Best Rust Buster

[4D2Ken]

I've done some reading on the net about what the most potent penetrating fluid is, and ran across this study that I thought I'd share. Sorry if this has already been posted but it might help someone out. Be aware that acetone will lift/destroy any paint it comes in contact with, but with heavily rusted parts that's probably the last or your worries.

Freeing frozen fasteners

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For all of you that are mechanically inclined and dealing with frozen fasteners:

Penetrating Oils Compared

Machinist's Workshop magazine actually tested penetrants for break
out torque on rusted nuts. Significant results! 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 load
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 Automatic Transmission fluid (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. A local machinist group mixed up a batch and all now
use it with equally good results. Note also that "Liquid Wrench" is about as

good as "Kroil" for about 20% of the price.

[Mike Meyer]

The same results were found here in Australia, I use a 50:50 ATF / Diesel mix myself for general "unfreezing" of rusted parts and have had good results, though I did buy a gallon of Acetone ($US26) a few months back for use on those really nasty rusted bits.
regards
Mike

[MARCOTEN]

for freeing up the pistons of a rusted engine i used 25 % brake oil and 75 % kerosine wich was going good!! i lefted in the engine a few months before attempting to break it loose.

[drujinin]

At the Gas&Steamshow is a salesman selling "Beet" juice as a rust buster!
I remember reading his blurb a few years ago.
I'm thinking its acidic??

[SpragueM]

In mixing the Acetone and ATF do you have problems with it separating? I tried it and within a few minutes it was no longer a single solution.


Matt

[Mike Meyer]

In mixing the Acetone and ATF do you have problems with it separating? I tried it and within a few minutes it was no longer a single solution.


Matt

Hi Matt, That is what I found too and was disappointed, it was odd how the two liquids seemed to almost separate from each other very quickly, so I had to keep shaking my squirter bottle to keep them combined, in the meantime I've continued with my old regular 50:50 diesel / ATF mix which I've found very good and stores in my 5 gallon container indefinitely without problems.
regards
Mike

[drujinin]

Isn't Acetone a Petroleum based product?

I haven't used Liquiid Wrench in years.
If it is still the same old formula, it always did work good.

Just like the old "Hoppes" gun cleaning solvent, they changed that and it doesn't smell the same but seems to work just as well.

[ol Grump]

My favorite "loose juice" is a 50-50 mix of Coleman Fuel (white gas) and two stroke oil. Besides using it as a loose juice, it also works well for the blade on both my D4 and 12E grader. After use, I spray it on and lo and behold, even after a year of sitting out in the weather, there's no rust on either. Works better than PAM for that use.

I tried the acetone-ATF mix and didn't much care for it. Also, bear in mind there are several grades of acetone. A few years ago I used the cheaper grade of acetone to wipe something down before painting and the paint would flake off. Then I got the higher pricier grade of acetone and tried again. That time everything worked fine.

[4D2Ken]

Yeah, I've read that the acetone/atf mix will separate quickly, but you can stick a wire with a loop on the end in a drill and make a stirrer before use. Some of the other "witches brews" mentioned are worth investigating since they weren't in the test I referenced. I thought it was interesting that WD-40 was the worst performing yet seems to be in every garage I have been in.

[Ray54]

Some one with tractors of another color had a test going a year back that had many brands I was not familiar with but all from the US,that had these results in the preliminary round.I missed the final conclusion.
Have had some success with the Liquid Wrench ,then WD40 was all the rage and all most places had,then the Liquid Wrench with Teflon which is one of the slipperiest things around,but doesn't say Teflon any more. Threading old rusty pipe and had to have a cheater no matter how much cutting oil I used.Sprayed on a good shot of Liquid Wrench with Teflon and no need of the cheater to do the rest. Don't know how good it is for the cutters but have been using it ever since.
Ray