Readers’ Tips

Some Handy Sources for “Penetrating Oil”

I am fortunate to have a few local salvage yards that still allow you to roam the yard and pick your own parts.

It seems, though, that no matter how many things I load into my tool box before I head out to a yard, when I get there I realize that something important is missing.

Now I’m sure we’ve all used our ingenuity out there in the yard, such as when we use a piece of pipe or an old, broken leaf spring for some extra leverage. But here is one that has helped me in another way in dealing with some of those rusty bolts you’re bound to find.

I recently went to remove some suspension parts for my 1973 Chevy pickup and then realized that I had left my penetrating oil at home.

Does that sound familiar? Well, don’t despair, the yards have plenty of the necessary product on hand, by way of brake fluid reservoirs and power steering pumps.

Just find a container, it may take a little searching but you know there always are some laying around the yard. An old water “sport” bottle with a pull-up top works great.

One squeeze of the bottle, dipped in a master cylinder reservoir, and I had enough “penetrating oil” to take the whole truck apart.

Tom Cassat Johnstown, Pennsylvania