Penetrating Oils (Oil) Test: Which Works Best

NYSpeed Automotive
1

Passing this along, a coworker shared it from a different forum.

I’ve always preferred Kroil, but will have to try to Acetone/ATF mix since I have both on hand anyways.

Machinist’s Workshop Mag recently published some information on various penetrating oils. The magazine reports they tested penetrates for break out torque on rusted nuts. They are below. They arranged a subjective test of all the popular penetrates with the control being the torque required to remove the nut from a “scientifically rusted” environment.

Penetrating oils … Average torque load to loosen

No Oil used … 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 is a “home brew” mix of 50 - 50 automatic transmission fluid and acetone. Note this “home brew” released bolts better than any commercial product in this one particular test.

ATF-Acetone mix is best, but you can also use ATF and lacquer thinner in a 50-50 mix.
*ATF=Automatic Transmission Fluid.

2

Kroil is my go-to. Might have to give this a shot.

3

Wow, I’ll have to try this one out.

:tup:

4

Thank you for sharing.

5

I too will have to try this.
I have currently have 2 bolts that are not budging with my impact.

I have been using Kroil as well.

6

Thanks for sharing, will have to try this.

7

Nice find :tup: Been using liquid wrench but then again I don’t really do many big jobs that require a lot of torque for rusted bolts.

8

Good info :tup:

9

I’ve always lived and died by PB Blaster while the Kroil sits in the cabinet doing nothing. Looks like I’m using the wrong stuff…

10

lol, scientifically rusted. interesting tip about the ATF/acetone though, that’s pretty cool.

11

I bought this… not on the list but it has worked quite well. http://www.amazon.com/Nano-NDT11P-Penetrating-Lubricant-oz/dp/B00SYRF4OS

Also this, because both were on sale:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00T4BAG1Y/ref=pd_lpo_sbs_dp_ss_1?pf_rd_p=1944687622&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=B00SYRF4OS&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=113T41P76H8SY44XKDRY

12

For the ATF/Acetone mix, what do you think is the best delivery method, a hand spray bottle?

13

what happened to kicking the f outta the side of whatever your working on, then putting a 2 foot breaker bar w a jack handle on the end of it and going ape shit?

I aint got time for spraying bottles and impacts.

53 vs 123 is nuts.

14

:bigtup: ^ man shit, work harder, not smarter

15

I’m thinking something like this:
http://www.amazon.com/CTA-Tools-A797-Pistol-24-Ounce/dp/B00IYTFYI2/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&qid=1433872602&sr=8-8&keywords=oil+can

16

Bunch of bros talking about penetration…

What has the world come to?

17

I’m with you.
I just end up spraying it everywhere and making a mess.#twss

18

Had to multi-quote because these two comments work so well together.

19

Wonder where SeaFoam Deep-Creep falls on that list… that’s my go-to.

20

lol