Classic cars forum & vehicle restoration.

[wristpin]

On the premise that it is never too late to learn what do forum members rate as a good "dismantling fluid" for freeing off seized threaded fastenings?
I've always liked Plus Gas in a can with a spout but only seem to see spray cans now. Holts used to do a "Graphited Penetrating Oil" but that seems to have disappeared, also seem to remember some thing called Rustola but haven't seen it for ages.
If the seized item an be immersed in a bucket of diesel it seems as good as anything but not always practicable!
Please don't suggest WD40 - useless,imo !!

[peter scott]

Coca Cola!

...and, it is a serious suggestion. I was skeptical at first too.

Peter
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[roverdriver]

A mix of ATF and acetone, about 50/50. The Acetone helps the ATF to penetrate, then it evaporates away. I usually mix only a small quantity on an 'as required' basis.

Both products easily sourced, but if you have trouble finding acetone, it is sold in small volumes as nail polish remover.
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[Phil - Nottingham]

PlusGas and def not WD40!
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Land Rover S2 & S3
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[Rick]

I do sometimes use WD40, but not in aerosol form, just neat using a pump sprayer and it can work although heat (where applicable) helps with most things, as does diesel.

RJ
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[Bitumen Boy]

I use plusgas, you can still get the liquid form via fleabay if you can't find it in the shops locally - looks like I will have to go down that route now Richards in Abergavenny has closed down

Also to be found on fleabay are pump trigger spray bottles to dispense it, easy to get it just where you want it and it makes for very economical application

I do still use a fair bit of WD40 mind you, not much good for dismantling purposes but very useful as a water dispersant and light lubricant where nothing else will get in.

[colwyn500]

I find that WD 40 and similar work well as long as you can get some sort of movement, however small, before applying the fluid. This might simply be a small amount of turn on a spanner or expansion and contraction after heating. Only then can the fluid, whatever it may be, really get where its needed.

WD 40 is perfectly good or can anyone explain why it's not?

[ajlelectronics]

[clan chieftain]

I use D Block.
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[Rick]

I remember a friend of mine used to swear by Duck Oil.

RJ
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[colwyn500]

I take the point about WD40; the answer being in the name; (Water Displacement for those who don't know.)
Even so, I find it very useful and easy to obtain.
Prevention being better than cure, I almost invariably used copper grease whenever I re-assemble any fixings.[/b]

[Kelsham]

I am afraid I am a cynic. I have never had a penetrating fluid that would unlock a seized fastener.

Once moved they will aid the remova,l by lubricating the thread. The problem is that most fluids have no way of actually soaking through stubborn rust.

On studs that are seized in say a thermostat housing, holding the housing on.
I would loosen the nuts and tap the side of them with a drift and apply Plus Gas. This gives it a chance to get down the side of the stud.

Trying it on a seized cylinder head, whether Standard 12 pre war or an XJ-S vee twelve only gives the illusion that you are making progress.

Try heat as previously advised, I have had poor results from the new offerings that freeze the fastenings.

WD 40 is used because of marketing and availability. It does have some small lubrication properties that help remove the fastener once it moves.

Regards Kels

[colwyn500]

Completely agree Kels. When I worked in a council workshop servicing large commercial mowing equipment I was surprised to
see how hot they meant by "hot" when removing the horribly seized fixings you can get on mowers. Absolutely as white hot with the acetylene as they could (most components were cast-iron). Nuts simply wound off after that treatment. They also taught me the trick of a thick bead of weld put on the inner shell of a bearing to crack its grip on the housing.

[NONORT]

I get most things undone by the judicious use of a hammer and punch. hit the end of the bolt end on never sideways! Thermostat housings need a slightly different approach I use a hollow punch old box spanners are brilliant for this. Find one that slips over the stud but does not fit the nut give it a couple of thwacks with the biggest hammer you have. This stretches the thread a minute amount a squirt of release oil 'always found diesel pretty good'. Find a spanner that fits and away you go. try screwing up the nut a fraction before unscrewing. Unscrew half a turn then screw up a quarter of a turn repeat until the nut comes off this method has saved many a bolt and stud.

[geonot]

I have used this;

[img][/img]

Holts freeze and release.

To strip to a bare shell this;

[img][/img]

Most of the components looked like this!

[img][/img]

And ended up like this

[img][/img]

[img][/img]

Only had one nut on the whole strip down that I was unable to release and required to be split.