What would we do without this amazing product?
When I turned the heating on, I noticed that I had one radiator that wasn’t warming up and a quick examination showed that it was due to a stuck TRV pin. During the warmer weather over the last couple of days, I sprayed WD 40 on the pin and left it. Then this morning due to it being a cold misty morning here, the heating came on and the TRV worked again.
Of course, I had to get some more because I couldn’t find my can of it. Which will no doubt turn up when I am looking for something else.
For those interested, a link to the history of WD-40
WD-40 is an American brand and the trademark of a penetrating oil manufactured by the WD-40 Company based in San Diego, California. Its formula was invented for the Rocket Chemical Company in 1953, before it became the WD-40 Company. WD-40 became available as a commercial product in 1961. It acts as a lubricant, rust preventive, penetrant and moisture displacer. There are specialized products that perform better than WD-40 in many of these uses, but WD-40's flexibility has given it fame as It ...
What has WD-40 done for you?
4 Likes
Osiris
October 18, 2024, 4:38pm
2
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BigAl
October 18, 2024, 4:40pm
3
Exactly the same. Two TRVs were stuck: 1 I freed by turning it repeatedly from 5 to off, the other I attempted to free gently using pliers.
As it was still not working, I applied a tiny amount of WD40 using their straw-like applicator and the TRV is now working correctly.
Hollow
October 18, 2024, 4:42pm
4
Use with caution though, it’ll destroy rubber
Fatcat
October 18, 2024, 4:56pm
5
That’s true of natural rubber.
It’s fine with most rubbers such as nitrile, hypalon and viton.
1 Like
Fatcat
October 18, 2024, 5:00pm
6
It’s a good idea to switch the heating on every so often in the summer and exercise the valves.
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Mike-B
October 18, 2024, 5:14pm
7
Be careful with WD40, it can damage some plastics and it might be the TVR pin seal has a plastic content.
I too have experienced sticking TVR’s, for the last 5 yesrs or so I’ve put a few drops of 3-in-1 light oil on the pin about once a year. This year I didn’t do that but all TVR’s worked OK on their 1st season heat up.
1 Like
Dan360
October 18, 2024, 5:17pm
8
Once used WD40 to light a barbecue on a stubbornly windy day.
4 Likes
Willy
October 18, 2024, 5:41pm
9
The Wiser system we use cycles the valves periodically when not in use.
Willy.
2 Likes
A couple of squirts on your knees each morning works wonders!
3 Likes
GT-85 (made by the same company) is better.
2 Likes
I use more WD40 than GT85. Tomorrow I’ll be using WD with wet’n’dry to polish some camshaft journals.
I find GT-85 better for cleaning as it’s thinner and more penetrative than WD-40.
1 Like
GT-85 is the best for folding car door mirrors, locks etc WD can get a bit messy.
I’ll be micro-polishing the camshaft bearing surfaces rather than cleaning, WD is just the ticket for this.
2 Likes
Some years ago my then 95 year old neighbour arrived at my back door and demanded to know if I had any UB40.
Took a few moments to realse it was lubrication she was after not an unemployment benefit form.
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or UB40 music, the 80’s band!
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And the new cans seem to now have a fixed/hinged spray spout (rather than the finicky losable straw) - a definite upgrade !
5 Likes
I saw on a bike forum recently someone saying that WD-40 is a degreaser primarily, ie It’s not an oil or lubricant.
That post on that other forum made me wonder what WD-40 is chemically And whether that post was correct?