MTFCA Forum

Does this date really mean anything for a Model T or is it only because it is used on aircraft?
Why does it expire? Looks like vaseline in a tube.
Thank you.

Mfg. stated 2 year shelf life in recommended storage conditions, esp for aviation uses. The oils can separate, but can be mixed back. Material is PROPYLENE CARBONATE

Mfg. Safety Data sheet on storage.


For Ford T application on my carb and potato shut offs, my tube is probably 8 years old and still sticky goopy.

Why does it have an expiration date?
Because everything has to have an expiration date these days, and it sells more product.
All it really guarantees is the product will still perform as advertised even with poor storage conditions.
There could be a real reason or not.
Everyone will have a different opinion about this subject.

It might separate over long storage times and just need mixing.
The Polyester might break down but really slowly
The solvent - Propylene Carbonate is biodegradable so the carrier will eventually "rot"

I always test products to see how well they work to determine if they are expired or not.
Almost every time there is no problem with using expired products.
How much of a gambler are you?
How much does it matter if it does not work?

Here is what the manufacturer says:
https://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/ ... rnlube.php

Good points ! I had some copper never-seize that had an expiration date - WTH ?

Even the pillows you lay your head on have expiry dates these days. Go figure. Things that don't have an expiry date often have best by... dates. Translated, that means best buy some more.

Allan from down under.

LIFE Critical industries such as Medical, Aircraft, Nuclear, and others, Require effective lifetime of soft goods, like rubber items, lubricants, and the like, to ensure the product maintains the specified qualities, and has not degraded performance due to age.

In the Nuclear industry, O-rings must be within the use by date, as do aircraft hoses and tires, among other products.

RajoRacer wrote: ↑

Sat Feb 07, 2026 10:43 pm

Good points ! I had some copper never-seize that had an expiration date - WTH ?

I had some aluminum anti-seize without an expiration date. After 40 years, it had “gone bad” (I don’t use it a lot )

A friend has been using the same tube for well over 20 years. It still functions as designed.
He spreads the use of it through out the club.
The stuff is used so sparingly, you are more likely to lose it than use it up.

Rich P. Bingham wrote: ↑

Sun Feb 08, 2026 11:12 am

RajoRacer wrote: ↑

Sat Feb 07, 2026 10:43 pm

Good points ! I had some copper never-seize that had an expiration date - WTH ?

I had some aluminum anti-seize without an expiration date. After 40 years, it had “gone bad” (I don’t use it a lot )

I bet you could have added some thin oil or mineral spirits & reconstituted it.
Waste not want not. Economy is the lifestyle of a model T owner.

My father used a tub of Nickel Anti Seize that he bought in the 50's up until the 90's and the only problem was he had to stir it.
It settled some, but worked fine.
I gave him some replacement tub in the 90's that work was throwing away after it had "expired" after 1 year.
It still works fine, it's only 30 years out of date now.

Test everything before using.
Dates are there to satisfy lawyers and paranoid people while selling more product.
Mike

speedytinc wrote: ↑

Sun Feb 08, 2026 11:56 am

Rich P. Bingham wrote: ↑

Sun Feb 08, 2026 11:12 am

RajoRacer wrote: ↑

Sat Feb 07, 2026 10:43 pm

Good points ! I had some copper never-seize that had an expiration date - WTH ?

I had some aluminum anti-seize without an expiration date. After 40 years, it had “gone bad” (I don’t use it a lot )

I bet you could have added some thin oil or mineral spirits & reconstituted it.
Waste not want not. Economy is the lifestyle of a model T owner.

I did just that ! (My Scots great-granfether would be proud !)

Thank you John K

That was the kind of info I was looking for.

We used it today and will let it sit a few months to test it. Too cold to drive anyway.

Since the EZ lube tube is so large, and it takes so very little of it, in a petcock, the tube I have is at least 15 years old. It still works fine! has not melted, thinned or anything else. And in all that time, I have used about 1/2 of it! Aviation rules set by the government may be necessary for aircraft, but on old cars and old motorcycles, it does not matter...

I worked at an aircraft service center for a manufacturer, and started seeing "Expiration Dates" of 1 year on Loc-Tite products. I called Loc-Tite, and they told me: "Loc-Tite products NEVER expire! If they are still liquid, then they are fine to use!" They wanted to know WHO PUT the expiration date on their products, and when I investigated, I found out it was an office guy, who was just arbitrarily assigning expiration dates for ALL products used by our company.

So the expiration date, if one is actually listed, may not even originate from the actual manufacturer.

This lube for petcocks should have a service life of 25-30 years, if not longer. It was specifically designed for aircraft petcocks in fuel systems. It is used to lubricate petcocks on aircraft that are going into long term storage, to keep the fuel petcocks in serviceable condition in the event of reactivation of the aircraft.

If it expired in one year, it would NEVER be used in any aviation capacity.