Undercoating with WD-40 stops rust?

[Uri A. Feiner]

I livein Vermont, where cars rust out faster than they die otherwise. As
a result, in the rust battle, I've been trying to do eveything I can. A
recent thread on here about WD-40 standing for "Water Dispersement" got
me thinking. What if I spray it all over the undercarriage of my car?
Will I prevent rust? Or will I just accumulate grime which will make
things worse? How will it stand up to spraying the salt off the
undercarriage? Is there a better substance to use than WD-40? Thanks
for any ideas...

Uri

[Jim McDonald]

It might do some good for around 30 seconds.
Use undercoating compound.

Jim McDonald
Stanford Linear Accelerator Center
Menlo Park, CA
I'm not authorized to hold an opinion
==========================================================
"If we knew what we were doing, it wouldn't be research"
==========================================================

[Ross Gunn]

I have driven in areas of Eastern Canada for many years that make
Vermont look rust free. I have also used WD-40 for various things for
over 20 years. But one thing I wouldn't try to do is use it on/under an
auto body for rust protection. My logic is:

a. WD-40 is very light and somewhat volatile. Therefore it
evaporates in a few days/weeks and is not very useful for protection over
a longer period.

b. WD-40, being of low viscosity and having solvent properties
will dissolve and remove other materials (undercoating, oil, grease) that
give rust protection. Using it as you suggest can actually lead to increased
body corrosion.

There are other products in the same family as WD-40 in that they
are also water displacing lubricants but they are thicker, some almost
waxlike in consistency. I would like to get my hands on some myself for
auto body rust inhibiting but am not aware of any commercial sources. I
know Ashland Chemical at one time produced a heavy such material, but
don't know if they still do. I used some on a '76 Volvo when it was new.
I still have the car and can attest to the material's effectiveness when
applied carefully.

Can anyone out there provide info on sources for water displacing
lubricants that are suitable for auto bodies? I would appreciate an
e-mail response.

--
Ross Gunn
Voice: 746-1817
FAX/Modem: 748-6077

[Mike=Batchelor%...@bangate.compaq.com]

WD40 will pretty much wash off with water and evaporate over
time. The best thing to use is automotive undercoating.

[Frank Mallory]

A> There are other products in the same family as WD-40 in that they
A>are also water displacing lubricants but they are thicker, some almost
A>waxlike in consistency. I would like to get my hands on some myself for
A>auto body rust inhibiting but am not aware of any commercial sources. I
A>know Ashland Chemical at one time produced a heavy such material, but
A>don't know if they still do. I used some on a '76 Volvo when it was
A>new.
A>I still have the car and can attest to the material's effectiveness when
A>applied carefully.

A> Can anyone out there provide info on sources for water displacing
A>lubricants that are suitable for auto bodies? I would appreciate an
A>e-mail response.

Sure. Tectyl 509-G, made by Ashland/Valvoline, is available from F&L Company.

Call (213)603-2200.

---------
Fidonet: Frank Mallory 1:109/417
Internet: Frank....@f417.n109.z1.fidonet.org

[John Galt]

Jim McDonald (mcd...@leland.stanford.edu) wrote:

: In article <1994Sep29.0...@emba.uvm.edu>, ufe...@moose.uvm.edu (Uri A. Feiner) says:
: >
: >I livein Vermont, where cars rust out faster than they die otherwise. As
: >a result, in the rust battle, I've been trying to do eveything I can. A
: >recent thread on here about WD-40 standing for "Water Dispersement" got
: >me thinking. What if I spray it all over the undercarriage of my car?
: >Will I prevent rust? Or will I just accumulate grime which will make
: >things worse? How will it stand up to spraying the salt off the
: >undercarriage? Is there a better substance to use than WD-40? Thanks
: >for any ideas...

: >

The following idea came from a guy Springfield, VT who called us flatlanders.
He said that his local mechanic would spray the underside of his car with
used motor oil, as well as putting some in the doors at the bottom edges.
I altered the plan slightly. I bought a plastic bug sprayer for about $15.
I mixed non-detergent (so it wouldn't absorb any water/salt) motor oil with
white kerosene (50/50) and sprayed it on the underside of my cars each
fall before the roads were salted. It is an unholy mess, and it gets all
over you. Once it wrecked my timing belt (which was marginal anyway).
In short, my cars stopped rotting. I'd still do it, but here in Idaho
they aren't allowed to salt the roads even though it snows plenty.
Good luck, JG

[Sivasankar Chander]

Ross Gunn (ac...@FreeNet.Carleton.CA) wrote:

: Can anyone out there provide info on sources for water displacing

: lubricants that are suitable for auto bodies? I would appreciate an
: e-mail response.

I dunno about lubricants, but in supermarkets here a number of rust
treatment products are available. I have used a product called "Extend",
which converts rust into a blackish deposit and seals it in like a primer
and can be directly painted on. I found it very useful for underbody rust
patches.

Sivasankar Chander
"I speak for myself, not for my employer(s)"

[Greg Beaulieu]

Sivasankar Chander (si...@bond.bocaraton.ibm.com) wrote:
: Ross Gunn (ac...@FreeNet.Carleton.CA) wrote:

: : Can anyone out there provide info on sources for water displacing
: : lubricants that are suitable for auto bodies? I would appreciate an
: : e-mail response.

: I dunno about lubricants, but in supermarkets here a number of rust
: treatment products are available. I have used a product called "Extend",
: which converts rust into a blackish deposit and seals it in like a primer
: and can be directly painted on. I found it very useful for underbody rust
: patches.

In Eastern Canada and perhaps elsewhere, "Rust Check" is very popular and
seems to have a good track record. It's best used inside of enclosed
panels (doors, rockers, etc.) but when they do a car they spray the stuff
everywhere on the underside as well. It's a thin liquid that will drip
for a few days after it's applied and sort of looks like automatic trans
fluid, although I don't know if it shares any of its properties. I've
also heard that it is similar to WD-40 and it certainly smells the same.
It appears to be of thicker consistency though so I don't think it's
identical. There are Rust Check franchises that will spray your car for
about $100.00 for an annual tratment, and you can buy aerosol cans of the
stuff for smaller areas or for do-it-yourselfers. These are available
most everywhere around here and I've seen them on sale for as little as
$3.50 per can (not sure of the size but the can is about 10 " tall).

Greg.
--

[npog...@gmail.com]

I would try amsoil heavy duty metal protector/chain wax and fluid film for touch ups

[JR]

On Monday, February 29, 2016 at 2:21:31 PM UTC-6, npog...@gmail.com wrote:
> I would try amsoil heavy duty metal protector/chain wax and fluid film for touch ups

You want to wash that salty crap off the underside of your car/truck? Rig up a PCV pipe with a garden hose connection on one end and a PVC pipe on the other end like a T. Drill some holes in the PVC pipe, turn on the water and wash.

[me]

I've also tied a rope to a portable sprinkler and had the hose coming out the rear and rope coming out the front (on a lowered mustang I got caught in snow with). I then proceeded to pull the hose until the sprinkler was at rear bumper, then had a friend pull the string at an angle in front until the sprinkler was at front bumper. About 20 back and forths and the undercarriage was clean again.

[mateosm...@gmail.com]

a mechanic friend suggested marine lubricant. It is used on ships at sea to withstand the salt spray. It attracts grime of course, but the logic makes sense. I suppose you could use a degreaser to remove it if you wanted....

[gregz]

I was reading about a protective spray, from ? Have to look up. LPS3 would
probably work. I don't know how well it sprays.

Greg

[The Real Bev]

On 10/27/2016 12:45 AM, gregz wrote:
> <mateosm...@gmail.com> wrote:
>> On Thursday, September 29, 1994 at 2:59:06 AM UTC-4, Uri A. Feiner wrote:
>>> I livein Vermont, where cars rust out faster than they die otherwise. As
>>> a result, in the rust battle, I've been trying to do eveything I can. A
>>> recent thread on here about WD-40 standing for "Water Dispersement" got
>>> me thinking. What if I spray it all over the undercarriage of my car?
>>> Will I prevent rust? Or will I just accumulate grime which will make
>>> things worse? How will it stand up to spraying the salt off the
>>> undercarriage? Is there a better substance to use than WD-40? Thanks
>>> for any ideas...

I wouldn't trust WD-40 for anything but temporary uses.

>> a mechanic friend suggested marine lubricant. It is used on ships at sea
>> to withstand the salt spray. It attracts grime of course, but the logic
>> makes sense. I suppose you could use a degreaser to remove it if you wanted....
>
> I was reading about a protective spray, from ? Have to look up. LPS3 would
> probably work. I don't know how well it sprays.

This sounds really crude -- spray 50-weight oil all over the bottom and
then drive back and forth down a dusty road until you've developed a
nice protective coating of greasy filth. Granted, I'm a Californian and
we buy eastern cars for the engines, but I've never seen any rust on
parts that have received (unintentionally, of course) similar treatment.

--
Cheers, Bev
"In all recorded history there has not been one economist who has
had to worry about where the next meal would come from."
-- Peter S. Drucker, who invented management

[Steve W.]

The Real Bev wrote:
> On 10/27/2016 12:45 AM, gregz wrote:
>> <mateosm...@gmail.com> wrote:
>>> On Thursday, September 29, 1994 at 2:59:06 AM UTC-4, Uri A. Feiner wrote:
>>>> I livein Vermont, where cars rust out faster than they die otherwise. As
>>>> a result, in the rust battle, I've been trying to do eveything I can. A
>>>> recent thread on here about WD-40 standing for "Water Dispersement" got
>>>> me thinking. What if I spray it all over the undercarriage of my car?
>>>> Will I prevent rust? Or will I just accumulate grime which will make
>>>> things worse? How will it stand up to spraying the salt off the
>>>> undercarriage? Is there a better substance to use than WD-40? Thanks
>>>> for any ideas...
>
> I wouldn't trust WD-40 for anything but temporary uses.
>
>>> a mechanic friend suggested marine lubricant. It is used on ships at sea
>>> to withstand the salt spray. It attracts grime of course, but the logic
>>> makes sense. I suppose you could use a degreaser to remove it if you wanted....
>> I was reading about a protective spray, from ? Have to look up. LPS3 would
>> probably work. I don't know how well it sprays.
>
> This sounds really crude -- spray 50-weight oil all over the bottom and
> then drive back and forth down a dusty road until you've developed a
> nice protective coating of greasy filth. Granted, I'm a Californian and
> we buy eastern cars for the engines, but I've never seen any rust on
> parts that have received (unintentionally, of course) similar treatment.
>

1 gallon mineral spirits
1 quart mineral oil
Paraffin wax or bees wax (wax toilet rings are a cheap source of wax)

Mix the oil into the mineral spirits. Warm them using a hot plate and
use a grater to add wax until no more wax will dissolve into the blend.

Brush or spray onto the vehicle.
It will give a self healing coating that stops rust. It is basically a
home brew version of WaxOyl. Works VERY well.

--
Steve W.

[gregz]

LPS3 turns into wax. My old standby, and using some now, boiled linseed
oil. I spray it on. Can add a little mineral spurts or paint thinner if it
does not spray. Can have messy drips, so beware. Dries to a hard finish
slowly. You can spray it into lower panels and doors too. The smell goes
away gradually.

Greg

[dsi1]

My mom's 70 Barracuda had the spray undercoating done by the dealer. It was a black nasty stuff that would drip off the car for a long time after we got it. It was sprayed inside the doors and side panels too. Holes were drilled and the gunk was applied using a long wand sprayer. That whole thing was unpleasant business. The undercoating did little to prevent rusting on the bottom of the doors and rocker panel. That was expected of car of that era. Things are a lot better these days.

[gregz]

Some of the black nasty stuff is better than others. Some dry out, crack,
and hold water in. I have some pretty good stuff bought from JC Whitney,
from a chemical company in Ohio.

I heard of using used motor oil. I think it's bad for rubber parts.

Greg

[mbrook...@gmail.com]

I have a spray plane that has sprayed very corrosive product for several years. I spray it with wd-40 and it looks like new.