Rusty bolt remover

[georgerkahn]

Maybe germane -- hopefully :) -- I was faced with a new challenge day-before-yesterday, as the battery on my DR Field & Brush mower had died. "No problem -- a 20-minute job" to put in its replacement? No way! The negative terminal bolt and nut was rusted/corroded to the "Nth" degree, and I first wire brushed it to get the majority off. I then got some Kroil which -- after several hours -- did not seem to do anything. Similar results with Liquid Wrench. For all solutions, Google, right? I did and recommended was mixing together, at an equal 1:1 ratio, some Automatic Transmission Fluid and Acetone. A quick trip to store got me the ATF -- I bought cheapest they had -- and mixed an ounce or so with an equal amount of Acetone. All I can say is, "WOW!" The mix, dropped on with a glass pipette (I use to make 50:1 into 40:1 by adding 3.5ml per quart), it kind of bubbled a little, and disappeared. I added a few more drops, to get a repeat. With my third application, liquid remained. I put the wrenches back on, and guess what? The nut came off with almost no resistance!!!
Albeit my challenge was with a piece of lawn/garden equipment -- I have experienced similar challenges with firearm disassembly too many times to list... Hence, I thought I'd post this in hopes it may be worth a try for others with rusted/corroded challenges!
geo

[Hossfly]

Looks like a version of Ed’s Red without the lanolin and other ingredients. Very good combination for a penetration fluid, good information for solutions. Thanks for info.

[RickinTN]

I've never had Kroil fail. Now if I do I know what to use. Glad it worked for you!
Take care!
Rick

[TD1886]

The best penetrating oil I've ever used is GIBBS.

[MrWolf]

Cheapest solution going. I can't stand the smell of acetone but can't argue with results. I also use Kroil.

[schutzen-jager]

next time make a solution of baking soda + hot water to instantly desolve the corrosion blooms, [ do not get it into a good battery, next soak threads in either Liquid Wrench [ proven to be superior to Kroil in some recent tests or 50/50 mixture of ATF + paint thinner -
Comparison of best penetrating oil for cars in 2021
Penetrating oil Product Name Quantity Price
Best overall penetrating oil Kroil 8-ounce can $17
Best spray-can penetrating oil PB B'laster 11-ounce spray can $10
Best value-priced penetrating oil Liquid Wrench 11-ounce spray can $4
Best fast-acting penetrating oil Knock'er Loose Plus 11.5-ounce spray can $10
Best paint-safe penetrating oil Free All 11-ounce spray can $8
Best name-brand penetrating oil WD-40 Specialist Penetrant 11-ounce spray can $

[Rattlesnake Charlie]

There is some guy on Youtube that does tests of all sorts of things, and he showed that the AFT/Acetone is top of the line. BTW, in his tests Master Blaster beat out Kroil. I've not had the opportunity (challenge) to deal with a nasty stuck fastener in a few years. This post shows too info. He tried several.

[Txcowboy52]

Good info to have, thanks George!

[uscra112]

Farmers have used the ATF-acetone mix for years, if not decades. Around cows, everything rusts like crazy.

[porthos]

it works better than ANY "store bought" penetrating juice!!!

[uscra112]

But it has to be kept in tightly capped metal or glass, because acetone can evaporate right through most plastics. My ready-use store is in a cleaned-out glass Kikkoman soy-sauce bottle. A larger volume is in a tall Smuckers Natural peanut butter jar, glass with a metal lid that has a gasket that acetone doesn't attack.

[justindad]

Sounds like it could be better than PB Blaster. That’s pretty good.

[schutzen-jager]

careful with the acetone mixture, quickly destroys wood finishes, plastics, + is known carcinogen - been using ed's red less the acetone for decades -

[45DUDE]

Heat helps also.

[GregLaROCHE]

I’ve often heard about the mix to use as penetrating oil. I keep meaning to pick up some ATF to give it a try. Don’t discount the fact that the penetrating oil you put on kept working, while you went to buy ATF. Penetrating oil takes time. Sometimes days.

[wildwilly501]

Non synthetic ATF mixes a lot better with the acetone some of the ATF for older vehicles are still non synthetic.

[uscra112]

Non synthetic ATF mixes a lot better with the acetone some of the ATF for older vehicles are still non synthetic.

Good to know, I guess. I'll put aside a couple of old quarts of ATF I have in case I need more Ed's Red.

[Mk42gunner]

I've come to the conclusion that there is no "One Best" penetrating oil.

They all seem to work on some things, but not others. Another may work. Sometimes nothing works except the old smoke wrench.

Added heat can do wonders. I tried just about everything I could think of to get the lower bearing race out of a 30-40 year old Kubota steering box. Nothing worked, and it didn't help that there was only enough room to get the head of a 16 or 20 penny nail under it to pry with. Nails are not hard enough to use as a pry bar btw. Customized junk screwdriver to the rescue.

The solution was to heat it until the ATF mixture I was using (may have been Ed's Red) was boiling, then it ever so reluctantly came out.

Another time I used gear oil and a propane torch to get it thin enough to get the mounting bolts out of a steering box on a Jeep.

Come to think of it, I really don't like working on steering boxes.

Robert

[TD1886]

I've come to the conclusion that there is no "One Best" penetrating oil.

They all seem to work on some things, but not others. Another may work. Sometimes nothing works except the old smoke wrench.

Added heat can do wonders. I tried just about everything I could think of to get the lower bearing race out of a 30-40 year old Kubota steering box. Nothing worked, and it didn't help that there was only enough room to get the head of a 16 or 20 penny nail under it to pry with. Nails are not hard enough to use as a pry bar btw. Customized junk screwdriver to the rescue.

The solution was to heat it until the ATF mixture I was using (may have been Ed's Red) was boiling, then it ever so reluctantly came out.

Another time I used gear oil and a propane torch to get it thin enough to get the mounting bolts out of a steering box on a Jeep.

Come to think of it, I really don't like working on steering boxes.

Robert

That heating the oil made me think of heating the bolt or nut and then putting a piece of paraffin on it, that it will work it's way down the threads.

[MostlyLeverGuns]

The 'youtube ' guy has quite a few tests on things like rust buster, epoxy strength, other good stuff. I have used Kroil, not particularly impressed, OK not great. I have had Kroil gum up in a rifle after two or three years. Used Sili-Kroil with some success as rust buster, Liquid Wrench, PBlaster work OK. ATF/acetone is best, but keeping the acetone from disappearing into the air is a problem. Only metal containers work, would not use glass because of cracking/breaking. ATF is an excellent lubricant for most places oil is used, pistols and rifles. Heat and cooling cycles/vibration, LIGHT tapping help with rust, along with your favorite solution. Many fasteners have been 'loctited' in today's assemblies, heat is needed to break the adhesives.

[uscra112]

Only metal containers work, would not use glass because of cracking/breaking.

Glass isn't going to "crack/break" spontaneously, but if you're careless or clumsy I guess that's good advice.

[Pirate69]

careful with the acetone mixture, quickly destroys wood finishes, plastics, + is known carcinogen - been using ed's red less the acetone for decades -

While it is wise to limit exposure to any organic solvents, the data on acetone causing cancer is not conclusive.

The Department of Health and Human Services, the International Agency for Research on Cancer, and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) have not classified acetone for carcinogenicity.
Acetone does not cause skin cancer in animals when applied to the skin. We don't know if breathing or swallowing acetone for long periods will cause cancer. Studies of workers exposed to it found no significant risk of death from cancer.

[TD1886]

Paraffin when the bolt/nut is heated penetrates really well.

[TD1886]

ATF is a terrific rust remover so no reason why it wouldn't penetrate well. This, at least for me, has been known for decades. I've mentioned this before, but I've seen ratchets and sockets rusted badly soaked in a pan of ATF for a week that were spotless when taken out. Yes they were pited and som chrome gone, but zero rust. They were useable again.

[JDHasty]

I will share another trick that I use on small frozen screws. I save the old points for my automatic center punch and grind them to fit screw slots or flat, then to fit to the bottom of Torx or Allen socket. Apply PB, Kroil or ATF, give a few snaps straight down and then set it aside to soak. Give a few more snaps and try and turn it out. Repeat a few times and the screw will usually start after a few cycles.

I had a Lyman 57A that was on a Winchester 43 off a crab boat. It was a mess and I was trying to save it when this occurred to me. I tried it and was able to turn the corroded screw out with a jeweler’s screw driver. I had been fighting that screw for weeks, trying not to wreck it. It came right out and I’ve been using that trick since.

[rbuck351]

In the case where you can get at the nut and the bolt, especially a small one, I just twist them until the break.

[marlinman93]

I've used the 50-50 acetone-ATF mix for decades, and it works great. On guns it wont harm bluing either. If I have a really stubborn bolt or screw I apply some heat first, and then the mix and the heat helps suck it into the threads. On guns or small screws I use my Weller soldering gun tip to direct the heat, but on larger bolts I use my MAP gas torch, or oxy-acetylene torch.
I always mix this up as needed in small quantities because it doesn't take long for the acetone to evaporate off. So no reason to mix a bunch up. But I keep whatever I don't use of the mix in a sealed container so I can add more acetone next time I need it.

[ascast]

This is a standard formula for stuck tractor engines etc. They come free after a good soaking no matter how long they have sat.

[JDHasty]

I've used the 50-50 acetone-ATF mix for decades, and it works great. On guns it wont harm bluing either. If I have a really stubborn bolt or screw I apply some heat first, and then the mix and the heat helps suck it into the threads. On guns or small screws I use my Weller soldering gun tip to direct the heat, but on larger bolts I use my MAP gas torch, or oxy-acetylene torch.
I always mix this up as needed in small quantities because it doesn't take long for the acetone to evaporate off. So no reason to mix a bunch up. But I keep whatever I don't use of the mix in a sealed container so I can add more acetone next time I need it.

Alternate heating with freezing using dry ice treatment from an upside down can of compressed air electronics duster is something that I have found effective.

[Blkpwdrbuff]

Not to hijack the thread but have any of you had Kroil leak out of a metal can once it has been opened?
I had a 8 oz..can leak through the crimp and solder joints after I opened it, all over my bench.
It seemed really weird to me.
Blkpwdrbuff

[imashooter2]

Not to hijack the thread but have any of you had Kroil leak out of a metal can once it has been opened?
I had a 8 oz..can leak through the crimp and solder joints after I opened it, all over my bench.
It seemed really weird to me.
Blkpwdrbuff

There isn’t a thing made by man that cannot fail, but joints on tin cans are pretty reliable.

[kungfustyle]

Great information. Thank you for posting.

[owejia]

Been using the acetone and ATF for 30+ years on the farm. The acetone and the atf need to be mixed {shaken vigorously} so the atf is dissolved down to microns in the mix, the acetone will carry it into the tiny spaces and acetone dissolves leaving the atf to work its magic. This is my understanding on how it works.

[elmacgyver0]

While it is wise to limit exposure to any organic solvents, the data on acetone causing cancer is not conclusive.

The Department of Health and Human Services, the International Agency for Research on Cancer, and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) have not classified acetone for carcinogenicity.
Acetone does not cause skin cancer in animals when applied to the skin. We don't know if breathing or swallowing acetone for long periods will cause cancer. Studies of workers exposed to it found no significant risk of death from cancer.

Everything is known to the state of California to cause cancer.

[Rapier]

A propane pencil torch, does well for me, the pin point blue flame heats the head of a screw or bolt. Have used Liquid Wrench for years as a penetrating oil. My #1 screw driver blade breaker, is the old Browning A-5 action screws, real narrow slot and they can be a bugger to get out.

[15meter]

Everything is known to the state of California to cause cancer.

I worked for a steel processing plant about 10 years ago. One of the jobs I had was to clean up and organize the MSDS files when I didn't have purchase orders to process into the system. Because my boss was an idiot, I had to include an MSDS in the system for every new coil of steel that came into the building. Luckily not all the coils came with an MSDS. But the ones that did had to be filed. Even though the coil was being off-loaded, leveled, sheared into stamping blanks that left the other end of the building the same day. All those MSDS sheets had to be filed because they had the California "Prop 65" warning about causing cancer. From a coil of steel.

The MSDS files were yards long when I left, they probably have a separate room just for them now.