Acetone and tranny fluid !!

[TCJatko]

Acetone does have a low flash point (the temperature at which it produces flammable vapors). It also burns with an invisible flame like alcohol. Tricky stuff.

 

[Soundguy]

Yes, but gasoline dissolves oil forming a solution. Acetone OTOH, forms a suspension with ATF. You have to keep it shaken up or it settles out. Such has ~no effect on vapor pressure and thus flashpoint.larry

now that, there, could be an issue.

When I mix up atf / acteone, I generally put in a couple of other things just for that reason right there, a different solvent. hexane, naptha, etc so i don't have to set and constantly shake it. I like soloution way better than suspension or emulsion.

 

[SPYDERLK]

now that, there, could be an issue.

When I mix up atf / acteone, I generally put in a couple of other things just for that reason right there, a different solvent. hexane, naptha, etc so i don't have to set and constantly shake it. I like soloution way better than suspension or emulsion.

Intresting. Which works best? Also bringing up the point - why not gas and ATF? Perhaps its the thinness/lo viscosity of the ATF acetone solution above the part that will settle out ... and if so; What %ATF will form a solution with acetone? Beyond that are we wasting ATF?

 

[Soundguy]

Intresting. Which works best? Also bringing up the point - why not gas and ATF? Perhaps its the thinness/lo viscosity of the ATF acetone solution above the part that will settle out ... and if so; What %ATF will form a solution with acetone? Beyond that are we wasting ATF?

i hate the smell of raw gas.. so avoid it as a 'thinner' solvent. I've found most anything that gas could be used as a slvent for.. naptha works fine for.. for obvious reason.

in my atf/acetone coctail, i found nason medium reducer or hexane made a stable mix.. it still evapped decently if left uncovered. not as bad as acetone.. but still. adding naptha, and to a further extent, mineral spirits to it FURTHER increased the time it took to flash off.

couldn't tell you the % mix as I make it up in the shop as needed and use calibrated 'glug-glug method. i'm sure the naptha/mineral spirits are doing much of the atf solvation.. and the hexane/medium reducer are what is making the acetone and petro solvents play nice(er)

 

[JoeL4330]

I've been using the 50/50 mix since I heard about it on a certain (unique) car forum...probably 7-8 years ago...

I keep the mixture in a mason jar with a good seal and pour it into a pumping oil can when I'm working on something requiring it...if your container does not seal completely the acetone will evaporate away over time....

Myself, I try to avoid storing such volatiles in glass containers...camping stores sell aluminum fuel "bottles" that work well.

 

[gwdixon]

Myself, I try to avoid storing such volatiles in glass containers...camping stores sell aluminum fuel "bottles" that work well.

The problem may be the plastic caps that are used to seal the aluminum bottles. Acetone eats most plastics.

 

[jinman]

Acetone is an excellent water displacer. I used to work for a geochemistry professor who used acetone to remove water from samples. He'd wash the sample in acetone and then let the acetone evaporate so that the pulverized rock had zero moisture. Of course, the guy had no common sense about safety. I caught him putting acetone into the same storage cabinet as perchloric acid. Any organic solvent in the same cabinet as any acid is a no-no, but reagent grade perchloric acid will explode immediately when it comes in contact with organics. This same professor had a scar on the back of his hand where he carelessly came into contact with perchloric acid. Despite his carelessness, he was a brilliant scientist who discovered micro-craters in Moon rock samples. But to stay on topic, acetone's ability to displace moisture may be one of the reasons it works so well with tranny fluid as a penetrating lubricant.

 

[dfkrug]

in my atf/acetone coctail, i found nason medium reducer or hexane made a stable mix..

That's interesting....maybe I will add some reducer to my mix....

I keep a tiny clear polyethylene squeeze bottle with the ATV/acetone 50-50 mix, and it does
separate pretty quickly after shaking it up. It sure may work better than the ubiquitous
Liquid Wrench or PBBlaster, but the advantage the latter products have is the aerosol can
with wand. Much easier to get it where you want it.

 

[gwdixon]

Acetone is an excellent water displacer. I used to work for a geochemistry professor who used acetone to remove water from samples. He'd wash the sample in acetone and then let the acetone evaporate so that the pulverized rock had zero moisture. Of course, the guy had no common sense about safety. I caught him putting acetone into the same storage cabinet as perchloric acid. Any organic solvent in the same cabinet as any acid is a no-no, but reagent grade perchloric acid will explode immediately when it comes in contact with organics. This same professor had a scar on the back of his hand where he carelessly came into contact with perchloric acid. Despite his carelessness, he was a brilliant scientist who discovered micro-craters in Moon rock samples. But to stay on topic, acetone's ability to displace moisture may be one of the reasons it works so well with tranny fluid as a penetrating lubricant.

Interesting.

What about diluting the AFT-acetone mixture with mineral spirits or turpentine (organic)? Would this be a problem?

 

[Soundguy]

Interesting.

What about diluting the AFT-acetone mixture with mineral spirits or turpentine (organic)? Would this be a problem?

i can tell you that atf/acetone /mineral spirits doesn't blow up.. I've used it.. etc..

 

[J35]

I have used this since the mid 90's---- Ed's Red' Bore Cleaner

It work's really well as a bore cleaner, general solvent, and penetrating solvent.

-- J

 

[DJ54]

I finally had a reason to try the 50/50 mix this week. I tore my old Florence Hot Blast coal burning stove apart a while back to reset it. A piece of the porcelain covered cast iron, shroud is held in place with soft stove bolts. One of the screws twisted off when I took it apart. I'm not sure when the last time that piece was removed, if ever. It was made in the 40's. And has been setting in my old shop since 1971. There was maybe 3/16" stub sticking out. Not enough for vise-grips, but enough to tap on with a small semi-sharp chisel.

I soaked it using a q-tip. Dabbed it numerous times. About the 4th dab, I noticed little air bubbles, like it was soaking down around. A few more for good measure, then started using the chisel across the face of the threads, so as to back it out. At first, I thought the screw was so soft, the chisel was just cutting into it. It was actually cutting in, and backing the screw out too. Followed it around 1 full turn, then backed it out with my fingers..!! Maybe a fluke, but it worked great..!!

 

[Soundguy]

a lefty drill bit can be your friend too!