molysulfide powder

[jamie eaton]

Does anyone use this to lube their AR's ? I found a bottle in my garage ( my parents old house ) . My father said it was used in Vietnam for the M16 , but he didn't know why he had it . He was not in the war and has never owned or shot an ar .

 

[ARlife4me]

Without knowing the complete make-up of the powder, it shouldn't attract moisture or retain any. Possibly used to lube the buffer tube, buffer and maybe the gas rings.

 

[crkckr]

I use moly to coat bullets, not to lube the rifle. I don't think it would stick to anything very well if just sprinkled on a part. It might stick via impact but I'm not certain how well it would work as I've never tried it. It is an inert powder, is not hydroscopic nor toxic. It's a huge mess to coat bullets (a tumbler is required since a vibratory cleaner won't work) but it sure works great when it comes to not having to clean the barrel very often! I would imagine that it would be a major pain in the neck to clean out of an action!
Cheers,
crkckr

 

[C-130 Dude]

Without knowing the complete make-up of the powder, it shouldn't attract moisture or retain any. Possibly used to lube the buffer tube, buffer and maybe the gas rings.

Do not use this on the gas rings. It will cause pressure bypass and the rings won't seal. Similar to using engine bearing lube on piston rings on a new build. Ask me how I know that......

 

[ARlife4me]

Do not use this on the gas rings. It will cause pressure bypass and the rings won't seal. Similar to using engine bearing lube on piston rings on a new build. Ask me how I know that......

I haven't seen or used any, so...........
On a new or replaced pistons/rings I just use engine oil. No way I'm using grease. Maybe lithium?

 

[C-130 Dude]

I haven't seen or used any, so...........
On a new or replaced pistons/rings I just use engine oil. No way I'm using grease. Maybe lithium?

Don't do that (lithium). I did this exact thing on an engine rebuild with disastrous results many years ago. The rings never seated. Burned oil and fouled spark plugs like nothing I've ever seen. I had to tear a fresh rebuild down, wipe the cylinders down, re-hone them, replace the rings and bearings, and start over. Bad news all around and expensive!

Nowadays, there's newer bearing and build lube that is really good. The white lithium still has uses.

Just plain old engine oil on the cylinders does the job nicely. And works.

 

[crkckr]

Any engine I assembled (except aircraft, which calls for specific stuff, usually lubriplate) got a lot of dino engine oil during assembly. After about 20k miles and 2 or 3 oil/filter changes, I switch to synthetic. Never once had an oil burn or usage problem. My VW Tiggy, however came from the factory with synthetic! Never had oil problems with 3 different VW's. Not sure what they do different but any engine that I saw rebuilt that got synthetic from the start never broke in and always used oil. Beats me!
Cheers,
crkckr

 

[C-130 Dude]

Any engine I assembled (except aircraft, which calls for specific stuff, usually lubriplate) got a lot of dino engine oil during assembly. After about 20k miles and 2 or 3 oil/filter changes, I switch to synthetic. Never once had an oil burn or usage problem. My VW Tiggy, however came from the factory with synthetic! Never had oil problems with 3 different VW's. Not sure what they do different but any engine that I saw rebuilt that got synthetic from the start never broke in and always used oil. Beats me!
Cheers,
crkckr

About 50 odd years ago during one of my first engine builds, I put lubricate (lithium) on the rings. My intention was to coat the pistons and wall to prevent scuffing. However, you can't do this without getting it all over the rings. Bad idea! I paid dearly for this bad idea. The rings never seated. Expensive error.

 

[crkckr]

Using too much is just as bad as not enough. They say how much to use and where when assembling aircraft (with nauseating repetitions!) parts to avoid such problems. Plus most airplane engines get pulled through a bunch of times before any attempt to start. Lubriplate is great at preventing metal to metal contact before that first start and it should burn off quickly. Getting it bunched up in the ring grooves probably isn't a good thing but again, it should (famous last words!) burn off fairly quickly. I suppose if left in too long it could gum up but even a little fuel should loosen it up quickly. Most of the few cases I've seen have been from using too good of an oil before the engine begins to break in. Then again, there's a lot of different ways to do that, too. One I kind of lean towards these days is drive it nice and easy for 1k miles, change the oil (still using cheap stuff) and then get all over it... hard! Kind of like the dragster guys do (I once saw an award winning driver tossing some white powder down his blower while the engine was screaming! Later I asked him what it was and he said Bon-ami, a kind of kitchen scrubber for counter tops! This was on a brand new overhaul! Thru the blower! I couldn't believe it but it sure worked for him!). Since these days I just don't do more than minor work on cars, it's no longer a problem for me (too old for that crap!). But I don't baby new engines anymore, either. I'm actually more into breaking in the brakes than the engines! You see, the older you get the more important the "stop" is than the "go!"
Cheers,
crkckr

 

[C-130 Dude]

Using too much is just as bad as not enough. They say how much to use and where when assembling aircraft (with nauseating repetitions!) parts to avoid such problems. Plus most airplane engines get pulled through a bunch of times before any attempt to start. Lubriplate is great at preventing metal to metal contact before that first start and it should burn off quickly. Getting it bunched up in the ring grooves probably isn't a good thing but again, it should (famous last words!) burn off fairly quickly. I suppose if left in too long it could gum up but even a little fuel should loosen it up quickly. Most of the few cases I've seen have been from using too good of an oil before the engine begins to break in. Then again, there's a lot of different ways to do that, too. One I kind of lean towards these days is drive it nice and easy for 1k miles, change the oil (still using cheap stuff) and then get all over it... hard! Kind of like the dragster guys do (I once saw an award winning driver tossing some white powder down his blower while the engine was screaming! Later I asked him what it was and he said Bon-ami, a kind of kitchen scrubber for counter tops! This was on a brand new overhaul! Thru the blower! I couldn't believe it but it sure worked for him!). Since these days I just don't do more than minor work on cars, it's no longer a problem for me (too old for that crap!). But I don't baby new engines anymore, either. I'm actually more into breaking in the brakes than the engines! You see, the older you get the more important the "stop" is than the "go!"
Cheers,
crkckr

I've heard of the bon ami trick, but I couldn't bring myself to do it. I ran my engine about 800 miles drinking oil and fouling plugs like a mad man. Lubriplate/lithium-- Never on the rings!

 

[crkckr]

H9nestly I don't remember the amount but I believe it was just a thin layer over the cylinder. Bound to get dome in the rings, don't see how it could be avoided but it was never a problem on the airplanes. Could be because of the way they get broken in, too. Full power take off then back to cruise then a slow cool for let down.

Yeah, I could never do the Bon-ami thing either! Takes some serious spare change to do that in case you get a clump or something! But I'll admit, you could hear the engine smooth out even when it was turning 10k. Unreal! And very, very scary!
Cheers,
crkckr

 

[C-130 Dude]

H9nestly I don't remember the amount but I believe it was just a thin layer over the cylinder. Bound to get dome in the rings, don't see how it could be avoided but it was never a problem on the airplanes. Could be because of the way they get broken in, too. Full power take off then back to cruise then a slow cool for let down.

Yeah, I could never do the Bon-ami thing either! Takes some serious spare change to do that in case you get a clump or something! But I'll admit, you could hear the engine smooth out even when it was turning 10k. Unreal! And very, very scary!
Cheers,
crkckr

Recips and turbo/super charged aircraft engines usually have looser clearances (jets aside). That and the heat they produce. Also have very specific assembly requirements for assembly lube. I've had my A&P for 45 years now.

 

[crkckr]

You and me both! A couple of old farts for sure, I started with TWA in '73 washing dishes and retired as an aircraft inspector wiyh AA in 2003, although it wasn't by choice. Blew up a disc in my back and ended up living on morphine for 15 years. Getting off that crap was one of big accomplishments in my life! Horrible stuff and the side effects are almost as bad as the reason you take the stuff in the first place! And doesn't really do all that much for the pain, although it might stop you from walking in front of that big truck on the freeway... barely! Forced retirement... well, the hours are great but the pay sucks! I'd spend a lot more time reloading if I wasn't so broke!
Cheers,
crkckr

 

[C-130 Dude]

You and me both! A couple of old farts for sure, I started with TWA in '73 washing dishes and retired as an aircraft inspector wiyh AA in 2003, although it wasn't by choice. Blew up a disc in my back and ended up living on morphine for 15 years. Getting off that crap was one of big accomplishments in my life! Horrible stuff and the side effects are almost as bad as the reason you take the stuff in the first place! And doesn't really do all that much for the pain, although it might stop you from walking in front of that big truck on the freeway... barely! Forced retirement... well, the hours are great but the pay sucks! I'd spend a lot more time reloading if I wasn't so broke!
Cheers,
crkckr

Really sorry to hear this. I too, know your pain. I started out interested in aircraft by hanging out at the airports near me when I was a kid. (Plus my dad was career Air Force 34 years, I retired after 22 years in the AF with a broken back). Anyway, you know how it starts. I cleaned parts, swept floors, ran for coffee. Gopher stuff. My auto shop teacher in high school was building a 3/4 scale Mustang at his hanger. Very cool. Learned lots. And the hook was set.........