Originally posted by Big Jim:
Originally posted by Auto-X Fil:
Aren't you happy to know you have a bad gasket, and you can get it fixed, instead of having so much sludge floating around that it plugs leaks?



That was old thinking. Current thinking is that certain synthetic base stocks tend to shrink some seals and gaskets, especially if other things are not blended in to mitigate that factor.



Actually, Jim, the "shrinking seals" thinking is from about 1972, which I think predates the sludge theory by a good 20 years, at least. Back then, there was a real problem with shrinking seals, which was quickly remedied by the oil makers. Problem solved.

You telling us it's back? What happened? Did the guys at Mobil lose the recipe? Or did the gasket-makers change everything without telling anyone?

Function before fashion. '96 Contour SE "Toss the Contour into a corner, and it's as easy to catch as a softball thrown by a preschooler." -Edmunds, 1998