WD-40 Question

[Bob]

Hello,

Always wondering about this, in regard to WD-40:

How can a product (claim to) be both a lubricant, and at the same time a solvent ?

Aren't they at opposite ends of the spectra ?

Thanks, Bob

[snotty]

No

[jamesgangnc]

No. Petroleum products easily do both.

[Jon Danniken]

Can you name one liquid lubricant which is unable to act as a solvent?

Jon

[Jim Elbrecht]

Nope. Water will act as both when you mop a floor.

Jim

[Frank]

Teflon dispersion.

[Steve Barker]

wd40 is neither it is a water dispersant. nothing else.

it is basically kerosene.

[snotty]

Well, WD-40 is not "basically kerosene", and does not contain any kerosene. Kerosene, however is both a solvent and a lubricant. It is a very light oil.

[J Burns]

It was made to displace water so wet things wouldn't corrode. It's about 50% stoddard solvent and 25% mineral oil. When the solvent evaporates, the oil remains.

[clare]

Not at all. ever see what happens to asphault when automatic trans fluid leaks on a driveway? That is the solvent action of a very good lubricant.

[clare]

Which is "technically" not a "liquid" lubricant. It is a solid lubricant in suspension.

[clare]

Contrary to what appears to be common opinion, WD40 IS a lubricant (all-be-it a pretty poor one), a solvent, and a penetrant (again, a relatively poor one) as well as a water displacer.

It is NOT Kerosene, although it is closely related to kerosene in it's construct, and kerosene is almost as good as a penetrant and solvent - and not too far off as a lubricant.

Kerosene and WD40 are both good cutting lubricants for aluminum.

[LSMFT]

WD-40 stands for "Water Displacement - 40th Attempt". Larsen was attempting to concoct a formula to prevent corrosion, by displacing the standing water that causes it. In the process, he arrived at a successful formula on his 40th attempt.[1] WD-40 is primarily composed of various hydrocarbons.

The long-term active ingredient is a non-volatile, viscous oil which remains on the surface, providing lubrication and protection from moisture. This is diluted with a volatile hydrocarbon to give a low viscosity fluid which can be sprayed and thus get into crevices. The volatile hydrocarbon then evaporates, leaving the oil behind. A propellant (originally a low-molecular weight hydrocarbon, now carbon dioxide) provides gas pressure in the can to force the liquid through the spray nozzle, then itself diffuses away.

50%: Stoddard solvent (i.e., mineral spirits ? primarily hexane, somewhat similar to kerosene) 25%: Liquefied petroleum gas (presumably as a propellant; carbon dioxide is now used instead to reduce WD-40's considerable flammability) 15+%: Mineral oil (light lubricating oil) 10-%: Inert ingredients

[Vic Smith]

WD-40 is about the most worthless stuff I've ever seen. Doesn't lube well, doesn't penetrate well. No better solvent than Goop or Go-Jo. "Water Displacement" is a joke. I don't get how they sell the stuff. Can it be sniffed? Crescent wrench in a spray can.

--Vic

[Tony Miklos]

KY Jelly! Actually Astro Glide is a liquid!!!! ;-)

[Tony Miklos]

I think the best possible use for WD-40 is for spraying spark plug wires, distributor cap, and the coil(coils).

[chaniarts]

you mean, to displace water? what a novel use.

[David Nebenzahl]

On 11/19/2010 10:46 AM [e-mail] spake thus:

Stoddard solvent, to be exact. You could look it up ...

[David Nebenzahl]

On 11/19/2010 1:20 PM Vic Smith spake thus:

I disagree entirely with you here.

WD-40 is actually very good at its intended tasks. However, there are situations where it isn't appropriate to use it. I'm not going to enumerate them, as we've already had this discussion here about 40 zillion times.

[Vic Smith]

Too bad I missed that (-:

--Vic