I'm current;y refurbishing a '91 GTI that has been sitting fro 6 or 7 years. I'm trying to redo the brakes, but one rear bleed screw doesn't want to budge. I know if I apply anymore grunt, it will snap right off. It's been soaked with WD-40 every day for a week. Anyone got any clever little trick to free one up? Or, if I do snap the darned thing off, can it be relaced without having to buy another complete caliper? And, I don't have a torch, so no heat has been applied. Thanks
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Nov. 2, 2009 9:51 a.m. DeadSkunk New Reader
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Nov. 2, 2009 10:01 a.m. 93celicaGT2 SuperDork
Smack it with a hammer. Down, that is. Do not hit it from side to side.
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Nov. 2, 2009 10:10 a.m. 02Pilot New Reader
WD40 is not a penetrating oil. Get something that is (PB, Kroil, Liquid Wrench), and pick up a MAPP torch while you're at it. Trying to remove stuck stuff without heat and proper chemicals is making the job much tougher than it needs to be.
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Nov. 2, 2009 11:19 a.m. njansenv Reader
I recently "inherited" a hot wrench (oxy torch). I don't know HOW I worked on rusty cars before I had it: honestly, the difference is flat out amazing and has saved me HOURS of screwing around.
Nathan
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Nov. 2, 2009 1:41 p.m. fiat22turbo UltraDork
Heat up the nipple and surrounding parts until nice and hot, then cool the nipple with a piece of ice. The resulting shock should get you the result your looking for.....
Now on the car a similar process should work just as well and you're less likely to get hit.
A second recommendation on not using WD-40 for anything other than keeping water off of steel (to stop the rust before it begins to form) or for lightly lubricating moving parts. It is a Water Displacer (hence the WD in WD-40). A friend who worked in the appliance repair business gave me some rust breaker that he and the HVAC guys use. I swear it worked better than PB Blaster, I just can't remember the name of it right now. It did come in a small clear plastic bottle with a extendable hose on the top. A recent test performed by some magazine (A machinist one I believe) found that a 50/50 mix of ATF and Diesel was better than nearly any commercial product on the market.
Good luck!
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Nov. 2, 2009 3:45 p.m. DeadSkunk New Reader
I went and bought some PB Blaster. Curiously though, if you read the label and the one on the WD-40 they both contain aromatic hydrocarbons and petroleum distillates. Both also claim to displace water. I wonder what the actual differences are. I know someone I'd like to try the ice trick on, but it would get me killed.
