. Build Date 3/97. Aspensilber over Aubergine leather.

[Filehorse]

where some degree of lubricity is required - typically scientific and high-tech industrial processes. These greases are designed to not vaporize under high vacuum such that the process or a critical sensor might become fouled. In some analytical instruments, contamination in the low ppb range can be a serious problem.

If a grease is needed for intake manifold gaskets, these are not the ones you seek. Additionally, these specialty vacuum greases have an incredibly high viscosity and are used on ground glass joints or other applications where only a VERY thin film is required.

I'm with edjack on this one; new manifold gaskets should not require anything other than application of the proper torque on the bolts. The gasket compression should seal any irregularities in the sealing surfaces.


Filehorse
Knoxville, TN
BMWCCA #407627

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1989 E30 325i (Alpine White) Retired

[fritracer]

I was in the robot remanufacturing business for 5 years. I rebuilt a Motoman K10 that was going to be used in a vacuum beam welding application. We had to call NASA for the spec for a grease taht would work in a total vacuum (as close as you can get on Earth). We used greases from DOW. I had to dissamble the entire robot, motors and encoders included, clean all the old grease out and regrease all the bearings and other greased surfaces using this special grease. Total cost for just the greases: $68,000! In a near total or total vacuum, the carriers and waxes will boil out of the lubricant and coat all surfaces in the vacuum chamber; not a good thing when welding aero space parts. It was an interesting project.
You could not see the beam that did the welding; the beam source was appr. 8 feet from the welded part; when operating, the metal would just start to fuse together with out filler rod. Fritracer
Cincinnati, OH
2000 540ia Sport Package 9/99 Silver/Black
1970 Dodge Challenger T/A 420 stroker w/6 Pak 430 HP,
510 lbft torque

[Eurodavid]

[Eurodavid]

I love the Challenger you've got, makes me feel all nostalgic. Does the Challenger keep enough rubber on the pavement (without burning it off) to toast your 540 in a 0-60mph sprint? Or does the fat, low to the ground 540i keep too much rubber down and get the best of the Challenger (despite it being less hp)??

Eurodavid

P.S. Used to own a Chevelle SS, LS6, as a kid, loved that thing and was dumb to ever sell it.

[JimLev]

I have some. The correct application of it is to use as little as possible then with a clean (usually lint free) cloth is to wipe it off which will leave a very slight coating on the o-ring or whatever you are putting it on. It also stands up the heat pretty good and can aid in the longevity of the seals.

[fritracer]

anything on the road to 60 MPH and a 100 MPH for that matter; the 540 doesn't stand a chance. I have a total of 19 inches of rubber on the ground at the rear. It hazes the tires all the way. When I used to race it in the quarter, it would rip 1.60 second 60 foot times on street tires. I have never timed to 0-60 times, but I can tell you it has never been beat on the street.
Don't ask if the Dodge turns or stops... it is a typical muscle car...fast as hell straight....ssslllllooooowwwwww way down to turn.
Know anybody wants to buy it? I want the Viper real bad.Fritracer
Cincinnati, OH
2000 540ia Sport Package 9/99 Silver/Black
1970 Dodge Challenger T/A 420 stroker w/6 Pak 430 HP,
510 lbft torque

[Whorse]

Just a heads up most of them say not safe for certain o rings. Now those certain o rings are used for BMW fuel injectors. I didn't know this when i was building my m20 motor, long story short i lubed them and they disintegrated in months. fuel spraying out the sides. Dealer told me they were made of some special material and it sounded the same as what the warnings say on the vacuum grease.
Not sure but i think it was fluorosilicone orings that are used for bmw fuel injectors.

Andreas
Queens NY
BMWCCA# 186796
86 325es (wrecked by careless driver)
87 325 300k (project for life) aka 1BADETA/Christine
00 540is 6spd 180k (daily driver)

[JimLev]

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[Marty505]

The greases you're looking at are for high vacuum applications (1X10 -6 torr or greater) and are completely unnecessary for an automotive intake. What makes them special is they won't outgas (much) under high vacuum conditions. The vacuum in your manifold is several orders of magnitude away from that realm. I'd use a very thin coat of good general purpose waterproof grease with a suitable temp rating (150C perhaps). I like Silkolene myself. The real benefit will be ease of disassembly some day down the road.