Rust Buster

When you write about cars and go to SEMA, some of the product manufacturers see your name on the media list and send you a sample of new products they think are good for a test. This year, one sample we were sent for test purposes is a new WD-40 penetrating oil with a special “rust relief” additive.

Now writing something like “rust relief” on the label doesn’t guarantee anything is really going to bust up rust and, forgive us, but we’re skeptical of a lot of the new rust busters and paint removers and such. They just do not seem to work as well as that dangerous, smelly stuff we used to be able to buy years ago.

It’s like light bulbs. Those new and better swirly things that are supposed to be the greatest thing since sliced bread really stink! If you don’t believe me, rent a hotel room where they have all new bulbs and try to see something in the room. With those dark curtains they have on the windows and those new-fangled bulbs, you feel like you’re going blind!

But, back to this new WD-40 spray. Like lots of folks, we’re real busy these days and so the spray just sat in the box. Then we got a car in the shop that had a flathead eight with a combination intake/exhaust manifold and a very stuck heat riser valve. The last time we messed with one of these it was on a Dodge flathead six and even a machine shop didn’t want to touch the job. We had serious doubts that a spray can would do any better.

Guess what? WD-40 wins again! This stuff really works. Our heat riser is flapping like a damper on a wood stove in the middle of a cold Wisconsin winter (wonder where we got that analogy from?).

Seriously, freeing one of these valves is the next thing to a miracle and — at least in this case — the miracle came true. We’ll be ordering the new WD-40 again!