Use of Lubricants In Taking Apart Your Car

During the course of any automotive restoration, there comes a time when a nut or bolt or some other fastener simply will not budge. Common attempts to remedy this situation include such things as brute force. And, while this may prove to work some of the time, this risk of damage to parts that are difficult to replace is just too great.

To reduce the risk of damage, the prudent thing to do is make use of a spray penetrant and / or lubricant. My personal experience tells me that it is a good idea to have a can of PB Blaster on hand, as well as a can of WD-40. Note, however, that these two products do NOT serve the same function.

PB Blaster is not a lubricant. It is a product that actually breaks the surface tension of the rust and gunk that is preventing the movement of the offending nut or bolt. My advice is to spray PB Blaster liberally on the part in question, and let it sit there overnight, or longer if necessary. I have been known to spray it on daily, for up to a week. Eventually, this stuff flat out works.

Once the part is loosened up so you can remove it, THEN it becomes time to use the WD-40 to protect it from future rust.

WD-40 is commonly used for the same purpose, but that is not what it was designed for. The "WD" in WD-40 actually stands for "Water Displacement". The product is intended for use in wicking away the water that causes the rust. Once my parts are disassembled, THEN I use WD-40 on them before I throw them in a bag for future reassembly.

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