Homemade Penetrating Oil tests

[bobabuee]

i found this on www.homadetools.com thought very interesting.

Homemade Penetrating Oil

For All of you Mechanic's and Self doer’s out there.
Penetrating Oil - interesting
This was in one of the Military Vehicle Club newsletters

Here is an interesting finding on Penetrating Oils
Recently “Machinist Workshop Magazine” did a test on penetrating oils. Using nuts and
bolts that they ‘scientifically rusted’ to a uniform degree by soaking in salt water, they then
tested the break-out torque required to loosen the nuts. They treated the nuts with a variety
of penetrants and measured the torque required to loosen them.
This is what they came up with:
Nothing: 516 lbs
WD-40: 238 lbs;
PB Blaster: 214 lbs;
Liquid Wrench: 127 lbs,
Kano Kroil: 106 lbs
(ATF)/Acetone mix (50/50): 50 lbs.

This last “shop brew” of 50% automatic transmission fluid and 50% acetone appears to beat
out the commercially prepared products costing far more.

NOTE: I can't personally vouch for the results, 'cause I haven't read the magazine or tried it yet.

 

[AV tinker er]

This would have saved so many knuckles in the past….

Thanks for the info!

 

[ronnyg801]

Hrm, I think I will put some in an aerosol can tomorrow and see how that works

 

[flippin]

Thanks for sharing!!

 

[Lippyp]

Might have to mix some up myself, I happen to have a litre of acetone that we bought to take off some new kind of nail polish from the wifes fingernails! Just need to find the right container to store it in.

 

[NewShockerGuy]

I enjoy Kroil... ever since I started using it I have been nothing but pleased with it! I like it much better than PB blaster.

-Nigel

 

[DonnyT]

Wonder if it works??

 

[49tandc]

The Acetone/ATF mix works well. We use it a lot & call it "Pimp Juice' because of the color.

49T&C

 

[DonnyT]

The Acetone/ATF mix works well. We use it a lot & call it "Pimp Juice' because of the color.

49T&C

Good to know!!

 

[Wingnut65]

Yes, the home brew (Acetone/ATF) works well.

From that test report OP posted, I ended up ordering some Kroil and look forward to using it. I have been less impressed recently with WD-40 and PB Blaster has let me down recently as well. I hope Kroil lives up to it's reputation.

 

[madosta]

X2 for Kroil. My buddy used to be an aviation mechanic and brought me a gallon of this stuff. Worked wonders, plus it smells decent.

 

[Gary S]

The acetone/ATF works better for me than any of the expensive commercial stuff.

I've always had poor results with commercial penetrating oils. Last year, I decided to try the Acetone/ATF mix when I had to replace a master cylinder and slave cylinders on a 42 year old car that had never been apart. I mixed the acetone and ATF and put it in one of my refillable spray cans. I sprayed it onto all the fittings and waited until the next day. Every fitting came apart with almost no effort. That was a first for me. Usually, working on old rusted parts like this resulted in broken lines and rounded off fittings when I used commercial penetrating oils. To be honest, the commercial mix like Liquid Wrench and PB Blaster worked no better for me than WD40.
The Acetone/ATF works far better for me.

 

[lead_foot]

An old time hot rodder I used to work with told me about the atf/acetone trick a few years back. Also heating up the fastener and putting candle wax on it, the heat will draw melted wax inside. Both methods work very well.

 

[MrC1953]

heres a trick, when you run out of co2/propellent in a spray can ( starting fluid or lube ), slam the can against a rounded object denting the side of the can, this will compress the contents thus raising the pressure in the can and will allow you to get 2 or 3 more good sprays out of the can. How much spray have you thrown away?

WARNING do not punchure the can, just dent it!

Godspeed
MrC.

 

[Free Willie]

Dextron or type F???

 

[fordbroncodave]

molassess and water is a good one. its very cheap, 5 gallons of molassess is like $30 and ratioed to water

 

[fordbroncodave]

Dextron or type F???

probably type f, nobody uses that **** anymore lol. can be had cheaper since nobody wants to sell it and its taking up store space

 

[Train]

I started using the 50/50 recipe and it works great. Like Gary said, try to put it on and leave it a day or so. The only problem I had is when I put it in a cheap spray bottle, it eats the seals, so I just use a plastic oil can with a spout. Kind of like a 3 in 1 oil can. Also, it separates, so if it's been sitting at all, shake it up first.

 

[Goobzilla]

We used Wintergreen Oil back in my Navy days I have no idea what it costs though. I usually just get a couple cans of Aero Kroil whenever they run a mail order special on their website.

 

[Gary S]

Dextron or type F???

I use synthetic.

 

[Falcon67]

probably type f, nobody uses that **** anymore lol. can be had cheaper since nobody wants to sell it and its taking up store space

I use nothing but Type F in my race transmissions. It also works well as a surface cleaner for machined surfaces.

Cylinder cleaned with WD40:

Same cylinder wiped again with Type F:

 

[Davefr]

Ed's Red:

Equal parts of Acetone, ATF, Kerosene and mineral spirits

 

[quick60]

Its homemadetools.net not .com I always get that mixed up as well.

Good stuff thanks!!!! I just bought a 67 GMC 3/4 ton that is quite corroded underneath and this will help a lot.

 

[BigGMC]

I use nothing but Type F in my race transmissions. It also works well as a surface cleaner for machined surfaces.

Cylinder cleaned with WD40:

Same cylinder wiped again with Type F:

Wow look at all the blood it cleaned off

 

[Strouty]

I use nothing but Type F in my race transmissions. It also works well as a surface cleaner for machined surfaces.

Cylinder cleaned with WD40:

Same cylinder wiped again with Type F:

What am I missing, I don't see much on the first and I see the ATF on the second. So what were you trying to show?

 

[Dan in Pasadena]

Are you guys using the 50/50 putting it in a regular manual trigger pump bottle or an old fashioned metal oil can?

 

[DonnyT]

What am I missing, I don't see much on the first and I see the ATF on the second. So what were you trying to show?

I thought it was me lol.

 

[madosta]

I thought it was me lol.

It looks like there is some dark spots (dirt I assume) on the red rag vs the first towel.

 

[SGKent]

I'll have to try the 50 50 mix. What concerns me is that if the nut has shared rust with the bolt then they are as one and there is nothing in the 50 50 mix that will quickly convert the rust. Liquid Wrench and some other penetrating oils have phosphoric acid in them which converts the rust to a more stable form which reduces the rust particle size. If you only need lubrication then I would think 50 50 would work well. I can see that given time the 50 50 might cause the rust to convert like sealing a cast iron pan with oil does but it would be a much slower process than phosphoric acid.

 

[383 240z]

I thought it was me lol.

It looks like there is some dark spots (dirt I assume) on the red rag vs the first towel.

Those small dark spots are lost compression, That amount of dirt on a fresh machined bore, will hurt a fresh set of rings that are trying to seat to the bore. If your building race engines, that is the difference between a winner and a loser. Keith

 

[DonnyT]

Those small dark spots are lost compression, That amount of dirt on a fresh machined bore, will hurt a fresh set of rings that are trying to seat to the bore. If your building race engines, that is the difference between a winner and a loser. Keith

I see the small spots now thanks. I do have to disagree though on rings not seating because of the amount of dirt on that particular paper towel.

 

[Gary S]

Are you guys using the 50/50 putting it in a regular manual trigger pump bottle or an old fashioned metal oil can?

I use a rechargeable aerosol can. Pump it up to 90 psi with your air compressor and go.

$10 at Menards.
http://www.menards.com/main/tools-h.../reusable-spray-canister/p-1846752-c-9076.htm

 

[cincinnati_kid]

Think it matters if it is used ATF? I have a bunch of it siting around after a trans flush.

 

[JMcFly]

I need to try some AeroKroil or the aceton/atf mix and see if I can get it to loosen a stuck glowplug I have..

acetone and ATF do not like to stay mixed so you have to shake it a bit.

 

[WWIIjeep]

acetone and ATF do not like to stay mixed so you have to shake it a bit.

And the acetone will evaporate, changing the ratio, so either mix in small quantities for the job at hand, or use a sealed container like the rechargeable aerosol spray can mentioned upthread.

Lacquer thinner, which is often mostly acetone, depending on brand, also works with ATF, and kerosene-ATF mixes are another old home made remedy for stuck or seized parts.

This is nothing new. That test report has been making its way around the internet for 3 or 4 years. The original test was actually done with power steering fluid, not with ATF. Probably not much difference between the two for this kind of use.

We used Wintergreen Oil back in my Navy days I have no idea what it costs though.

Yeah, the railroad industry and the Navy both liked wintergreen oil, and it works well, but it stinks to high Heaven, worse than the stink of Kroil or PB Blaster. Maybe some people like it, or at least tolerate the stink, but all 3 of them make me want to puke.

 

[retDAC]

I use nothing but Type F in my race transmissions. It also works well as a surface cleaner for machined surfaces. ...

I remember reading around 1970 a warning not to use Type F in any trans other than Ford because it has "certain friction properties" that will cause rough shifting in other makes.

Maybe these additives act as a mild abrasive?

 

[383 240z]

I remember reading around 1970 a warning not to use Type F in any trans other than Ford because it has "certain friction properties" that will cause rough shifting in other makes.

Maybe these additives act as a mild abrasive?

Nope they are friction modifiers, makes the oil more or less slick. Cant remember what way it was, don't play with Fords much. Keith

 

[customgtp]

Thats a great test! I may have to try it. Wisconsin/midwest cars will be test subjects everyday! Ill post my results when I try it next week

 

[creativecars]

That's just BS... I tried that and my wife hated the taste...

 

[GeorgiaHybrid]

probably type f, nobody uses that **** anymore lol. can be had cheaper since nobody wants to sell it and its taking up store space

I still use factory fill in my Fairlane which happens to be type "F"....