Best lube for Penetration

F

FlaBoy

Just a good ole boy...
Joined
Jun 6, 2003
I'm talking about penetrating lube, as in breaking loose corroded nuts/bolts/press-fit connections etc. Get your mind out of the gutter:biggrin:

Machinist's Workshop magazine recently tested penetrants for break out torque on rusted nuts.

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 torque*
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. I have heard from those with first hand experience after reading the article that it really is impressive stuff. Note also that "Liquid Wrench" is about as good as "Kroil" for about 20% of the price. (Aero-Kroil is my personal favorite, nice to see it near the top, re-affirms my willingness to pay so much for it).

As soon as I get home, I'm mixing up a batch of home-brew and see for myself, it certainly is worth a try.

I just thought you guys might appreciate the info. Enjoy!

Oh, and in the interests of 'academic honesty' I cut and pasted portions of the text from my original source.
 
I use Mobil1 10W30. Works like a charm. I also do this 24 hours before hand.
 
Thats interesting.. looks like the homebrew uses acetone as a carrier for the ATF. I might have to try some of that for bicycle chain lube.
 
Good Info!

I've always been a fan of PB Blaster, but might try the ATF homebrew next time.
 
x2 on the PB Blaster. i think that stuff is great! might have to try the home brew though
 
For getting my rusty nuts off I prefer......Nah, I'm not going to go there. :D


What is it today. First was the thread about, "Puck port" and now, "Best lube for penetration".




The home brew sounds interesting. I might have to remember that. I could impress a bunch of my friends even more with my vast mechanical knowledge. :cool:
 
I use a product called Zep 70 which is a soy based "green" product. It works really well! This is for car based use anyway.... ;)
 
Turbo F-bird said:
I use a product called Zep 70 which is a soy based "green" product. It works really well! This is for car based use anyway.... ;)
Click to expand...

You own a Buick.. dont even front like youre interestedin "green" products.
 
I have used PB Blaster and its definitely pretty good stuff... my personal preference though is Kano Labs Aero-Kroil.... puts PB Blaster to shame, it really really works well. I don't know if its sold in any retail-type stores (my dad usually 'appropriates' a can from his shop at work when I ask him to) but once or twice I've had to order it online, and it can be a bit pricey, but damn it works. I might have to try out this liquid wrench stuff, i've seen it at the stores, and its pretty cheap, apparently works pretty good.

Having said that, I am almost excited about getting a stuck bolt, so I can try out the ATF/Acetone mix... that'd be awesome if it actually works. Though I'll probably keep a can of Kroil around for times when the aerosol/long-red-tube aspect could come in handy.
 
It works!!!!!

A friend sent me the article about 6 months ago. I purchased a nice low mileage 87 Regal T this spring and got to try the "Homebrew" on the new ride.

The previous owner had an old school fender dump welded to a stock turbo elbow. I wanted to eliminate this ugly thing and replace it with a stock elbow. The downpipe bolts were im-moveable-----frozen solid. So I broke out the blue flame wrench and heated the elbow red hot. This has always worked in the past for me. I got maybe a 1/4 turn before the bolt felt like it would snap.........and I hate broken bolts, so I stopped.

A couple days later, I was in the garage and spotted my can of Acetone and remembered the article. So I mixed a small 50/50 batch and soaked the two DP bolts. I waited 20 minutes or so and soaked them again. Both bolts came out with out breaking!!! It also worked just as well on the elbow to turbine housing bolts.

I am sold!! ATF and Acetone works!!
 
Someone had to do it....

You KNOW its what you was thinking.


51JWEyuHehL._SL500_AA280_.jpg
 
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