Oil return tubes

[TCB]

I'm just about to replace my return tubes and wanted to check on a lube for the O-rings. I could only find a lube by kleen-flo. It says it's a brake lubricant but it is a synthetic lube called "EZE Slide". It is sillicone based and it states it will not damage swell rubber. Has anybody used this product? The threads on installing the return tubes state that the job is much easier with a lube to ease the o-rings sliding into the engine. Any thoughts?
Thanks
Terry

[Oh Haha]

I ended up using engine assembly lube from Permatex. It worked great. I could not find any of the lube mentioned in the threads here on Pelican.
Useing the hose clamp method I got the passenger's side done. I haven't attempted the driver's side.

[na2ub]

I looked up Dow Corning resellers in my area and pick up some of the silicon 112? lube. I think that is the number. It was $30 though for a grease gun tube, of which I used a tiny bit. Don't know if you can get smaller tubes.

Doug

[john walker's workshop]

dow 111.

[vash]

dow. i think i have #4.

slicker than snot!

[dfink]

I just used the multitude of engine oil I had running down my arm. If everything is dry like during and engine rebuild I would think you would use the lube else I would think there is enough oil to lube anything. Biggest problem I had was finding a place to push. I would get one side in the while trying to expand the tube the first side would come out as the second side went in. I don't want to scare anyone from doing this but it was the most miserable job I have done on the car. It appeared to me that the o-ring that seals the two halves would ride up the groove and wedge. You could easily push the two halves togeather but could not expand them back out. Even off the bench it was difficult. Didn't mean to change your subject. Maybe a different brand of tube would have worked better.

Good Luck.... and remember your having fun..........

[MattAlpha]

I'm about to replace the two rear most (between cylinders 1&2 and 4&5) oil return tubes this afternoon.
I looked for the Dow 111 O-Ring Lubricant and Sealant and I could only find it online from various vendors. It comes in these standard sizes: 14.1oz (grease gun tube), 5.3 oz tube and a 5 gram sqeeze tube.
Unfortunately I could find it from our host (as others said they had bought it from) when I purchased my collapsable oil return tubes and no hardware or automotive store around where I live carry it. So I'm just going to use clean motor oil. I'm crossing my fingers and hoping it will work out alright for me.

[dfink]

As other threads on this subject have stated. A couple of hose clamps on each side of the tube give an excellent place to push on. I tried with out the hose clamps and it was futile.

[TCB]

I just finished replacing all four tubes. I couldn't find the Dow product anywhere around here. I also didn't remove the exaust manifold.
The hose clamps indeed work well. On the right side I put the clamps in the middle so I could put a screwdriver between them and twist to spread them out. I had to loosen one and move it as I spread out the tubes, close to the other one and spread them again. I did that a couple of times. On the left side I put the hose clamps at the end of the tubes and used two big screwdrivers to pry them into the seats. Worked great!!! Thanks for all the comments, it helps. I'm doing a valve adjust before I put oil back in the beast. I was carefull not to nick the o-rings so hopefully that will cure that source of oil leaking.

Terry

[Quicksilver]

The reason to use Dow 111 is for more the just ease of assembly. The o-rings must be lubed so they will freely move without sticking through out their life. The engine expands and contracts a great deal as it is heated and then cools. The o-rings must remain sealed through out this movement. If they start to stick in the bores they will start to leak. (Which is why you are reinstalling them to begin with!)

If you don't want to do it again then do it with the correct lube. Dow 111 is easy to find on the internet. Have the patience to order it and wait until it arrives. You're not going to lose that much oil by waiting another week to swap the tubes and I bet you don't want to do it again in 2 years.

[TCB]

Thanks for the replies. I have finished the job and the silicone lube I used looked to have similar properties as the Dow. I'll let you know in a couple of years..

Terry

[TroyGT]

I just replaced my oil return tubes with expandables and the job was a breeze. Anyone can do this. All you need is a single hose clamp and wide flat-head screwdriver. Just use motor oil on the seals, push the tubes together so that they just barely fit, then use the clamp for leverage and push one end into the hole with your hands. Once one end is end the hole, I found that if I placed the hose clamp on the smallest diameter tube, close to where the large tube overlaps, that I could place a large flat-head screwdriver between the flange and the clamp and simply twist with one hand to expand. This effectively spreads both ends at the same time. I had to move my clamp about three times, closer to the flange end of the larger tube, to keep my leverage good. But basically, about five minutes and a few twists of the screwdriver and I had my new tubes in place. Some will say that you should use two clamps, but I didn't see the need, besides I think a clamp on the end of the larger tube actually tightens fit a little and makes it more difficult. This method was totally safe and never even scratched my new tubes, the flange never looked bent or distorted in any way. I know some others have mentioned this method or something similar, but I just wanted to underscore how easy and safe it is to do this replacement on your own. I am leak free in this area now.

[safe]

Originally posted by john walker's workshop
dow 111.

Yes, I used that too. Went in very easy.

For non US members: In some places, like Sweden, its marketed as Molycote 111.