Prep with Kerosene ??? - Page 2

mikenap · 10-23-09, 04:57

I see people talking about Prep Sol all the time. Is this the DuPont product or a generic name for this kind of solvent? And where are you guys picking it up from? Thanks.

94BlkStang · 10-23-09, 09:08

Quote:

Originally Posted by Accumulator

Yep, old school. But it usually doesn't do any damage. A childhood friend's father did that on his '62 Chevy, a ratty work car that was nonetheless 100% mechanically. And I mean he did it for *years and years*, on a car that was outside every day and abused like you wouldn't believe. It worked out surprisingly well, at least for what the car was (note that back then paint failure and rust were almost taken for granted, but this thing held up great).

But it's not something anybody here would ever want to do, and even my friend's dad finally had the car repainted and then treated it more conventionally.

I agree it's definitely old school but like you said it's a very mild solvent and even much safer than typical prepsols. What's funny is that kerosene is often times the petroleum distillate that's used in many car care products.

advs1 · 10-24-09, 07:22

Quote:

Originally Posted by mikenap

I see people talking about Prep Sol all the time. Is this the DuPont product or a generic name for this kind of solvent? And where are you guys picking it up from? Thanks.

i usually get it at wal mart. in the automotive section, pretty cheap too

David Fermani · 10-24-09, 08:56

I can think of 10 other solvents before I'd reach for Kerosene. Nasty stuff and one of the slowest working ones for tar removal.

94BlkStang · 10-24-09, 09:51

Quote:

Originally Posted by David Fermani

I can think of 10 other solvents before I'd reach for Kerosene. Nasty stuff and one of the slowest working ones for tar removal.

curious what solvents you refer to and what makes kerosene so nasty? Do you also realize that there are different grade levels of kerosene? There are a few manufactures of very highly refined products that are classified as kerosene as it's mainly determined by the flash point and distilation range of the product and typically very low odor or no odor. No different really than mineral spirits but just a higfher flash point (typcially around 160 or more) and end point (typically around 450) where mineral spirtis are 120 to 142 flash point and end point of 390's to low 400's. Kerosene (the low odor and highly refines kind) can be a very good and safe cleaner. I will agree that it is one of the slower solvents available but that's what makes it somewhat safer also.

salty · 10-25-09, 01:55

True, just as mineral spirits is a generic name. Up here Varsol is a trade name, made by Esso-Imperial Oil-Exxon. But it is also classified as dry cleaning solvent when it is triple distilled.

Just as Lacquer Thinner is a mix of solvents, a mix of 5 to 7 different ones in different ratios, by manufacturer.

Kerosene and Stoddard solvent (solvent action in WD-40) was a main ingredient in products a few years ago, not sure how that changed with the VOC laws.

jfelbab · 10-25-09, 06:50

Quote:

Originally Posted by lawrencea

The old school fact is true. Kerosene and water was the original rinseless wash. You would use one cup of kerosene to a bucket of water, and you would sponge your car down and wipe it off with a couple of terry towels. It would keep road film off the car and would help prevent rust coming from behind chrome mouldings.It was also great for cleaning glass. In its day it done a great job.

This brings back memories. I'm an old geezer, and when I was younger I knew a guy who ran a limo service. All he would use on his limo's was a few ounces of kerosene in his wash bucket. He never waxed those limos. They were black and were always very shiny and they would bead water like crazy. He never got any rust anywhere as the kerosene would get into places wax could never reach. This was back in the 50's and 60's. He'd use the soapy water and kerosene like an ONR. Those cars had no dipped paint processes and rust was almost guaranteed in the salty midwest winters. His limos had no rust so it was a great process for the time.

I owned a couple of 50's and 60's vintage cars and I used to spend hours polishing and waxing them and they all rusted out. I used to use Blue Coral, Simonize and Vista back then. He had much better looking cars than I did. and I was always trying to sell him on my services. He would look at my cars and just laugh.

Cars today are much better protected and there are much better products but his limo's were top notch back then.

lawrencea · 10-25-09, 07:27

Quote:

Originally Posted by jfelbab

This brings back memories. I'm an old geezer, and when I was younger I knew a guy who ran a limo service. All he would use on his limo's was a few ounces of kerosene in his wash bucket. He never waxed those limos. They were black and were always very shiny and they would bead water like crazy. He never got any rust anywhere as the kerosene would get into places wax could never reach. This was back in the 50's and 60's. He'd use the soapy water and kerosene like an ONR. Those cars had no dipped paint processes and rust was almost guaranteed in the salty midwest winters. His limos had no rust so it was a great process for the time.

I owned a couple of 50's and 60's vintage cars and I used to spend hours polishing and waxing them and they all rusted out. I used to use Blue Coral, Simonize and Vista back then. He had much better looking cars than I did. and I was always trying to sell him on my services. He would look at my cars and just laugh.

Cars today are much better protected and there are much better products but his limo's were top notch back then.

Glad to here from someone with some good old fashon knowedge.

Accumulator · 10-25-09, 08:22

Quote:

Originally Posted by salty

... Stoddard solvent (WD-40) was a main ingredient in products a few years ago, not sure how that changed with the VOC laws.

Huh, I grew up around Stoddard Solvent, it was my dad's favorite solvent and we used it for all sorts of stuff. Never woulda considered it in the same vein as WD-40

Street5927 · 10-25-09, 08:27

The only thing I ever used Kerosene for is on EXTREME cases, the inside of the wheel well where there is a super over-abundance of tar. I will spray it on, wipe it down and then wash and rinse very well. This happened once in a blue moon...but other than that, I have to agree that there are much safer and more environmentally safe ways to prep a vehicle's surface. Although, I have found something that works much better than Kerosene for removing tough tar, grease, etc....3M General Purpose Adhesive Remover. It works extremely well on baked on tar inside the wheel wells.

Shop 3M: 3M Adhesive Remover Catalog Number 6041, 24 fluid oz

94BlkStang · 10-25-09, 09:07

Quote:

Originally Posted by Accumulator

Huh, I grew up around Stoddard Solvent, it was my dad's favorite solvent and we used it for all sorts of stuff. Never woulda considered it in the same vein as WD-40

Stoddard solvent is your basic low odor mineral spirits and the dry cleaning industry adopted the name stoddard even though it was often times the same stuff that the garage mechanic used in his parts washer. I was in the chemical business for 27 years and actually started off driving a truck delivering cleaning solvent. The same tank delivered stoddard solvent to dry cleaners, cleaning solvent to garages and mineral spirits to paint stores.

As for WD40, it's much different than a straight stoddard solvent as it's a blend of several products inlcuding a silicone. and the carrier was actually a highly refined kerosene as opposed to mineral spirits. What some people seem to be misunderstanding in this thread is that the only difference between a mineral spirit and a low odor refined kerosene is the flash point and the drying time with kerosene being a slower drying and a little less aggressive.

Hopefully this clears up some misconceptions about kerosene.

94BlkStang · 10-25-09, 09:16

Quote:

Originally Posted by Street5927

The only thing I ever used Kerosene for is on EXTREME cases, the inside of the wheel well where there is a super over-abundance of tar. I will spray it on, wipe it down and then wash and rinse very well. This happened once in a blue moon...but other than that, I have to agree that there are much safer and more environmentally safe ways to prep a vehicle's surface. Although, I have found something that works much better than Kerosene for removing tough tar, grease, etc....3M General Purpose Adhesive Remover. It works extremely well on baked on tar inside the wheel wells.

Shop 3M: 3M Adhesive Remover Catalog Number 6041, 24 fluid oz

3m Adhesive remover comes in a couple varieties. If it's the citrus base then it's a pretty safe product as the solvent in it is D'Limonene (a citrus base solvent extract), but if it's the old school adhesive remover then it contains aromatic solvents (Toluene, Xylene or Aromatic 100) which is more aggressive, but also more harmful than kerosene.