Penetrating oils - revisited again.....

[kebo]

I copied this from another forum, hope that's not a problem. I know this subject has been brought up a few times, but thought some might appreciate it again.


"Machinist's Workshop" recently published information on various penetrating
oils. The magazine reports they tested these products for "break out torque"
on rusted nuts and bolts.

A subjective test was made of popular penetrating oils, with the unit of merit
being the torque required to remove the nut from a "scientifically rusted"
bolt.

Average torque load to loosen nut:

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

Note also that Liquid Wrench is almost as good as Kroil for 20% of the price.
ATF/Acetone mix is best, but you can also use ATF and lacquer thinner in a
50/50 mix.

ATF = Any type of Automatic Transmission Fluid

[MF 1532]

I copied this from another forum, hope that's not a problem. I know this subject has been brought up a few times, but thought some might appreciate it again.


"Machinist's Workshop" recently published information on various penetrating
oils. The magazine reports they tested these products for "break out torque"
on rusted nuts and bolts.

A subjective test was made of popular penetrating oils, with the unit of merit
being the torque required to remove the nut from a "scientifically rusted"
bolt.

Average torque load to loosen nut:

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

Note also that Liquid Wrench is almost as good as Kroil for 20% of the price.
ATF/Acetone mix is best, but you can also use ATF and lacquer thinner in a
50/50 mix.

ATF = Any type of Automatic Transmission Fluid

I have seen a chart like this before , only it even listed water as a lube . It fell in between nothing and WD-40 .

[murphy1244]

I like Kroil, I used it as a dunk oil for two Harley transmissions that looked like they came from the bottom of a lake. One week soaking and every darn bolt broke right free.

[Don87]

I'll be darned, I've had better luck with PB Blaster than Liquid Wrench, but that test shows otherwise.

[dkhntr04]

I used the 50/50 ATF/Acetone mix for the first time today. I had a 2" diameter pivot that was seized in place. The same joint on the other side of this machine froze up a few years back and required lots of heat, pounding, a 6' pry bar, and a hydraulic spreader to get free.

I soaked the joint a few times and waited 2 hours. I then started working it with the strap-winch that turns it, and using jacks and hammers to push it around. In less than 30 minutes the joint was totally free.

I am sold. That saved me 12 hours of labor-intensive work. Thanks for posting it!

[don45640]

I'm sure PB BLAStER folks would challenge this study if they knew about it.Many times studies are faulty or just slanted. don-ohio (:^)

[2458n]

AS I have tried everything on the list in the past, I look forward to trying the ATF mixture. One that I would have rated higher was PB Blaster. Someplace along the line I was told to use household bleach for stuck piston rings. This does NOT work for what I was doing.

[gwdixon]

Add kerosene or mineral spirits to the acetone/ATF mix (1/3 of each) and you get Ed's Red. It is used for cleaning gun bores and general gunsmithing. Shooters swear by it and it is MUCH cheaper than Hoppe's, Shooter's Choice, or other similar gun products.

Oh, and the kero/mineral spirits will allow the ATF and acetone to stay in solution rather than separating out.

[Don87]

Add kerosene or mineral spirits to the acetone/ATF mix (1/3 of each) and you get Ed's Red. It is used for cleaning gun bores and general gunsmithing. Shooters swear by it and it is MUCH cheaper than Hoppe's, Shooter's Choice, or other similar gun products.

Oh, and the kero/mineral spirits will allow the ATF and acetone to stay in solution rather than separating out.

Old timers around here always swore by ATF and Kerosene mixture.

[herringchoker]

I've been using the ATF/acetone mix for the past 6 months or so. It's the best I've found yet....and the cheapest.