Technical Best thread sealer for aluminum fittings into aluminum fuel pressure regulator

And here I was just using it on Sheetrock!

 

Hylomar, stays soft and is made for gasoline, a bit expensive but well worth it, 32 Ford trucks have the gas tank under the seat, the fitting for the gas guage is on the bottom of the tank the bolts have copper washers it all leaked this stuff was the only thing that sealed it up.

 

No wonder it is so hard to get wallpaper to stick to!

 

A lot of folks missed freshman shop class. Pipe threads are sealed mechanically.The built in taper is what seals the joint. Whatever goop you use is to lubricate the threads while assembling the joint. If you need some sort of sealing agent other than the threads themselves to seal the join, you've failed.

 

There is a major difference in China made Teflon thread tape and a quality brand American made thread tape . I have used John Crane yellow colored tape for 40 years not one issue . You can use a drop of blue lock tight to seal threads also . We were taught that NPT tapered threads , need no sealer , the sealer is just a lube to allow deeper thread engagement . What a crock of BS , this turned out to be . Never , never assemble any NPT thread without some type of sealer , what ever you choose , follow the directions and it will stop any leak .

 

I have assembled lots of factory made threaded fittings that had a leak after assembly. If you only need something to lubricate, then any slippery substance should work. Not all fittings assemble without leaking even though they are "supposedly" designed to do so. On a side note, I did fail my metal shop class......twice.

 

Thank you again gentlemen. Seems there are quite a few options. I’ll ponder all these responses,make a choice and proceed. Of course even using the best materials I can still botch something up.

 

The only thing that I'd add is never assemble any NPT fittings where both sides are anodized
w/o a sealant or lubricant/tape......as it will require extreme torque to tighten and even more to disassemble. Anodizing leaves a minute rough surface (under the microscope) and has a propensity to interlock.
This roughness is not lost to design, where anodizing improves heat dissipation such as in heat exchangers

 

Don't we all.........

 

Well, in shop we didn't use sealer.Your work was pressure tested for 1/2 hour.If it leaked...you did it over.As far as factory parts leaking and needing "sealer"...that's a lack of quality in the parts and should not be.

 

I was a Stationary Engineer by trade and worked on transmission line pressure LPG and natural gas lines for 35 years . Sealing a hazardous liquid at that pressure is not going to happen with dry seal threads ! We had a type of liquid pipe sealant that would repair any threaded leak , as soon as it dried . This stuff would not dry until tightened between 2 threaded or seating surfaces . We coated thread and gasket leaks with this goop , it stopped any and all leaks . I crushed a 2 in schedule 80 nipple with a 48 in pipe wrench and a cheater trying to remove the nipple , after this stuff had set up . I still have a can buried in the garage somewhere , I hope it stays where it’s resting , use this in the wrong place by accident and I’ll being using lots of potty works to describe my own self ! Just choose the correct sealant , apply it as directed and your done .

 

looking through this thread there seems to be a fair amount of misunderstanding, misinformation and hearsay around this subject, like so many others. some basic facts:
- NPT tapered threads are not self sealing at high pressure. the crests and roots of the threads are flattened and are therefore not an interference fit.
- NPTF threads ARE designed to be self sealing due to the interference fit of the thread form (no flattening).
- PTFE tape is an effective lubricant AND sealant and is intended for that purpose. has worked faultlessly for a long time in what must by now be tens of millions of applications - when applied correctly. PTFE is chemically inert and therefore oil/fuel/solvent resistant.
- PTFE paste ditto.
- proprietary sealant products - check the label and instructions.
- one person's anectodal experience of a product is not a definition of the quality of that product.
- chinese made products are no worse or better than products made anywhere else. they are made to a price. if you order high quality, you get high quality. if you order crap, you get crap. if you want someone to blame talk to the reseller who ordered the parts, or look in the mirror at the consumer who keeps buying those parts. don't blame the manufacturer.

 

I

 

[QUOTE="daos, post: 13990102, member: 363750"
- chinese made products are no worse or better than products made anywhere else. they are made to a price. if you order high quality, you get high quality. if you order crap, you get crap. if you want someone to blame talk to the reseller who ordered the parts, or look in the mirror at the consumer who keeps buying those parts. don't blame the manufacturer.[/QUOTE]
Wrong! The problem with chinese made products are the uneven quality. The first batch might be top notch quality but the second is usually shit if you don't hire someone local to check it before they ship it out.

 

[QUOTE="moparboy440,
Wrong! The problem with chinese made products are the uneven quality. The first batch might be top notch quality but the second is usually shit if you don't hire someone local to check it before they ship it out.[/QUOTE]

Very true. GM's Electro-Motive Division developed a new 6000 HP 4 cycle diesel for locomotives at the request of Union Pacific along with other RR's. Ultimately they didn't like it, but the engines went on to be purchased by the Chinese for their RR's and marine usage. An engine plant was set up in China and initially things were fine, but soon quality concerns were noted, Caterpillar owns EMD now and they have to closely monitor the Chinese plant.