Hi-temp o-ring lubricant

[spoolin01]

Are there good hi-temp o-ring lubes that don't cost an arm and a leg? I'm rebuilding a Rix SA-3 that I just got, and the RIX price for theirs is $140/2 oz! They call it Kryytoz, which I can't google up, but maybe they mean Krytox, which does google up as an o-ring lube that comes in various hi-temp formulations.

Are there any cheaper alternatives?

 

[Scott L]

What is the application?

 

[spoolin01]

The heads have several o-rings that seal around the valves and such. The compression rings and something Rix calls 'riders' all have o-rings that sit concentrically inside them, to expand them against the cylinder walls. So, all feel the heat of the cylinders and heads. Most or all are viton.

 

[spoolin01]

No help here? Do other brands use o-rings in the heads? In looking into PTFE grease, it seems the distinguishing feature among formulations is the thickener and its physical properties such as melting point. I gather PTFE melts and breaks down at temperatures beyond what is likely to occur. Given how little is needed and the role it plays - and use of lube on the head o-rings isn't even mentioned in the cursory repair section of the RIX SA-3 or SA-6 owners manuals, I just see it in their current parts list - I'm wondering how important the particular formulation is. I don't know which Krytox formulation RIX sells, but there are less-expensive Krytox formulations (and smaller tubes), and even really cheap stuff like Teflon SuperLube, which says it's good to 625F.

Re-reading what I wrote earlier, I wasn't going to lube the expander rings, just those that seal the head assemblies.