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  • Boiling plastic parts to rejuvenate them

    Copied this from the Tercel forum:

    From the new Rock Auto newsletter - this is really neat - does anyone have any experience with the process?
    Tired of breaking the old, brittle plastic clips that hold on exterior and interior trim? Worried that the plastic thermostat housing will either leak or crack after being over tightened? Hoping for a way to rejuvenate the yellowed plastic gears, slides and rollers in that window regulator? Having trouble sliding the plastic handles onto the metal rods that came with that new foosball table? The answer to these and other plastics conundrums is an elixir available at the nearest kitchen sink.

    My dad was a plastics engineer for 30+ years. One of the best tips he has given me thus far is to rejuvenate and limber up old and new thermoplastic polymers by soaking them for a minute or so in boiling water. The results with nylon can be especially dramatic. Yellowish nylon goes into the water brittle and comes out supple and milky white. New composite thermostat housings, foosball table handles, and other plastic pieces that must be mounted to metal become slightly more flexible and are an easier and better fit.

    The boiling water does not melt the plastic. Soaking nylon in room temperature water for a long time has the same impact as a short bath in boiling water. The chemistry is too complex for just the son of a plastics engineer to explain. Basically the moisture releases tension between polymer molecules that was created when the plastic was first made (molded, extruded, etc.) or that built up over time as the plastic was exposed to sunlight, heat, chemicals or otherwise aged.

    Over the years I have only seen good results from putting my plastic parts in boiling water. At worst the plastic seems unaffected, probably a thermoset plastic (rigid body parts, distributor caps, Bakelite, etc.). However, there are myriad plastic resin recipes and plastic products out there and I must include a disclaimer and encourage common sense and caution. Do not soak plastic pieces that include electronics, gaskets, lubricants, paint, adhesives, decals, etc. that are not supposed to be exposed to water. Do not bring a plastic part out of a freezing garage and immediately dunk it into a boiling pot of water. Thin, molded plastic pieces like interior trim or milk jugs might lose their shape if exposed to heat. Heat and moisture from boiling water might not be uniformly transferred through very thick plastic pieces. If you are at all concerned about the temperature of boiling water, then maybe instead try soaking the plastic piece in unheated water for a day or two. Don’t boil a greasy composite valve cover in your spouse’s favorite spaghetti kettle…
    90 Festy (Larry)--B6M (Matt D. modified B6 head), header, 5-speed, Capri XR2 front brakes, many other little mods
    09 Kia Rondo--a Festy on steroids!

    You can avoid reality, but you can't avoid the consequences of avoiding reality--Ayn Rand

    Disaster preparedness

    Tragedy and Hope.....Infowars.com.....The Drudge Report.....Founding Fathers.info

    Think for yourself.....question all authority.....re-evaluate everything you think you know. Red-pill yourself!


  • #2
    Nylon is the exception in plastics.
    It needs water in its structure and bulk structure to reach maximum strength.
    Bone dry nylon is weak and brittle, a little moisture when its molded and it becomes tuff stuff.
    Too much moisture during molding and it is weak crappy stuff.
    Most other polymers will be uneffected.
    FYI, I'm now offically a Senior R&D Engineer in a 5 Billion dollar plastics company!
    '93 Blue 5spd 230K(down for clutch and overall maintanence)
    '93 White B6 swap thanks to Skeeters Keeper
    '92 Aqua parts Car
    '93 Turquoise 5spd 137K
    '90 White LX Thanks to FB71

    "Your God of repentance will not save you.
    Your holy ghost will not save you.
    Your God plutonium will not save you.
    In fact...
    ...You will not be saved!"

    Prince of Darkness -1987

    Comment


    • #3
      Originally posted by Pu241 View Post
      FYI, I'm now offically a Senior R&D Engineer in a 5 Billion dollar plastics company!
      But can you do this?
      90 Festy (Larry)--B6M (Matt D. modified B6 head), header, 5-speed, Capri XR2 front brakes, many other little mods
      09 Kia Rondo--a Festy on steroids!

      You can avoid reality, but you can't avoid the consequences of avoiding reality--Ayn Rand

      Disaster preparedness

      Tragedy and Hope.....Infowars.com.....The Drudge Report.....Founding Fathers.info

      Think for yourself.....question all authority.....re-evaluate everything you think you know. Red-pill yourself!

      Comment


      • #4
        the gauntlet has been thrown down!
        Trees aren't kind to me...

        currently: 2 88Ls (Scrappy and Jersey), 88LX, 90L(Pepe), 91L, 91GL (Skippy) 93 GL Sport (the Mighty Favakk), 94 (Bruce) & 95 Aspire SEs, 97 Aspire (The Joker),
        94 Justy 4WD, 87 Fiero GT, plus 2 parts cars. That's my fleet.

        Comment


        • #5
          LOL!

          Hey, this wouldn't work for old, brittle wiring would it? Since that isn't nylon, I guess not?
          Contact me for information about Festiva Madness!
          Remember, FestYboy is inflatable , and Scitzz means crazy, YO!
          "Like I'm going to suggest we do the job right." ~Fecomatter May 28 2016.

          Comment


          • #6
            Originally posted by scitzz View Post
            LOL!

            Hey, this wouldn't work for old, brittle wiring would it? Since that isn't nylon, I guess not?
            Probably not, as old wiring tended to be vinyl, which I would soak in some of the stuff that supposed to renew vinyl.
            They have small amounts of plasticizer which should help, but getting enough into a wire coating to make a difference might be tough.
            Also, more recent wiring is likely polyethylene or copoly polypropylene which will not be affect at all.
            '93 Blue 5spd 230K(down for clutch and overall maintanence)
            '93 White B6 swap thanks to Skeeters Keeper
            '92 Aqua parts Car
            '93 Turquoise 5spd 137K
            '90 White LX Thanks to FB71

            "Your God of repentance will not save you.
            Your holy ghost will not save you.
            Your God plutonium will not save you.
            In fact...
            ...You will not be saved!"

            Prince of Darkness -1987

            Comment


            • #7
              im offically a senior garage door tech @ a one million dollar company:highly_amused: b/c im the oldest one there, is that the same thing as you john
              Never Hire a Boy to do a Man's Job!!

              Comment


              • #8
                Originally posted by kumalaba View Post
                im offically a senior garage door tech @ a one million dollar company:highly_amused: b/c im the oldest one there, is that the same thing as you john
                Your probably more valuable to your company than I'm to mine!
                '93 Blue 5spd 230K(down for clutch and overall maintanence)
                '93 White B6 swap thanks to Skeeters Keeper
                '92 Aqua parts Car
                '93 Turquoise 5spd 137K
                '90 White LX Thanks to FB71

                "Your God of repentance will not save you.
                Your holy ghost will not save you.
                Your God plutonium will not save you.
                In fact...
                ...You will not be saved!"

                Prince of Darkness -1987

                Comment


                • #9
                  i doubt that, did you get those homemade gaskets i sent you?
                  Never Hire a Boy to do a Man's Job!!

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Originally posted by TominMO View Post
                    I have heard of this, but I can't find it in the link above>
                    So you are enjoying the new TV show!
                    '93 Blue 5spd 230K(down for clutch and overall maintanence)
                    '93 White B6 swap thanks to Skeeters Keeper
                    '92 Aqua parts Car
                    '93 Turquoise 5spd 137K
                    '90 White LX Thanks to FB71

                    "Your God of repentance will not save you.
                    Your holy ghost will not save you.
                    Your God plutonium will not save you.
                    In fact...
                    ...You will not be saved!"

                    Prince of Darkness -1987

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Originally posted by kumalaba View Post
                      i doubt that, did you get those homemade gaskets i sent you?
                      I did and I'm working on see if I can make material here win sheet form thick enough that we can use it for tail light seals.
                      Think I have material that caqn be used behind the door, hatch, and gas door locks.
                      '93 Blue 5spd 230K(down for clutch and overall maintanence)
                      '93 White B6 swap thanks to Skeeters Keeper
                      '92 Aqua parts Car
                      '93 Turquoise 5spd 137K
                      '90 White LX Thanks to FB71

                      "Your God of repentance will not save you.
                      Your holy ghost will not save you.
                      Your God plutonium will not save you.
                      In fact...
                      ...You will not be saved!"

                      Prince of Darkness -1987

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        kool
                        Never Hire a Boy to do a Man's Job!!

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Originally posted by Pu241 View Post
                          So you are enjoying the new TV show!
                          Yes, thank you for the new addiction....
                          90 Festy (Larry)--B6M (Matt D. modified B6 head), header, 5-speed, Capri XR2 front brakes, many other little mods
                          09 Kia Rondo--a Festy on steroids!

                          You can avoid reality, but you can't avoid the consequences of avoiding reality--Ayn Rand

                          Disaster preparedness

                          Tragedy and Hope.....Infowars.com.....The Drudge Report.....Founding Fathers.info

                          Think for yourself.....question all authority.....re-evaluate everything you think you know. Red-pill yourself!

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            All my zip ties are old. And snap the second i use them. Can i just soak the whole tube of them like im about to prepare spaghetti and they will come back to life? Not that a tube of zipties are going to kill my monthly budget to replace but cmon you brought this up!
                            1993 GL 5 speed

                            It's a MazdaFordnKia thing, and you will understand!

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              ^ Sounds as cheap as I am haha.

                              Sorry, sorry. FRUGAL.
                              Last edited by Spike; 08-28-2013, 12:25 PM.
                              White '92 GL 5-speed BP, G series, Aspire/Rio swapped, "Nancy"
                              White '89 LX 5-speed, Aspire swapped, Weber carb
                              1988 LX 5-speed
                              ​​​1993 L 5-speed B8, E series, Aspire/Rio swapped

                              Gone:

                              1986 Chevrolet Sprint 1990 L Plus Auto

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