Loosening stuck parts

[John Larson]

Interesting.  The overpowering odor might be one deterrent to using it,
however.  John
----- Original Message -----
From: "Doyt W. Echelberger" <Doyt at buckeye-express.com>
To: "John Larson" <j.d.larson at verizon.net>
Cc: <quattro at audifans.com>
Sent: Thursday, July 25, 2002 12:20 AM
Subject: Re: Loosening stuck parts


> Hello John...........Not to diminish the suggestion about using Kroll (I'm
> going to get some) but to give readers an alternative, I suggest trying
> common household ammonia on rusted iron and steel parts. It has been most
> useful in getting rusted nuts to break loose from muffler clamps and the
> like. Repeated applications are effective. I learned about it from Doug
> Haley in 1997, who had been using it since 1996. See the original posts
> below. They are kind of interesting from a list-historical viewpoint.
Maybe
> some of the people are still around:
>
> From: HaleyD at YANKELOVICH.COM
> To: Doyt
> Date: 28 Aug 1997 13:06:16 EDT
> Subject: My God, It Works!
>
> A year ago I clipped this from the list:
>  >From: "Steinbrueck, GL" <steinbru at VNET.IBM.COM>
>  >Date: Sun, 8 Sep 96 22:11:42 EDT
>  >Subject: Re: 4kq Header Pipe.
>
> <snip>
>  >  Can't help too much with most of your "problem", but for those
> blankety-blank
>  >manifold bolts, soak them in ammonia solution (yeah, the regular
>  >supermarket stuff --clear, not soapy) for a while before you have at 'em
>  >with the wrench.
>  >  You'll notice that if you put a drop on, it kinda wicks in after a
>  >few seconds.  I'm no chemistry whiz, but I think it's changing the
>  >ferrous to ferric or something.  Only works on iron.  I used this once
>  >to loosen a massive compactor that had rusted up --used a whole gallon.
>  >I noticed that NH4 really blasts off the part when it's working in such
>  >huge amounts.
>  >  Anyway after finding this trick, I'm now able to reuse muffler clamps
>  >and other previously untouchable parts.  Let me know if your experience
>  >matches mine, cause almost nobody believes this when I tell 'em, and
>  >some even after I show 'em.
> <snip>
>
> Well, last night I was struggling to separate headpipe from catalytic
> converter which was rust-welded together.  Soaked both in common household
> ammonia (99 cents from grocery store).  An hour later they just fell
> apart!  And the bolts which looked terminally rusted could now be
> separated!  This is definitely now part of my old-car arsenal of tricks.
> ***************************************************** Doug Haley
> (haleyd at yankelovich.com)
> "There is no fundamental difference between a sufficiently advanced
> technology and magic" (A.C.Clarke)
> '92 S4 (mine)
> '95 Saab Turbo Conv (Mom's)
> '91 Sentra SE-R (new header installed!) '94 Miata (summer fun)
>
>  >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
> At 06:32 PM 7/24/2002 -0700, you wrote:
> >Despite the valiant efforts of the media to convince us all that WD 40 is
> >the miracle made to fix all our collective ills, it is NOT a proper
> >penetrant, and it's a waste of time to use it as such.  Get some liquid
> >wrench.  Not a particularly good product when compared to others of it's
> >type, it's nevertheless far better than WD 40.  BTW, "WD" stands for
"water
> >displacer".  Better yet, send off for some Kroil, look for some LPS, or
use
> >one of the myriad of local and regional products made for breaking things
> >loose.  Blast Off, Rocket Bolt Buster, Bolt Blaster, and Zep are but a
few
> >of the good ones.  Personally, I think a can of Kroil (www.kanolabs.com)
or
> >Silikroil is the best way to deal with problems like this.  They work
better
> >than ANYTHING I've tried in more than 44 years of working on motor
vehicles
> >and machinery (except maybe a flame wrench!).  HTH, John
>
>
>