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Just found a way to crack rusty exhaust bolts without breaking them, using candle wax
I had a 2007 Silverado in the bay with a manifold bolt that would not budge, and I was about to break out the torch. A retired guy who hangs around the shop mentioned heating the bolt until it glows, then touching a plain candle to it and letting the wax get sucked into the threads. I figured it was nonsense, but I tried it on four bolts and every single one came loose with a normal ratchet, no snapping. The wax works its way into the rust gap while the metal is hot, and it lubes things up way better than the penetrating oil I usually grab. It saved me from drilling out two bolts on that job. Curious if anybody here has used this on other stuck stuff, like O2 sensors or brake bleeder screws.
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rowanr885d ago
Did you really get the bolts glowing? That's more heat than you need, and on a manifold you risk warping the flange or cooking the gasket. The trick works because the wax melts and gets pulled into the threads, but the bolt only needs to be hot enough to smoke the wax, not cherry red. A regular propane torch and some patience does the same thing without the risk.
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