Remove a rusted bolt with a crayon

[Ralph Spears]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MkTni6eQnkA

[FTC]

Lol,...if he had tried to remove it with just the heat first, and it didn't budge,.......maybe, I might believe it. But,.....I don't buy it.

He stumbled at one point saying "I've been trying to get this bolt off".....then he abruptly stopped. Maybe it's because he realized people can see a wrench or a socket was never on that bolt ever....lol

[69Z11Pacer396]

Wax on... wax off!.... haha

[Ralph Spears]

I tried that on a Chevrolet exhaust manifold to get the AIR tubes off and it worked but I used a melted candle. You don't have to heat it cherry red just enough heat to melt the candle wax so it wicks into the threads

[SS427]

I have had many instances where I could not remove the heater hose nipple from an aluminum manifold or the cast iron water pump. Any more I do not even try without first applying heat and a paraffin candle wax. Trust me, it really works. The key is just like soldering, get it just hot enough for the wax to wick down the threads. It works about 95% of the time for me. I also made a tool to use on the slotted nipples using an old socket and that greatly increased my results.

[Ralph Spears]

Like Rick said just get it hot enough for the wax to wick into the threads DO NOT GET IT TOO HOT or the wax just burns up

[tunes]

I've never seen that done before. Thanks for the tip.

[396 SS/RS]

To me it seems a penetrant would wick in there easier. Might have to give that a try some day. If I was trying that, I would be heating the material around the bolt and not the bolt itself. Heat directly on the bolt would cause the bolt to expand.

[SS427]

To me it seems a penetrant would wick in there easier.

One would think. I have had way better success with the wax than the penetrant for situations like I described.

[napa68]

Crayons........not just for lunch anymore :grin:

[169indy]

One would think. I have had way better success with the wax than the penetrant for situations like I described.

Exactly!

by virtue of physics: Capillary Action & Melted Wax (i.e. Melt Viscosity mPa) has a viscosity Less than that of Petroleum products-Oil Or Water. Then the Surface tension also works in Wax's favor.

A Pro Tip from Submarine Maintenance: "If/When Possible, using electric-induction, open-flame, Steam, Heat gun etc methods to apply heat to end opposite the fastener to promote propagation of the Parafin to 'Creep to the Heat' ."

I prefer to use Old Candle throw away from B-Day Cakes

[Too Many Projects]

Unless a fastener is recently rusted stuck, I've never had any success with penetrant on long term seized fasteners.

I have a Bolt Buster to break the rust lock. The wax would probably allow the fastener to turn easier.