Penetrating Oils

[boydg1]

Penetrating Oils.... E-mail as received
Machinist's Workshop Mag recently published some information on various penetrating oils that I found very interesting. Some of you might appreciate this. The magazine reports they tested penetrates for break out torque on rusted nuts.
They are below, as forwarded by an ex-student and professional machinist. They arranged a subjective test of all the popular penetrates with the control being the torque required to remove the nut from a "scientifically rusted" environment.

*Penetrating oils ........... Average torque load to loosen*

No Oil used ................... 516 pounds
WD-40 ..................... ... 238 pounds
PB Blaster .................... 214 pounds
Liquid Wrench ...............127 pounds
Kano Kroil .................... 106 pounds
ATF*-Acetone mix............53 pounds

The ATF-Acetone mix is a "home brew" mix of 50 - 50 automatic transmission fluid and acetone. Note this "home brew" released bolts better than any commercial product in this one particular test.

Our local machinist group mixed up a batch and we all now use it with equally good results.
Note also that "Liquid Wrench" is almost as good as "Kroil" for about 20% of the price.

Steve from Godwin-Singer says that ATF-Acetone mix is best, but you can also use ATF and lacquer thinner in a 50-50 mix. *ATF=Automatic Transmission Fluid

.

[Team Lightning]

Very interesting! Thanks for the info.

[Movin]

I wonder if the lower cold viscosity of certain synthetic ATF's would
show further improvement.

Justice bros jb 80 or zep twister are the best I have used from a can..

[KingFish]

We get Kroil at the shop. I had never used it before and really liked it. I will be trying the ATF mix as soon as I have the chance.

[sc72]

Try AC Delco heat riser penatrant or Mopar penatrant, as for the ATF and Acetone mix how does this work, i understand the ATF but Acetone has a very rapid evaporation rate, does it alter the ATF in some way, i have a stubborn strut bolt i will gladly try this on.

[bravekozak]

I know this is a no-no with environmentalists today, but I used to use trichlor (1,1,1trichloroethylene) with any low viscosity oil when I was in the lab. We used to have sinkfuls of the stuff where factory workers used to wash their bare hands. Today, they don't want chlorinated solvents evaporating into the air and doing something bad with the ozone layer.
WD-40 is useless. It's just "W"ire rope and cable "D"ressing sold to unknowing consumers for another purpose. That's the stuff that was used to get in between the wound steel wire so that it wouldn't rust.

[navdoc101]

WD 40 = Water Displacement # 40. Originaly made to protect missle parts from rust. See www.snopes.com/inboxer/household/wd-40.asp This is not a hot link.

[Charlie1717]

Kano was one of my accounts in Nashville for Fastenal. That guy is pretty legit, he is an older guy and loves his business. It is a tiny shop, and he has refused multiple multiple big offers from bigger names. People swear by it, but the price is definitely up there.

[AlaskaFestivaGuy]

What about LPS-1?

[Bert]

Thank you for sharing that with us. Krown Rust-proofing markets a penetrating oil, up here, that is highly favoured by many mechanics I know.

[junspeed]

Very nice and helpful info man :thumbleft::thumbright:
Now I know what to use...

[navdoc101]

WD 40 = Water Displacement # 40. Originaly made to protect missle parts from rust. See www.snopes.com/inboxer/household/wd-40.asp This is not a hot link.

Okay, it IS a hot link. DuH!!

[scitzz]

Huh. Somebody try this and report back, mmmmk?

[stonemaster]

many of the old bike sites recommend the ATF/acetone combo, never seen the comparative on those however, very interesting

[sc72]

I gave this brew a try, trans fluid and acitone, my report is it did nothing more than get the parts wet, did i spray it more than once, yes i want to get the rear lower strut bolt loose. Two weeks back i started on Monday i smacked the bolt with a hammer to shock the bolt and maybe loosen the rust, then used the spray, again on Wed, Friday, Sunday, etc. Tuesday this week i tried to loosen the bolt, no luck on either side, for me this is a bust.