Frequently Asked Questions
Gasketing
Permatex® Gasket Makers come in Black, Grey, and Red, each with unique properties. Black is the most flexible and is ideal for dissimilar metals. Grey is formulated for rigid, high-vibration applications. Red is designed to withstand extremely high temperatures and thermal cycling.
There is no one best gasket maker for every job. Each gasket maker has specific benefits for different applications and users like time to return to service, ease of removability, and resistance to specific fluids and gases. Permatex offers three versions of RTV Gasket Maker that vary in product benefits.
- Ultra is our baseline RTV Gasket Maker, offering a reliable seal.
- Optimum is engineered for easy part disassembly and cleanup, making future repairs simpler.
- The Right Stuff® provides the fastest return to service and the highest resistance to blowout, making it the top choice for professionals needing a rapid, durable seal.
There is no one best gasket maker for every job. Learn More on how to select a gasket maker.
Grey is specifically recommended for applications like valve covers and water pumps due to its high-vibration resistance and ability to create a durable, leak-proof seal on rigid flanges.
- Optimum Grey is best for areas you plan to remove in the future.
- The Right Stuff Grey is best for fastest return to service.
RTV Gasket Makers are formulated with technology to create new gaskets that form in place. Cut Gasket Coatings fortify cut gaskets made of paper, cork, fiber, and other inexpensive materials to create a long lasting seal using inexpensive materials.
For high-temperature applications, such as exhaust manifolds and turbochargers, Red RTV Gasket Maker is the ideal choice. It is formulated to withstand the high heat and thermal cycling common in these areas.
- Optimum Red is best for areas you plan to remove in the future. Highest temperature rating of 750°F
- The Right Stuff Red is best for fastest return to service.
Many RTV Gasket Makers are very difficult to remove. But, the Permatex Optimum line is specifically designed for ease of disassembly and cleanup. This makes it an excellent choice for applications where future maintenance or repairs are anticipated.
Permatex MotoSeal is the only RTV Gasket Maker that is fuel resistant ad resists gasoline and other damaging fluids.
Permatex® Gasket Makers create a custom-fit, form-in-place seal that fills all surface irregularities, ensuring a perfect seal and preventing leaks. This adaptability is often superior to pre-cut gaskets, which can be prone to leaks if the surfaces are not perfectly flat.
No. RTV Gasket Maker is a substitute for cut gaskets. Cut Gasket Coatings are designed to fortify paper, cork, fiber, and composite gaskets.
A Gasket Coating is a new formula created specifically to fortify cut gaskets made of paper, cork, fibers, and other inexpensive materials found with your hardparts. Cut Gasket Coatings are made using the same reliable technology as RTV Gasket Makers but are specific to create a barrier to fortify cut gaskets, not create a gasket.
RTV is Room Temperature Vulcanization. This defines a silicone material that cures at room temperature.
Thread Compounds
Threadlockers are designed to secure threaded fasteners, preventing them from loosening due to vibration, shock, or thermal expansion. They fill the microscopic gaps between threads, creating a solid bond that ensures a secure assembly while also protecting against rust and corrosion.
Our Orange High Strength Removable Threadlocker is a great solution for applications that require high strength but also the possibility of future disassembly with hand tools. It’s ideal for case half bolts and axle nuts where you need a strong hold but may need to perform maintenance later.
Apply heat 450F+ to the parts and remove the fasteners when hot.
Yes, Permatex Purple Low Strength Threadlocker is specifically formulated for small fasteners under 1/4″ in diameter, such as delicate mounting screws or gauge components. It provides a secure hold without the risk of breaking the fastener upon disassembly.
Yes, our Green Penetrating Grade Threadlocker is designed for this exact purpose. It wicks into preassembled fasteners by capillary action, making it ideal for securing set screws or adjusting bolts without having to take the assembly apart.
Permatex® threadlockers are formulated for metal fasteners and are not recommended for use on plastic.
A threadlocker is designed to lock and secure fasteners in place to prevent loosening from vibration. A thread sealant is used to seal pipe threads to prevent leaks of liquids or gases. We offer a Seal & Lock Thread Compound that combines both properties for a secure, leak-proof seal.
Adhesives & Sealants
Depending on the leak and the condition of the gasket. Permatex® offers the Spray Sealant Leak Repair product. It is an aerosol product designed to form a durable rubber barrier that stops leaks in minutes without having to disassemble the parts.
An adhesive is primarily used for bonding or joining two surfaces together, creating a strong, permanent connection. A sealant is used to fill a gap or a crack to prevent leaks of air, gas, or liquid, and it often has more flexibility than an adhesive.
An adhesive sealant combines the properties of both an adhesive and a sealant. These products offer a balance of strength and flexibility, making them ideal for tasks like bonding and sealing car windows, door frames, or roofs where the joint needs to be both strong and able to flex.
For fast-setting applications, Permatex Super Glue or 1 or 5 Minute Epoxy products are the best choice. They set in under 5 minutes and are designed for quick bonding tasks on automotive trim, logos, and knobs where speed is essential.
For sealing electrical connections and protecting them from moisture and corrosion, a product like our Silicone Adhesive Sealant is a good choice. It provides a waterproof seal and is suitable for various automotive and household sealing applications.
Permatex® Liquid Electrical Tape offers several key advantages over traditional tapes. It provides a waterproof, airtight, and UV-resistant dielectric coating that permanently insulates and protects electrical connections. Unlike traditional tape, it remains flexible, will not harden or unravel, and is resistant to harsh chemicals, saltwater, and extreme weather. This makes it a superior solution for creating a durable, long-lasting protective barrier on a variety of electrical applications.
Lubricants
Permatex® Anti-Seize Lubricants are designed to prevent the seizing, galling, and corrosion of metal parts, especially those exposed to high temperatures and pressures. They create a protective barrier that makes parts easier to assemble and, more importantly, to disassemble for maintenance or repair.
Permatex® Brake Parts Lubricants are essential for vehicle maintenance. They are specifically formulated to reduce noisy braking and protect brake hardware from seizing and galling. If you don’t use a dedicated brake lubricant, it can lead to braking issues and costly repairs. Our lubricants will not cause rubber to swell, which is a common problem with general-purpose greases. Apply brake parts lubricant to caliper hardware and backing plates and seals.
We offer three main types of brake lubricants: Synthetic, Ceramic, and Silicone. Synthetic is ideal for passenger vehicles and reduces noisy stops by 25%. Ceramic is formulated for medium to large cars, trucks, and SUVs, and reduces noisy stops by 50%. Our Silicone lubricant is designed for heavy-duty vehicles, including EVs and Hybrids, and reduces noisy stops by an impressive 99%.
Permatex Dielectric Grease is a non-conductive lubricant that is designed to protect electrical connections and wiring from salt, dirt, and corrosion. It extends the life of bulb sockets, prevents voltage leaks around electrical connections, and stops spark plugs from fusing to boots, and helps the plastic connectors from sticking to each other over time. This grease is essential for modern high-energy ignition systems to ensure optimal performance and longevity.
Permatex® O-Ring Lubricant is a high-performance product that conditions and seals O-rings, ensuring a long-lasting and reliable seal. It is also designed to be chemical-resistant, making it suitable for a wide range of O-Ring types and applications.
Specialized Maintenance & Repair
Permatex® Wheel Restoration Kit restores aluminum, aluminum alloy, steel and mixed
metal wheels and restores to a like-new appearance.
Permatex® Vinyl & Leather Repair Solution is a complete professional kit designed for permanent, pro-style repairs on vinyl and leather upholstery. It effectively fixes common damage like holes, burns, cracks, tears, and gouges on surfaces such as car seats, dashboards, vinyl tops, marine upholstery, and luggage. The kit includes seven different color combinations.
Miscellaneous
All Permatex® products are stamped with a date/batch code number indicating when the product was made. Here’s an example of the date code and how to read it (Example: 9AB1234A01) the first digit is the year 1=2011, 0=2000, 9=2009 etc. and the first letter is the month of the year A=Jan. B=Feb. C=Mar. etc. the next letters and digits is the batch number and the last two digits in the day of the week the product was manufactured 01=1st-31=31st. The example: 9AB1234A01= 9=2009 A=January 01=1st day of month.