ATF / acetone penetrant question

[sberry]

Its difficult to test how they work as a penetrant but there is a difference in the products to some extent. I am always on the look out for cans, partially due to cost as a lot get damaged. I try the tech stuff from Wally world, 1.50 a small can, not good. We use as much for assembly as removal and it seems threads come back off hard, same for Break Away. I went to Liquid wrench which seems to have more lube, Kroil is good but the cans they now use are junk especially considering the cost. Right now its LW at under 2.50 a can. CRC stuff seems fine, a bit pricier but the can is good. WD40 is not as bad as some give it credit for. We used it in bulk back in the day, we mix a cup of ATF with it to the gallon, made it a bit more slippery.

 

[plinker]

too bad they didnt test penetro 90. thats good stuff

I use it too works well.


I also use Marvel Mystery Oil alot. For soaking rusted tools, parts, fogging engines,stuck small engines ete...

I have also mixed in some kroil and pentro with the MM oil, but I am not 100%sure of how well it works.

Might be worth mixing MM oil w/ acetone and testing that.

 

[volvo420coupe]

If none of the bolts snapped off during the test, they wouldn't meet my definition of "rusted".

Welcome to Michigan, if your lucky enough to have a job, you get to enjoy salt slush dripping all over you all winter long working on cars, and we get paid the same flat rate as California. (I'm outta here when the kids move out).

 

[Nealcrenshaw]

Alright i'm gonna give this home brew a try on some exhaust bolts i'm not what kind of container to use though.

 

[Mickey_D]

I have used the acetone/ATF mix before and it does work, but you have to be really careful with it. The flashpoint is very low which gives you a high risk of fire. Another problem with acetone is that it can be absorbed through skin (symptoms are not fatal, just possibly headache and barfing in high enough contact) and can actually serve as a transport agent, meaning that it could carry the ATF into you. ATF actually has a lot of things in it besides light oil so you substituting something like a food grade light mineral oil could be safer. As always wear chemical resistant gloves and glasses, eyes are great at absorbing chemicals.

That being said, I have had better luck with LPS KB-88 than even the acetone mix. Really works in and the MSDS is not too nasty. The only downside is that it stinks, and one small squirt pollutes the shop for a while. I use it a lot for old fixture pins that rust into aluminum fixtures from coolant and it is really good.

 

[GeorgiaHybrid]

Neal,

I just use a chemical safe pump sprayer bottle and have never had a problem with it. Just take normal precautions when using it (avoid very hot items, open flame and painted surfaces) and you will have good results. For painted areas, I use Liquid Wrench.

 

[Ed ke6bnl]

I kept mine mix in a 1 liter cola bottle till I needed it ED

 

[Tool Pants]

I used the mix recently to lubricate some ratchets that cannot be taken apart. I thought the acetone would met plastic, but no. The second pic is a plastic peanut butter jar. The other thing, since acetone evaporates quickly, I thought it would quickly evaporate out of the open container and I would be left with just ATF. But for some reason it does not. In my mind the purpose of the acetone is to deliver the ATF.

 

[Nealcrenshaw]

i'M THINKING ABOUT THESE REFILLABLE SPRAY BOTTLES.

 

[Nealcrenshaw]

Toolpants
What's your reviews on the mixture?

 

[krooser]

I heard rum and coke is pretty good at loosing things up...

 

[Tool Pants]

Or a cheap beer....

I used it on all my ratchets that could not be taken apart, which are mostly females, and did see an improvement.

The best result was the Cornwell gearless in the last 2 pictures. It is a female and you cannot take it apart. The mix got in there because when I turned the drive plug old black stuff seeped out. It has a better feeling action to it now. That is the advantage of having the acteone in the mix. It dissolves the old lubricant, and the ATF takes its place.