Mobil 1 oil ok for plastic lights?

I have used Mobil 1 full synthetic automotive oil on my aluminum maglight threads and o-rings with good results. The twisty on/off heads are now very easy to turn with one hand. - too easy maybe?

Is there a reason to not use oil as opposed to something thicker like grease? Oil shouldn't gall aluminum like some greases do, but rubber o-rings might swell when exposed to oil. Then there's my plastic twist-head diving lights - what would be good to lube the plastic threads and rubber o-rings with?

Go to your local auto parts store and get a small tube of Di-Electric Grease. Also known as Spark Plug Boot Grease or Light Bulb Grease.

It's a 100% Silicone grease. It won't eat or swll O-Rings and provides good lubricity to plastics and threadding.

I've used this stuff in everything from Engine Building to Airgun tuning. It never seems to do me wrong! :twothumbs

Mobil 1 is not a pure synthetic. It has a fossil base. For a pure example you would need Redline or Royal Purple. There is a grade listing on the side of each container. Mobile 1, which I use in my truck, is a 4. A grade 5, for Redline and Royal Purple, has no fossil base. For my diving lights, I always used silicone grease found in most any dive shop.

Thank you both for the tip !

:twothumbs

Do not use petroleum-based lubricants on nitrile O-rings. I haven't any experience with petroleum-based lubricants and rubber O-rings.

Thanks for the input guys.

How do you kow if the orings are nitrile or rubber?

I use paintball marker (gun) oil on my lights. I haven't had any trouble with it and it doesn't harm my o-rings. I don't know what weight it is, but it is very thin and works really well on the selector ring on my U2.

Roger

rayonebay said:

Mobil 1 is not a pure synthetic. It has a fossil base. For a pure example you would need Redline or Royal Purple. There is a grade listing on the side of each container. Mobile 1, which I use in my truck, is a 4. A grade 5, for Redline and Royal Purple, has no fossil base. For my diving lights, I always used silicone grease found in most any dive shop.

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are you sure of that. i was told by a Redline Rep that only Redline and Mobil1 were pure synthetic.

since that time (it was some years ago), Mobil has also come out with a partial synthetic oil, but they still retain their fully synthetic Mobil 1 oil.

The Redline Rep told me that there really were no performance differences between Mobil1 and Redline engine lubricants - i used Redline in the tranny, but Mobil1 in the engine for racing purposes (and street use too).

JRTJRT - you have had good advice in posts #2, #3 and #5. Silicone grease is the answer. Do not use petroleum based products, and oil is definitely not a good idea, whether synthetic or not.

BTW, a small tin of silicone grease from a dive shop will probably last you a lifetime.

half-watt said:

are you sure of that. i was told by a Redline Rep that only Redline and Mobil1 were pure synthetic.

since that time (it was some years ago), Mobil has also come out with a partial synthetic oil, but they still retain their fully synthetic Mobil 1 oil.

The Redline Rep told me that there really were no performance differences between Mobil1 and Redline engine lubricants - i used Redline in the tranny, but Mobil1 in the engine for racing purposes (and street use too).

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I was wrong about the rating number, but yes Mobil 1, which I use, has a highly refined oil base. Amsoil is probably the only pure synthetic at this time. Some interesting reading can be found at www.carbibles.com. Most of the articles on the subject make my eyes glaze over and my brain goes numb.

rayonebay said:

I was wrong about the rating number, but yes Mobil 1, which I use, has a highly refined oil base. Amsoil is probably the only pure synthetic at this time. Some interesting reading can be found at www.carbibles.com. Most of the articles on the subject make my eyes glaze over and my brain goes numb.

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sorry, my apologies, my "old-timers" is actin' up, it wasn't a RedLine Rep, it was an Amsoil Rep that told me Amsoil and the original formulation of Mobil 1 were the only pure synthetics, i.e. they don't start with a petroleum base and build up from there. a pure synthetic base is used (at least according to Mobil - i would think that would be false advertising if it weren't true, however, i have no first hand knowledge of the veracity of Mobil's claim regarding their fully synthetic Mobil 1, so maybe it's a lie just waiting to be discovered??? don't know, but i'm doubtful that it's untrue at this point).

I believe there was a court case where Castrol was able to obscure what fully synthetic means. You and I probably have the same thoughts, but lawyers and judges can get meanings changed in some really bizarre ways.

rayonebay said:

I believe there was a court case where Castrol was able to obscure what fully synthetic means. You and I probably have the same thoughts, but lawyers and judges can get meanings changed in some really bizarre ways.

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agreed, especially in the case of Castrol SynTec which begins with a petroleum base and adds to it chemically (not just mixing oils here), i.e. at a very low chemical level.

You are both off topic. The last useful contribution to this thread was post #10. Oil is unsuitable for use in flashlights. There is no point in your discussing it further in this thread.

DM51 said:

You are both off topic. The last useful contribution to this thread was post #10. Oil is unsuitable for use in flashlights. There is no point in your discussing it further in this thread.

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you're absolutely right. a thousand apologies. if it happens again anytime, i'd truly appreciate you Posting or PMing me (either your call) and setting me straight, taking me to task, or chewing me out (your call).

again, my sincere apologies for disrupting the Thread with non-flashlight related Posts.

I apologize.

guy's if its any help i'am.doing a test on lubes.at this moment.i am using oil's and grease.bear with me it takes time to degrade o'rings.keep watching.

I've been told to use either plumber's silicone grease or food grade silicone spray. Anyone have any experience with these?

DesertFox said:

I've been told to use either plumber's silicone grease or food grade silicone spray. Anyone have any experience with these?

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Plumbers silicone is the same thing as Di-Electric Grease or the thicker Diver's silicone.

Food grade Silicone spray is fairly thin with a watery type consistency and has a Solvent carrier that could eat O-Rings if you don't let it evaporate before reassembly.

You can get Di-Electric grease at Kragen, AutoZone, Shucks etc. in small packets for about a quarter each, or in tubes that'll last a lifetime for around 6 bucks.