Penetrating oil test

[Billy Golightly]

http://sterkel.org/papers/vintage/Testing_Penetrating_Oils.pdf


Really interesting results. Shows Kroil as being by far the best commercially, on the shelf available product. But also has a surprising result from a home-brew mix? :) Check it out. Watcha guys think?

[1BFC]

I've always had luck with PB blaster.....so, if these results are good, then a little PSF+Acetone will be what I try next time. Pretty large difference for sure.

The acetone is a fairly strong solvent so I can see how it would reduce the surface tension of the PSF and allow it to flow into small surface voids more easily.

Amazing how things make sense after you read about someone else doing it...

Thanks for the post on this Billy!

[jeswinehart]

I have not read the link yet but from my experience Kroil is tops IMO.
I have given a couple of cans to board members as gifts and both have said they have had amazing results with it.
I am flushing out a frozen up bottom end tomorrow and will be using a 50/50 mix of acetone and tranny fluid to fill up the innards to let soak for a week or two.

I will let you all know the results

john

[3wheelmecca]

+1 on that jes, I use that combo on a lot of stuff. Kroil is good for milling and drilling out stuff as well, I used to use it on stuff til I couldnt find it anymore. I use ENGAGE by Drummond American and Zep 45NC, they work great but are expensive. I use PB for stuck pistons and tapping.

[MonroeMike]

Another vote here for Kroil.

[code200k]

ill have to try that mix..

[jensenracing77]

i have used Kroil for many years and there is no comparison. makes PB blaster look bad. i know most people are sold on PB blaster but you need to try Kroil and see for yourself.

[blue27]

I use kroil, found nothing better, PB Blaster on normal stuff but when it gets ugly I go to the can of Kroil

[Mosh]

I have used quite a few different penetrants over the years on some rusty ass, I mean bad rusty cars.

Of all I have used hands down there is only 2 that really work, but I have yet to try Kroil cuz I never had to once I found this stuff.

GM heat valve lubricant, also made by Dodge.
http://www.merchant-automotive.com/heatvalvelubricant.aspx


This stuff is awesome. Back in the day when Carbs were still on engines, this stuff was made for the heat diverter valves on the old exhaust systems that had linkage always rusting up.
It is still used today for lubricating stuck EGR valve pintles.
Back when I was pulling alot of transmissions, as soon as the car was on the rack, I soaked the rusty exhuast studs down for a few hours and 9-10 times they came loose with little effort after soaking. The more you let it soak, the better it works.
It also works great for siezed caliper pins, rubber o-ring lubricants, and general lubricant on just about anything that requires cleaning rusty stuff.

PB Blaster, that stuff is only good for lubing door hinges and my ratchet heads.

[Billy Golightly]

While all of these commercially available products are good, did ya'll see how the home-brew atf-acetone mix did in comparison? :)

[Thorpe]

Wow... Kinda blew me away... Gotta mix up some atf-acetone and go find me some rusty crap to take apart...

[Vootie]

Very interesting, but what is PSF? Power steering fluid?

[3wheelmecca]

yeah. Ive used the ATF/ Acetone mix on a Honda XL cylinder that was rusted SHUT. It is running as of now and has great compression and power. Its pretty cheap too. Use +4 or Dex/Merc III, it works best.

[beets442]

In the steel mills we use Kroil all the time, that stuff works great.
I have a couple of Honda Trail 70's and one of the handle bar bolts was froze on. Sprayed some in the bar end and waited a couple of days and it came off like warm butter.
I'll have to try the ATF/ACT mix.
The Royal Purple Synthetic Lube spray works good too.http://www.royalpurple.com/protect-parts.html Beets

[Dirtcrasher]

I use KROIL myself........

Was it this site or another that stated that brake fluid was a fantastic penetrating oil?? I know I read it somewhere in the last few months because I was surprised.......

[Dammit!]

I'm wondering if the PSF/Acetone mix will hurt paint... Somebody try it and let us know. :D

[Vootie]

Acetone will certainly eat paint, I know from experience, lol. Didn't seem to hurt pc though.

[jeswinehart]

I think acetone is the stuff to remove finger nail polish ain't it ???
I have my project frozen up crank soaking. Piston rings being treated to Kroil.
this is that 75 dollar project 175 Yamaha I picked up last week.
I had to press the jug off the piston (after soaking with Kroil), worst case frozen up motor I have ever dealt with.
Hey, that acetone is sorta pricey ! 8.95 plus tax a quart.

I bet that GM product is VERY good too.

[Yamada]

Somebody told me water was just as good to free rusty nuts than penetrating oil... I'll have to try the home-brew mix!

[3wheelmecca]

the thing with water is that it takes forever, like a day or more. The ATF/acetone mix works faster than anything, especially when mixed with FIRE! propane for small stuff, oxygas for the real heavy stuff or the non precise stuff.

[Dirtcrasher]

I find Oxy/Acet to remove nearly anything........ But, sometimes you don't want the heat to take off paint and or coatings. Bt, usually when something is that seized, the rest of the "moving/sliding" parts are seized too...

Does ANYONE recall the brake fluid post?? or did I read that elsewhere??

Regardless, heat does the trick. It was 400$ for a complete set of braising/cutting/heating torches and right up there with the best $$ I ever spent!! Along with the MIG welder and 20 ton press :D

[SWIGIN]

The old boys over on the lathe site I go too all seem to mix there own out of ATF and acetone.

[3wheelmecca]

Yeah, my machinist at cididit.com (lonnie) uses it all the time. He says he has used more oxy-acet. heat since he found out. He also thinks Kroil is the greatest thing since sliced bread too.

[Woodsrider]

Does ANYONE recall the brake fluid post?? or did I read that elsewhere??



Is this what you are thinking of ? http://www.3wheeler.org/vb/showthread.php?t=39312&highlight=rust

[plastikosmd]

Saw the same test on a machinist site that I follow. Similar results. Diluted tranny fluid is cheap and turned out to be best. The downside is application. Spray cans are so easy. I keep a few oilcans charged and some pb for the underneath work

[Billy Golightly]

A few years ago I seen a place (I think it might have been Eastwood?) that sold a rechargeable aerosol can. You just filled it up with your contents, and then pressureized it with your air compresser. That'd be an ultra slick setup for this mixture.

[Jason Hall]

I like Zep 45 as a penetrating (Lubricant). But FREE ALL Is one of the best I have seen work on rust.

[3wheelmecca]

The bad thing with Zep is it seems to evaporate quicker. I like the older stuff when they used VYDAX instead of PTFE. Is free all still in business?? I will try that.
also Billy, ZEP makes a rechargable canister as well as Sure-Shot, they work great.