Aerospace 303 - shelf life

[JasonP]

I have one gallon each of Aerospace 303 protectant and cleaner. They are about six years old now. What are your thoughts on the shelf-life? I don't want to accidentally make my interior worse.

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[daantjie]

Is that stuff not just for exterior use?

[JasonP]

Is that stuff not just for exterior use?

I've only used it for interiors.

[TJ 450]

I used to use this or Armor All on the interiors, these days they just get a wipe down with a chamois, particularly on the dash.

On an interior that's well past it's prime, it does make them look pretty nice.

I'd try it out on something made out of vinyl first, like a chair or maybe a rubber hose and see what it looks like. I can't imagine it would go off in that space of time.

Tim

[rumb]

After using armorall for 30 years on my 250S all the vinyl still cracked...

303 was made for aircraft that are exposed a lot more uv wave light.

I prefer the sheen of 303 and I think it stays on longer. I no longer use Armoral

Of course there is great debate between the 2, but based on my own 30 year personal experience that it did not do what it claimed to do, I no longer use it. If you use it on tires, it accelerated the browning of the surface.  I now use one of the griots products, that make the rubber just look clean like new with no gloss.

As far a shelf life, I would guess it is still good if properly stored, though a quick email or phone call to them could confirm actual shelf life.

[Peter]

According to the manufacturer 303 has a + 5 year shelf life as long as it has never been frozen.

[UTn_boy]

Armoural and 303 have silicone and petroleum distillates in them.  These two things are harmful to our dashes, and will dry them out.  To this day I can't understand why these products are sold under such false pretenses of "protecting" older vinyl.  When W116 cars were new, the dash, door panels, roof rail trim, etc. was all a flat sheen anyway, so making them shiny isn't exactly correct from a cosmetic standpoint.  So what are we supposed to use?  I have no idea.  I just keep them wiped down and out of the sun.  A close friend collects W123 cars.  When he finds a nice dash, he brings it home and covers the entire dash with Vaseline, wraps it in plastic wrap, and sticks it in his attic for a few years.  After that time goes by, you remove the plastic wrap and wipe the excess Vaseline off, and the dash looks brand new and is supple again.  Obviously, this doesn't remove cracks.  However, if it's supple again it won't continue to crack.  Food for thought.

[JasonP]

Armoural and 303 have silicone and petroleum distillates in them.  These two things are harmful to our dashes, and will dry them out.  To this day I can't understand why these products are sold under such false pretenses of "protecting" older vinyl.  When W116 cars were new, the dash, door panels, roof rail trim, etc. was all a flat sheen anyway, so making them shiny isn't exactly correct from a cosmetic standpoint.  So what are we supposed to use?  I have no idea.  I just keep them wiped down and out of the sun.  A close friend collects W123 cars.  When he finds a nice dash, he brings it home and covers the entire dash with Vaseline, wraps it in plastic wrap, and sticks it in his attic for a few years.  After that time goes by, you remove the plastic wrap and wipe the excess Vaseline off, and the dash looks brand new and is supple again.  Obviously, this doesn't remove cracks.  However, if it's supple again it won't continue to crack.  Food for thought.

I don't know if it is a coincidence or not, but the winter after I 303'd my seats they crtacked. They made it through two winters before that just fine. It is frustrating to see these sold for one thing, then hear they do the exact opposite. We put a man on the moon, but we don't  know how to protect vinyl?

[ptashek]

Vaseline is a cosmetic grade petroleum distillate as well.

The plasticisers used in vinyl (PVC in general) are phthalates, and they - quite literally - ooze out over time from between the plastic molecules, as there's no bond between the two. Heat accelerates this process, so the best you can do is protect the dash from heat and UV light.

This is what makes the material go stiff and brittle, not silicone or other dash sprays. Once the vinyl looses its plasticisers, it is more  prone to mechanical failure through expand/shrink cycles in normal use.

It takes quite some aggressive chemistry to damage PVC. Your dash sprays won't pack that sort of punch.

[Squiggle Dog]

Armoural and 303 have silicone and petroleum distillates in them.  These two things are harmful to our dashes, and will dry them out.  To this day I can't understand why these products are sold under such false pretenses of "protecting" older vinyl.

303 Aerospace Protectant claims: "303 contains no petrochemicals, silicone oils or petroleum distillates." Are they lying?

I have not yet found a better product than 303 Aerospace Protectant; it restores the color of the part and seems to bring some of the elasticity back. Then it has a nice sheen and gives UV protection to parts which are in the sun, as well as gives a protective barrier which prevents against outgassing. It's certainly better than doing nothing. I cannot comment on shelf life as I've only had it on the shelf for about 4 years maximum.

[Zaxxon]

I've been using 303 on everything from car interiors (aside from leather) to boats and even hot tub covers for many years and have yet to find something better for keeping vinyl and the like in good shape. But I still can't say much more about the shelf life than that I have a bottle on the boat that's probably 5 years old by now and still seems to be doing it's job just fine.

--Zax