VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - 1945 AND EARLIER 1933-1936 Cutting Oil in Radiator

Met a gentleman Sat. that has a 1932 Confederate, beautiful car!! Anyway he says he uses about 3 oz. of cutting oil mixed with regular water in his cooling system, makes a milky white liquid that he claims works as a great rust inhibitor and also helps lubricate the water pump, he says it's an old time mixture used back in the 30's, anyone ever heard of this concoction?
He and I were the only Chevy's out of 45 cars that made a tour Saturday....nobody broke down, the tour was about 45 miles with the oldest car (1917 Model T)leading the tour.
There were 2 Auburns there that were in magnificent condition, but more Model A's then you could shake a stick at!

I have heard that back in the old days water soluble oil was used in the radiator but I have not heard about using cutting oil specifically.

:)

I remember using that in some stationary equipment and have heard that others ran it in their vehicles years ago...I would think that what's missing might be the antiboil & antifreeze range that the modern coolants offer over water...


epi

I have heard that they would use glycerine in the winter. I would think a 50-50 mix of water and modern anti-freeze and coolant would be better for the system, and use some Lubriplate water pump grease in the screw down grease cup

Years ago many additives and coolant mixtures were used. In the winter some drained the water and used kerosene instead. Glycerine, methyl alcohol, ethyl alcohol, ethylene glycol were also added to water. In the beginning nothing was used in those mixtures to inhibit corrosion. Because of the lubricity of oils many were used in an attempt to reduce the wear in the water pump. They were also claimed to reduce the rusting in the cooling systems. That they will do. But, what people don't tell you is they also reduce the heat transfer in the cooling system. Because of the heat the oil tends to accumulate at the hottest points. They slowly make the hot spots hotter. Not a good thing. The oils also reduce the heat transfer in the radiator.

All modern antifreeze/coolants contain a complex mixture of corrosion inhibitors protecting a large range of metals as well as antifoam agents.

People can use anything they wish in their cooling systems. All have their plusses and minuses. But I use a 30-50% ethylene glycol based coolant/water mixture. Disclaimer: I have no stock in any manufacturer of antifreeze/coolants. Though I did work as coolant specialist for a major manufacturer for many years. When you read or hear of some "fix" don't just pay attention to what they tell you but what they don't tell you also.

You can purchase a radiator rust inhibitor and water pump lube at any parts store.A lubricant really isn't necessary in you car because the seal is a graphite packing which is self lubricating.The late 1938 and up had a rubber compsoition seal.These would tend to squeak when just water was used and some times the water pump lube was necessary.With modern anti-freeze its not necessary -usually.
After time you will get accustomed to hearing all these old time tales.Normal when you get together with a group of old car nuts.
The one that I always get a kick out of is placing clothes pins in front of the carburetor on the gas line to prevent vapor locking.
Glad to hear that you had a successful day.This will make all the work seem more worthwhile.Your now on your way

I like the one about putting pepper in the radiator. I even tried this years ago and it worked for about an hour...Oscar

Actually ground ginger and other fiberous tuber type roots have been used as a radiator anti-leak for decades. They are in commercial products even today. Any fiber would work as long as it can be suspended in water, alcohol or coolant and has enough size and shape to form a "patch" over the leak. Next it should bond to the surface in order to stay in place. Pepper might work if it was of a large enough particle size. Finely ground pepper likely would not work to well on anything larger than a tiny hole.

Thanks Chipper, you learn something every day...Oscar

When I was a kid, a neighborhool oldtimer had many remedies for old car problems. Fuller's earth to fix slipping clutches and in brakes to get through the local testing station, flax seed in the radiator to stop leaks,laundry blueing in the cooling system to identify cracked heads and egg preserver (sodium silicate) to seal small cracks in heads and blocks especially after he welded cracks for us. I remember that we kids would look at him and think he was either crazy or kidding, but we tried most of his ideas because we didn't have any other options. And surprise - most of them worked.

I saw an episode of "Myth Busters" on Discovery Channel where they tried various tests to either destroy an engine. Sugar in the gas tank was proven to be a myth as it had no effect on the operation. The one chemical I recall that did kill the engine was adding chlorine bleach to the oil...made lots of smoke and the breakdown of the oil caused the engine to sieze.
The one old-time remedy for a leaking radiator they were able to prove effective was the egg! They cracked an egg into a spewing radiator and in a few minutes the leak stopped. I have no idea about the long term effect but it might do in a pinch!

Coach

Actually most of his fixes have strong reasons that they work. Fuller’s earth is a mild abrasive and will definitely help surface metal either polish really rough parts or abrade smooth ones. The flax seed should also work as will the egg (albumin). Any strong water soluble dye will help find cracks. And water glass (sodium silicate) is well known as a high temperature anti-leak agent.

"Because of the heat the oil tends to accumulate at the hottest points."

Just curious. Why would the oil tend to accumulate at the hottest points? Wouldn't the oil at these points actually become less viscous due to the heat and have the tendency to flow better and be carried away in the flow pattern created by the water pump?

one reason is that the hot spot will vaporize the water before the oil and leave the oil there to eventually burn up and leave a carbon deposit on the hot metal it is a chain reaction. heat oil, carbon deposit, heat spot then gets hotter,so on so forth

I have less faith in those dorks on Mythbusters than The funny paper being factual news
their aim is to sell a tv show, with rather dubious amateurish experiments. Just my professional opinion

Mr. Mack is right on with the reason that oil accumulates at the hot spots. It is the same for any dissolved solids (like in hard water) that also tend to deposit in the hot spots making them even hotter (at least on the inside away from the coolant).

Folks there is some good science and engineering behind the modern coolant/antifreeze. My advise is to use it instead of what the old farmer, mechanic, uncle or ???? tells you. And spend a few pennies and mix it with deionized water instead of the water from the tap with salts and rocks dissolved in it.