MG-Cars.com
MG MGA WD-40 uses BBS discussion at MG-Cars.net
MG-Cars.net
Welcome to our resource for MG Car Information.
Recommendations
Parts
MG parts spares and accessories are available for MG T Series (TA, MG TB, MG TC, MG TD, MG TF), Magnette, MGA, Twin cam, MGB, MGBGT, MGC, MGC GT, MG Midget, Sprite and other MG models from British car spares company LBCarCo.
|
|
MG MGA - WD-40 uses
| since this topic comes up occasionally on this BB, I thought you might find this interesting: http://www.snopes.com/inboxer/household/wd-40.asp Cheers! Joe |
| Joe Cook |
| WD 40 should be avoided like the plegue for lubricating intricate parts as it becomes sticky after it dries out and will cause more problems than it cures. At one time, I repaired old clocks for people and had one woman who would bring clocks to me that she had "fixed" by spraying WD 40 on them. Of course after time, everything in the movement became glued together and the clocks reeked of WD 40. I finally refused to do any of her clocks. I didn't see if Penetrating fluid was listed as one of the uses of WD 40, but if so, it is way down on the list of effective penetrants. As the Snopes article stated, there are varied uses for many household items, but the best results come from products that are designed for a specific use - for WD 40, that specific use is preserving sheat metal. Cheers - Dave |
| David DuBois |
| Quite right Dave it is an excellent rust preventative - I use it on my bumpers and doors hinges - cheers Cam |
| Cam Cunningham |
| JOE, Great info,I was trying to remove 40 yrs of under coating from my MGA.Someone said to use WD-40,it worked great! John G |
| John Gordon |
| You are quite right WD40 is no lubricant. Years ago we analysed it - all it is, is white spirit and lanolin. Lanolin of course is/was typically used to protect supplies of sheet steel from corrosion and repelling water. In WD40 the white spirit acts as a nice penetrative solvent, evaporates and eventually leaves the lanolin to do its protection job. This lanolin coating would be OK to protect and lubricate say heavy slow moving things like door hinges and double glazing mechanisms, but certainly not clocks! Pete |
| Pete Tipping |
| I am in the locksmithing business and we caution our customers against using WD40 as a lubricant. Id does a good job of freeing things up (and removing stickers from glass etc) but it doesn't leave much behind in the way of lubricant. I do use it to hose the filth out of old mortise locks prior to using a proper lubricant. For lubrication I prefer a product called "Tri-Flow" which leaves a teflon film behind and in my experience works well on locks, guns, and old British cars. Cheers, Rich |
| Rich McKIe |
| Interesting that Rich, as I always thought it was a lubricant as well - will have to rethink my winter hinge lubrication items and use a teflon based spray - cheers Cam |
| Cam Cunningham |
| There use to be stories of the DANGER of using WD-40, due to the nature of it's propellant substance. I seem to have read that they use propane as the propellant charge and this results in the large danger label on the can. I also recall reading horror stories of people being burnt while using WD-40 next to open flames or high heat sources. I don't know if these claims are true or not so I bow to the experts. Anybody got the real answer? Gordon |
| Gordon Harrison |
| LPS 1 also works well as a lubricant in locks and such. Dries to a non-sticky lubricating film. FWIW Larry |
| Larry Hallanger |
| A very good lubricant sold at marine stores is McLube. We use it on the hull, sails turnbuckles and running rigging on our sailboat. Unlike some other lubricants (tri-flow and WD-40) it does not attract dirt when it dries. look here: http://www.mclube.com/frames/sailkote/index.html Mark |
| M Gannon |
| As a former so-called mechanic, at our garage we used HHS-2000 from Wurth for hinges, locks, linkages, etc. Worked well and didn't evaporate. Wish I could get my hands on some here! |
| Tommy |
| While a little thicker a good penetrating lube is motorcycle chain lube in the spray cans. |
| John H |
| I have been following this thread with great interest. I went down to our local racing bicycle shop this afternoon to investigate the dry teflon based lubricants mentioned above. The shop owner (a sports cyclist) did not shout its praises as much as I was expecting, stating that: "..it dries out and I have to relubricate every time I take the bike out...". Is this likely to be just ignorance on his part, in not understanding how the lubricant works? I bought a can anyway, and am now looking for things to spray! Steve |
| Steve Gyles |
| I don't think anybody read my thread above... Flammability was mentioned... Most aerosols are propelled by mixtures of propane and butane, hence warnings of flammability. Varying the ratio of these gases gives a range of pressures for different product applications. In this case as the product contains white spirit that just happens to be inflammable too! If you want to see how inflammable aerosols are. Go outside and direct the spray, WELL AWAY FROM ANYTHING OR ANYBODY, over a lighted match. That'll brighten up your day! Pete |
| Pete Tipping |
| When we were young and daft (no longer young) we thought WD40 "flamethrowers" were just the thing for brightening up the workshop! I'm interested by the fact that the initial list compiler didn't react to the fact that WD40 apparently gives floors that "just-waxed" sheen without making them slippery, yet gives a super fast slide for the children! The packaging has changed quite a bit over the years. On the latest can I bought it claims that it: Stops squeaks Drives out moisture Cleans and protects Loosens rusted parts Frees sticky mechanisms and Made in USA I'm seem to recall that it used to say "lubricates" and "penetrates" on the old cans, but maybe that's just my poor memory. Anyway in the article WD40 manufacturer customer services remove half of the claims. Steve, if you have a balcony go and spray that. Interesting to see if it's more attractive to pigeons, also if it is effective the pigeons should just slide off anyway! |
| Neil McGurk |
| Steve, The Tri-Flow that I mentioned is not a "dry" telon lubricant but a wet teflon lubricant that has excellent penetrating abilities while leaving a durable lubricant film behind. I do use dry lubricants by Bostik, Dry-cote and Top-cote as lubricants for cutting tools and machine tool surfaces but find they don't have the staying power and resistance to moisture that is needed for mechanical lubrication. I am going to go by our local marine hardware store to see if they have Mclube...sounds like a good product. I may even super-size it! Rich |
| Rich McKIe |
| I routinely use a lightweight oil for routine around the house jobs. Called 3-In-One, it is probably the most common oil in the UK for this type of work. I also use it in my SU dashpots. In our local car shop this afternoon I noticed a new type 3-In-One with PTFE. What is PFTE? Incidently, just noticed that it is made by the WD-40 Company. Steve |
| Steve Gyles |
| You spelled it wrong. PTFE = Polytetrafluoroethylene, commonly known as TeflonŽ. |
| Barney Gaylord |
| Graphite in alcohol works wonders for locks. If all you use for lubricant is WD 40, you may wish you hadn't. I seem to recall from my Navy days that penetrating oils have a slight acid compound to help break free the rust, but may not have enough lubricant to properly lube the components after the rust is broken. I imagine that this would apply with PB blaster, Liquid Wrench, and others. You have to lubricate after the parts are freed up. Kroil is great fro freeing up rusted materials. Also, you have to be careful with lubricants on cutting surfaces. The cutting bits attain quite a high temperature, and some fluids will vaporize at temperatures, including teflon, which are hazardous to your health in vapor form. |
| mike parker |
| Mike, The cutting bit lubricants from Bostik are specifically made for that purpose and do a very good job safely. They reduce friction considerably and prolong the life of cutting tools. They also don't contaminate the material you are working on. I don't use powdered graphite in locks as the stuff makes one heck of a mess-customers don't like that. One of the lock compant reps gave me some powdered teflon lubricant. It is a very fine white powder and she bagged some from the production facility. I got nervous carrying it around in the truck. I had visions of being stopped by the Police and having to explain what the white powder in the baggie was. Like they would have believed me! Cheers, Rich |
| Rich McKIe |
| I have just been using WD-40 to clean up the wife's bicycle wheels. Brilliant. It removed all the rust spots with far less effort than specialist rust removal wadding (Brasso over here). I just hope you are all correct about it having poor lubrication qualities or else she will be over the wall next time she tries to stop!! Steve |
| Steve Gyles |
| Steve - also use it on bike rims as well as car bumpers with similar rust removing properties - but I always clean the stuff off the braking part of the bike wheel rim - just in case of the over the wall effect! Cheers Cam |
| Cam Cunningham |
| I stopped by West Marine on Saturday and picked up a can of the McLube Sailcote lubricant. I recently acquired a non-MGA used vehicle (a '98 Cherokee) and on my list of things to do on the truck was to clean the mess the PO (a neighbor lady) had made by apraying the door hinges for years with WD40. I spent several fun hours working on all four doors with a toothbrush, mineral spirits and Simple Green, then applied the McLube. It did the job. Thanks for the tip, Mark. |
| Frank Nocera |
| Interesting info on WD40 from an unknown source just received. (Sorry its a bit long...) The product began from a search for a rust preventative solvent and degreaser to protect missile parts. WD-40 was created in 1953 by technicians at the San Diego Rocket Chemical Co. Its name comes from the project that was to find a "water displacement" compound. They were successful with the fortieth formulation, thus WD-40. The Corvair Company bought it in bulk to protect their atlas missile parts. The workers were so pleased with the product, they began smuggling (also known as "shrinkage") it out to use at home. The executives decided there might be a consumer market for it and put it in aerosol cans. The rest, as they say, is history. Here are some of the uses: Protects silver from tarnishing. Cleans and lubricates guitar strings. Gives floors that 'just-waxed' sheen without making it slippery. Keeps flies off cows. Restores and cleans chalkboards. Removes lipstick stains. Loosens stubborn zippers. Untangles jewellery chains. Removes stains from stainless steel sinks. Removes dirt and grime from the barbecue grill. Keeps ceramic/terra cotta garden pots from oxidizing. Removes tomato stains from clothing. Keeps glass shower doors free of water spots. Camouflages scratches in ceramic and marble floors. Keeps scissors working smoothly. Lubricates noisy door hinges on vehicles and doors in homes. Gives a children's play gym slide a shine for a super fast slide. Lubricates gear shift and mower deck lever for ease of handling on riding mowers. Rids kids rocking chairs and swings of squeaky noises. Lubricates tracks in sticking home windows and makes them easier to open. Spraying an umbrella stem makes it easier to open and close. Restores and cleans padded leather dashboards in vehicles, as well as vinyl bumpers. Restores and cleans roof racks on vehicles. Lubricates and stops squeaks in electric fans. Lubricates wheel sprockets on tricycles, wagons, and bicycles for easy handling. Lubricates fan belts on washers and dryers and keeps them running smoothly. Keeps rust from forming on saws and saw blades, and other tools. Removes splattered grease on stove. Keeps bathroom mirror from fogging. Lubricates prosthetic limbs. Keeps pigeons off the balcony (they hate the smell). Removes all traces of duct tape. Folks even spray it on their arms, hands, and knees to relieve arthritis pain. Florida's favourite use is: "cleans and removes love bugs from grills and bumpers." Protects the Statue of Liberty from the elements. Spray a LITTLE on live bait or lures and you will be catching the big one in no time. Removes crayon from walls. Spray on the mark and wipe with a clean rag. When you sprayed WD-40 on the distributor cap, it displaces any moisture and allows car to start. It removes black scuff & tar marks from the kitchen floor! Bug guts will eat away the finish on your car if not removed quickly! Use WD-40! Right, everybody off you go and try it out on that lot! Pete |
| Pete Tipping |
| Rich, Your story reminded me of a Navy story. I had a shipmate who had previously gotten a drunken driving conviction in Florida, and we were back in port. I had some herbal tea, and gave him a baggie of it. He didn't know what it was until I told him, and I told him to put it on his driver's seat so that when he went out drinking, he would have something more 'interesting' for the local constabulary. I told him that by the time that they figured out what it was, he would be sober. He didn't do it, and that night he got another dwi. I tried to help him. I really did. |
| mike parker |
| Pete - keeping flies off cows - now there's a thing I have yet to try - wonder what the local farmer would say if he caught me in his field spraying that on the cows backside -"Are you sure you are not using it as a lubricant"!! - cheers Cam |
| Cam Cunningham |
| WD40 may be OK for water displacing and rust protection but unless you wipe 99% of it off it leaves a greasy residue (lanolin?)which is diffucult to remove and attracts dirt. I spent ages trying to remove the greasy residue from my shower doors! I think "MR Sheen" aerosol furniture polish or similar is more suitable for quite a few of Pauls tips eg shower doors, car dashboards, vinyl bumpers, childrens slides, mirrors, probably wooden legs etc etc Robert |
| R J Collier |
This thread was discussed between 03/01/2007 and 09/01/2007
MG MGA index
This thread is from the archive. The Live MG MGA BBS is active now.