Topic: Wintergreen oil_rubber renew test / peanut oil plastic renew test_pics

[cookindaddy]

mystic_1: your caution about heating the xylene is well given and well taken.

Xylene is not that easy to get here in Canada anyway. It's not a controlled substance, but it sure is flammable and it is not sold at Home Depot or at any paint store that I tried. I'll try the wintergreen/water method the next time.

What proportion of wintergreen to the water do you use?

Thanks

[mystic_1]

I used 8oz wintergreen to 1G water.

mystic_1

[cookindaddy]

Wow. So not much wintergreen at all?

Do you find that the wintergreen dissolves in the water? Maybe it was the type of wintergreen I used, but I found that it seemed to not dissolve, that I could see oil bubbles in the water when I stirred. The wintergreen seemed to go to the bottom unless I stirred. That is primarily why I got the xylene, also since so many people seemed to be using that. Then the wintergreen seemed to form a solution with the xylene, no bubbles. It worked well for me, but as you pointed out, I'd rather not be heating xylene.

Your method sounds great and relatively quick. Mark's method also works, but takes more time.

[mystic_1]

Certainly oil and water do not mix   When heated to just below boiling you get small amounts of emulsification but not a lot.  Also the convection currents in the hot water keep the oil moving around.  After the solution had cooled there was obviously less oil present, whatever that means.

mystic_1

[MoTo-BunnY]

Quite an interesting thread here with some great tips. I love the wintergreen oil too-it's in Marvel Mystery Oil and smells purty.

Wintergreen

Wintergreen Oil


Just wanted to add a few things of my own, I have learned over the years:

1)  Peanut oil is also great for leather. Helps clean it, helps with water resistance, and keeps it supple.

2)  Armor All is #$%*e for rubber. I have had like 2 older mechanics (like mechs for 30-40 years) and a guy that has worked at a windshield and glass place for 30+ years all tell me this. It temporarily makes rubber all shiny but not only does nothing for making it last longer, but apparently helps break it down faster?!?

3)  Restore greyed plastic with black dye. To help faded out grey ABS plastic parts (originally black) restore their original color, try Kiwi liquid shoe polish or leather dye first to re-ad the black dye. Allow it to dry well and then apply peanut oil to 'seal' it. I did this to all the very sun faded exterior trim parts on my '89 Jetta that was originally from Kansas. They still look great, like 5 years later!

[HondaMan]

Quite an interesting thread here with some great tips. I love the wintergreen oil too-it's in Marvel Mystery Oil and smells purty.

Wintergreen

Wintergreen Oil


Just wanted to add a few things of my own, I have learned over the years:

1)  Peanut oil is also great for leather. Helps clean it, helps with water resistance, and keeps it supple.

2)  Armor All is shiite for rubber. I have had like 2 older mechanics (like mechs for 30-40 years) and a guy that has worked at a windshield and glass place for 30+ years all tell me this. It apparently makes rubber all shiny but not only does nothing for making it last longer, apparently helps break it down faster?!?

3)  Restore greyed plastic with black dye. To help faded out grey plastic parts (originally black) restore their original color, try Kiwi liquid shoe polish or leather dye first to re-ad the black dye. Allow it to dry well and then apply peanut oil to 'seal' it. I did this to all the very sun faded exterior trim parts on my '89 Jetta that was originally from Kansas. They still look great, like 5 years later!

Thanks, Bunny! I think I'll try the Kiwi bit on the airbox(es) I have and see how it goes. I now have 4 complete airboxes for 750s, all with brand-new (feeling) rubber sets for the carbs! But the sun-faded boxes could use some help, and paint does not fare well on this ABS surface.

[GammaFlat]

I've just done several sets of "rubber parts" (carb manifolds and air horn sets) with 50/50 wintergreen/xylol and the results are shocking.  The parts feel like new.  I imagine there's some price to pay in terms of longevity or elasticity but it sounds like you're pretty much good to go for at least a few years.  My hands are pretty strong and I couldn't budge the parts before when I tried to squeeze them - I'm sure they would have sealed poorly when in use.  Now it's hard to believe new ones could be softer.  I have never had a new set in my hand before though...

I do have one gripe about the xylene/xylol - I'm worried about exposure.  I read the MSDS and like most of them, it'll scare the crap out of you.  I may have to take Mystic1's advice and do the water and wintergreen oil trick next time.  Lately, I've been wearing a respirator when I go into the garage.  It seems that the plastic lid of the coffee can I'm using pretty quickly got distorted (enlarged) and stopped sealing well.  Anyone got any good ideas on containers to soak this stuff in besides a coffee can? 

The vendor "JustOTC" on Amazon has this stuff for 3.81 per 4 oz.  I bought 4 ozs ($15.24) and I believe they combined shipping ($5.91 for shipping). 

[ekpent]

Most real paint stores have new empty metal 1 gallon paint cans with metal lids for sale.Sound like a good option to me.

[GammaFlat]

Most real paint stores have new empty metal 1 gallon paint cans with metal lids for sale.Sound like a good option to me.

Excellent idea!

[cookindaddy]

Try your local drug store for the wintergreen. A reasonably large one should have it at a reasonable price. I bought 8 oz here for $5. It is sold as an external pain killer (analgesic?)

[MoTo-BunnY]

Most real paint stores have new empty metal 1 gallon paint cans with metal lids for sale.Sound like a good option to me.

Yeah, Home Depot even has those-both small and large sizes.

I would definitely recommend good ventilation when using Xylene plus a respirator would be wise idea. Good chemical gloves would be key, too. Speaking of Home Depot, they have a variety of different gloves and on the back of the package, they have the recommendations of what type glove to use with what type of chemical you expect to work with. I found that I should be using the black neoprene gloves with the acetone I use (for cleaning video games and pinball machines in our business (graffiti removal)) though, instead of the latex/nitrile ones I had been using. (no wonder they wouldn't last long, duh!)

With a little Google-Fu I just found a really comprehensive guide that covers a ton of chemicals and what type of gloves to use with them-some of the recommendations are surprising. (i.e. not what type of glove you might think). With Xylene and Xylol, nitrile gloves are rated "good" and the best rated are PVA (polyvinyl alcohol) which I don't think I have seen before at typical hardware stores. ALL other types are NOT recommended!

Don't be like this guy here in Portland that I know. Worked as a mechanic for 40+ years until rather recently and has never worn gloves (or probably any other protection) for anything. He's on his 3rd bone transplant operation now at the VA where they are taking it from his legs and transplanting it into his hands. The bones in his hands are all messed up and soft from years of cleaning parts with no gloves (his words). He's on disability now and wants to do mechanic stuff soooo bad but just can't anymore because of his hands. It's really sad-he's a great guy that just didn't know better "back in the day".  


Download the chemicals / glove guide here: (free - .pdf)

Ansell 7th Edition Chemical Resistance Guide

[333]

Whatever is in ArmorAll (Alcohol of some sort?)actually dries out whatever it is put on.  Looks good short term, bad for whatever you put it on long term.  Just say NO!

[magconpres]

I think I found the best deal yet for Wintegreen oil.
Thor Tire Prep #12 is 100% wintergreen oil.
It is used by Go-Kart racers to soften tires prior to racing.
I got a quart on eBay for $14 + $12 for shipping.  That's under $.82/oz.
My local pharmacy wanted $9/oz.

[GammaFlat]

This looks like your find(?): http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/WINTERGREEN-Tire-Prep-Softener-Conditioner-Kart-Racing-_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQhashZitem27b24c9831QQitemZ170495088689QQptZRaceQ5fCarQ5fParts

Looks like a great deal.  I paid 20 bucks (via Amazon) for 16 oz. shipped. 

[Ved]

Wow...

The carb to air-box boots on my CB750A were rock hard, and literally made it impossible to put the air-box back on successfully. Replacement boots were next to impossible to find(and the ones I did find at a motorcycle salvage were just as dried up and hard) I ordered 4oz of wintergreen oil from a seller on amazon for 7 bux with shipping. Picked up a quart of Xylene at the local hardware store for 5 bux. Mixed the 4oz of wintergreen oil with about 13oz of Xylene. Let the boots soak in it overnight... Holy crap this stuff works amazing! Boots are like new! Soft and supple, made putting the air-box back on easy as pie. I saved the leftover mix in a mason jar and labeled it "Rubber Remedy".

I am highly impressed with this method of restoring old dried up rubber.  

*Edit* I wonder how well this stuff would work on some tires that are a bit dry rotted?

[flybox1]

*Edit* I wonder how well this stuff would work on some tires that are a bit dry rotted?

its your life man, but there is no way in hell i'd ride on "once dry-rotted, but magically resotored by a  rubber elixer" tires. 

[Ved]

I didn't mean on a motorcycle. I'm crazy, but not stupid. I was thinking my lawnmower tires. They have tubes in em so I'm not too worried. Just wondering if it would help em hold up a bit longer before coming apart 

[flybox1]

   glad!
lawnmower racing is much safer! 

[magconpres]

This looks like your find(?): http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/WINTERGREEN-Tire-Prep-Softener-Conditioner-Kart-Racing-_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQhashZitem27b24c9831QQitemZ170495088689QQptZRaceQ5fCarQ5fParts

Looks like a great deal.  I paid 20 bucks (via Amazon) for 16 oz. shipped. 

That's the one.

[JimJamerino]

*Edit* I wonder how well this stuff would work on some tires that are a bit dry rotted?

See Bob's rant from page 2

[cb350twin]

With the wintergreen oil & water boil method, how do you prevent the carb boots from melting when in the bottom of the pan boiling?

[cookindaddy]

You pull one out once in a while and squeeze it, to see how its doing.

If you are uncomfortable with boiling, you can just let them soak in it but it takes longer, days instead of minutes/hours.

If it has gone too far, they don't melt but they do swell up. I haven't let that happen but others have written that the swelling is reversible in that they will shrink back to normal size in time just left in the air.

[javahut]

I have done the wintergreen thing, with water , to every set of carb boots I have had, works real well, and keeps one working for at least 5 years, that is the longest I have had my current bike, 78F.
I use the water and wintergreen versus Xylene (a petroleum solvent) 4 oz bottle to about a gallon of water, I use an old turkey cooker pot, with the heater,on low, put a folded piece of hardware screen in the bottom of the pot to keep the boots from touching the bottom of the pot.  I leave several sets in for30-45 minutes, I judge the time by the crud and foam on the top when it is hot.
when I take them out with old BBQ tongs, I drop them right in cold water bucket, then wipe them down with tire cleaner to remove surface dirt.

supplier  http://www.americarx.com/products/12778.html

[BruceDeuce]

I have a couple good condition gaskets, I wonder if I soaked if they  would be reuseable? Any comments or suggestions would be appreciated.

Bruce

[mlinder]

Gaskets for what?