An old trick for wet ignitions

[saddlebum]

Next time your bike wont start or run right because of wet weather or washing, try spraying the entire ignition system including the plug wires with a heavy wet dose of WD40 or other quality penetrating oil. It will flush the moisture away and 9 times out of ten the bike will run normal. 2nd point if it works it is a good indicator that some part of your ignition needs replacing.

[Marcarl]

Now how did you get so smart?

[saddlebum]

Now how did you get so smart?

By being DUTCH and toooo cheap to fix anthing properly.

[Yammer Dan]

By being DUTCH and toooo cheap to fix anthing properly.

 

That works for us Native American - Irish too......

[slick97spirit]

That works for us Native American - Irish too......

 

Aha!! This explains alot. Now I'm beginning to understand.

[royalstarjac]

That is the original purpose of WD-40. Hence the WD. Water Displacement.

[Yammer Dan]

Aha!! This explains alot. Now I'm beginning to understand.

 

Good you can explain it to me!!!!

 

 

:rotfl:

[SilvrT]

That is the original purpose of WD-40. Hence the WD. Water Displacement.

 

Correct ... I used to spray the inside of a distributor and all the plug wires with WD40 years ago when I used to do a lot of engine steam cleaning.

[Guest PlaneCrazy]

That is the original purpose of WD-40. Hence the WD. Water Displacement.

 

As a kid, I remember my father telling me about WD-40 and how it was first used on missiles. Here's the blurp from the history section of the WD-40 website...

"It took them 40 attempts to get the water displacing formula worked out. But they must have been really good, because the original secret formula for WD-40®—which stands for Water Displacement perfected on the 40th try—is still in use today.

 

Convair, an aerospace contractor, first used WD-40 to protect the outer skin of the Atlas Missile from rust and corrosion. The product actually worked so well that several employees snuck some WD-40 cans out of the plant to use at home.

A few years following WD-40's first industrial use, Rocket Chemical Company founder Norm Larsen experimented with putting WD-40 into aerosol cans, reasoning that consumers might find a use for the product at home as some of the employees had. The product made its first appearance on store shelves in San Diego in 1958."

 

I've used it for a lot of stuff, including spraying my ignition wires in my old Dodge van that had the moisture sensitive 318 in it

 

Just be aware though, that its an old product and not very good for use on anything electronic as it leaves a film behind. Its fine for use outside a sealed system (like plug wires) but for circuit boards and other stuff, get a good contact cleaner instead.

[saddlebum]

I know its not a big secret, and many here know about it but for those that did not know this simple trick, I thought it would be useful info to post, or repost whatever the case may be, since the issue of wet ignitions has come up again.

[dmoff1698]

My Grandfather swore by WD-40...as a temporary relief for his authoritus (sp?).

He would spray it on his hands and rub it in real good, let it set for about five minutes, then wash it off.

 

Never had the opprotunity to try this for myself thank goodness, just saying...

[eusa1]

My Grandfather swore by WD-40...as a temporary relief for his authoritus (sp?).

He would spray it on his hands and rub it in real good, let it set for about five minutes, then wash it off.

 

Never had the opprotunity to try this for myself thank goodness, just saying...

 

my grandma would spray it on grandpa's back to relieve back pain too!!

 

i have never met anyone else with this story.... thought they were nuts??

[Flyinfool]

There are even some that use WD40 as an attractant on fishing lures.

Never tried it myself.

 

I do not like what WD40 leaves behind so I do not even own a can of the stuff.

[royalstarjac]

http://www.wd40.com/files/pdf/wd-40_2042538679.pdf

[slick97spirit]

my grandma would spray it on grandpa's back to relieve back pain too!!

 

i have never met anyone else with this story.... thought they were nuts??

 

Had an uncle that would spray it on his bad knee. claimed it eased the pain of his rheumatism

[dmoff1698]

Will almost instantly kill wasps when sprayed on their nest. But you have to get toooooo close to do it.:no-no-no:

 

There are cheaper and safer ways.

[Yammer Dan]

Will almost instantly kill wasps when sprayed on their nest. But you have to get toooooo close to do it.:no-no-no:

 

There are cheaper and safer ways.

 

 

But no where near the Fun!!!

[saddlebum]

Formulation

WD-40's formula is a trade secret. The product is not patented in order to avoid completely disclosing its ingredients.[2] WD-40's main ingredients, according to U.S. Material Safety Data Sheet information, are:

• 50%: Stoddard solvent (i.e., mineral spirits -- primarily hexane, somewhat similar to kerosene)
  
• 25%: Liquefied petroleum gas (presumably as a propellant; carbon dioxide is now used instead to reduce WD-40's considerable flammability)
  
• 15+%: Mineral oil (light lubricating oil)
  
• 10-%: Inert ingredients
  

The German version of the mandatory EU safety sheet lists the following safety-relevant ingredients:

• 60-80%: Heavy Naphtha (petroleum product), hydrogen treated
  
• 1-5%: Carbon dioxide
  

It further lists flammability and effects to the human skin when repeatedly exposed to WD-40 as risks when using WD-40. Nitrile rubber gloves and safety glasses should be used. Water is unsuitable for extinguishing burning WD-40.

There is a popular urban legend that the key ingredient in WD-40 is fish oil.[3] However, the WD-40 web site states that it is a petroleum based product [4]