Oh, I was born in a petri dish in Laboratory, Pennsylvania... ( wa s RE: Loosening stuck parts)

[Fisher, Scott]

Taka writes (regarding the well-known shade-tree trick of using Coca-Cola to
loosen rusted bolts):

> Before you go messing with all sorts of soda, let me mention that
> it is the carbonic acid content in Coke that makes it effective-

Phosphoric, actually.  Same active ingredient as in Naval Jelly.

Now, consider this: Diet Coke has propylene glycol in it, the same stuff as
in the newer antifreeze (replacing the highly toxic ethylene glycol, which
causes massive liver damage in fairly small doses).  Propylene glycol is
used in all kinds of edible liquids to enhance "mouth feel" -- basically, it
replaces the viscosity that is lost when sugar is eliminated from the mix.

Finally, ethanol (good ol' hooch) used to be added to the radiators of
automobiles as an anti-freeze, because it lowered the freezing point of the
mixture (as anyone who keeps the Bombay in the freezer for extra-cold
gin-and-tonics on these hot summer days will attest).

Suggesting that those of you in the rust-belt states might want to try
running your cars on rum and Diet Coke in the winters.  If you do get a flat
by the side of the road, you can siphon off a little coolant to break the
rust seal on the lug bolts, and if that doesn't work, at least you can keep
yourself entertained till help arrives...

--Scott "Waiting for Huw to post a BTDT" Fisher
  Tualatin, Oregon

[P.S. and disclaimer: Audi specifically state that only phosphate-free
coolant may be used in their cooling systems.  Since the limit of my
knowledge of chemical reactions is pretty much that if you put vinegar and
baking soda in a toy rocket and shake it, it'll go FOOM! up into the sky
after spraying you with foamy stuff that will make your hair smell like a
pickle, I leave it to the respected Robert Myers to delineate under what
conditions the phosphoric acid content in Coke, diet or otherwise, might
form the exact phosphates that Audi want us not to use in their engines --
probably something like heat, agitation, and the presence of ethanol.  Or in
other words: For entertainment purposes only.  Not a flying toy.]