Penetrating Fluids

[BobbyFord]

Got this in an email. Couldn't figure out what section to put it in...

Subject: Penetrating Fluids Test
For those of us who do our own restoration work, here's some interesting comparisons on penetrating oils sent by a friend.
Happy knuckle busting !

Machinist's Workshop magazine actually tested penetrants for break out torque on rusted nuts. Significant results! They are below, as forwarded by an ex-student and professional machinist, Bud Baker.

They arranged a subjective test of all the popular penetrants with the control being the torque required to remove the nut from a "scientifically rusted" environment.

*Penetrating oil ..... Average load*
None ..................... 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 was a "home brew" mix of 50 - 50 automatic transmission fluid and acetone. Note the "home brew" was 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 about as good as "Kroil" for about 20% of the price.

[mikeconner1]

Does the acetone stay mixed well with the ATF? I'm guessing the acetone is what's penetrates and carries the ATF along for the ride so to speak, but I don't know. What sort of applicator do you use?

[BobbyFord]

Does the acetone stay mixed well with the ATF? I'm guessing the acetone is what's penetrates and carries the ATF along for the ride so to speak, but I don't know. What sort of applicator do you use?

Heck, I don't know. I know that the acetone does wander. You could prolly use anything to get it there, rag, Q-Tip, baster, etc.

[R.Smith]

Did they give a ratio for mixing the stuff?

I've also heard of people putting a quart of ATF in the engine, running it about 50 miles as an engine flush. Anybody ever hear of this?

What sucks is that I just bought a whole case of Kroil. I got a good deal on it but, now that good deal don't seem so good anymore.

[R.Smith]

Now, find a good recipe for cutting fluid and my quest will be complete.

I actually have some old machinists books circa 1900 that have several recipes for cutting fluid that can also be used as first aide for burns ect. I'd make those but I can't get my hands on any whale oil!

[Fordnatic]

I had good luck with PB Blaster after I tried a half dozen different brands. It was on an electric motor on an RV air conditioner unit. The bushings got sticky and the unit would not start without getting on the roof and giving it a spin with your hand. The blaster is the only thing that would penetrate enough to free up the motor.

[oldschoolrods]

This is my favorite penetrating oil, have had real good luck with it.

[Alvin in AZ]

Cool thread. :)

I've been using a combination of Liquid Wrench (diesel fuel + graphite)
and spray "carburetor/choke/heat-riser cleaner" for years. :) The first
time was when the bolt and U-nut had undercoating all over 'em. It
seemed like those two came apart better than usual. LOL :)

I mentioned it to the guys at a wrecking yard once and they swore by
straight antifreeze (glycol) in a squirt can. :) "Rust-Buster" from the
appliance parts store is glycol-based too and seems to be pretty good
stuff.

I only tried antifreeze a couple times but didn't think too much of it. :/
They were working with rusty stuff from back-east and I don't so "rust
belters" might find it more useful? :)

Liquid Wrench and PB Blaster work together pretty good. I haven't had
as much luck with straight Liquid Wrench as Bud did, too many times it
didn't get farther than a couple threads and quit. :/

-------------------------

Just in the last year or so, got to working on early 90's stuff and found
the sorry-assed bolts "glued in" with lock-tite like crap! :( Carb cleaner
and diesel fuel doesn't touch that stuff but the chlorinated brake cleaner
does "ok" or at least "better than nothin"? ;) Sometimes the bolt heads
are buggered up by the time the sucker's removed. One of Ford's better
ideas, I guess. ;) The pro-mechanic doesn't notice it with his pneumatic
tools since they heat the bolt's surface up quick. ??

Alvin in AZ

[hazelnut]

Thank you Bobby for the tip, tryed the ATF-Aceton mix out on some rusty bolts that havent wanted to move for about 2 weeks,ive PB blasted them put some heat on them and just didnt want to break loose so i tryed the ATF-Acetone mix out,worked great by applying with a Q-tip and letting sit for 24 hours.the nuts came off and the treads are in good condition,,,,good tip

[cep62]

I've also heard of people putting a quart of ATF in the engine, running it about 50 miles as an engine flush. Anybody ever hear of this?

Yes It's thin but still lubricates, and it has detergents that brake down the sludge gradually ,so it shouldn't send big clumps to the oil pump. On badly sludged engines you might want to do it more often.

[Fordnatic]

I put rebuilt heads on a 150000 mile 390 once. I wanted to clean out the inevitable crud that falls in on that type of job and also de-sludge (it was quite clean, but still). I put 5qts of diesel in and started and ran it at a fast idle until it was good and warm. I figured it wouldn't even pump up the lifters, but surprisingly oil pressure was near normal, with no clatter whatsoever. It was nice and black when I drained it out, seemed like it cleaned it pretty well.

[OldRedFord]

Always had good luck with Kano Kroil.

[randyvines]

my absolute best results has been with Mouse Milk. [www.mousemilk.com]
AeroKroil is a fairly close second.

[1971ford]

*Penetrating oil ..... Average load*
None ..................... 516 pounds
WD-40 .................. 238 pounds
PB Blaster ............. 214 pounds
Liquid Wrench ..... 127 pounds
Kano Kroil ............ 106 pounds
ATF-Acetone mix....53 pounds
.

516 pounds per square inch? That is A LOT. What the heck is that tight? Still a nifty test but just wondering when you would be tackling a bolt that needs 516 pounds per square inch of force.

[Fordnatic]

*Penetrating oil ..... Average load*
None ..................... 516 pounds
WD-40 .................. 238 pounds
PB Blaster ............. 214 pounds
Liquid Wrench ..... 127 pounds
Kano Kroil ............ 106 pounds
ATF-Acetone mix....53 pounds
.

516 pounds per square inch? That is A LOT. What the heck is that tight? Still a nifty test but just wondering when you would be tackling a bolt that needs 516 pounds per square inch of force.

He said the test was breaking loose a rusted nut. That could easily require that much torque. That's why the bolt often twists off instead of the nut coming loose when they are rusted tight like that.