What are Your Thoughts on My Unconventional Use of WD40

[dcruhoff]

My grubee 80 was running pretty poor do to leaving old gas in it and running it in spring (7 or 8 months old). I didnt have any carb cleaner nor felt like tearing it apart so on a whim I sprayed WD40 into air intake while it was running. It instantly got better so I took a short gentle ride stopping every 5 minutes or so to spray in more and getting continual better performance..but not quite as good as ever.

So I pulled my fuel line and filled it with WD40 and rode it. Did that twice. Of course a bit of sputter for first few miles with strange mix in bowel but after that...perfection. From a sputtering plug fouling mess to like new performance with a nice chocolate brown plug.

Anyhow was just curious if I discovered some great new carb cleaner or if this is being done by anyone else. Any thoughts on damage it might do or etc. My friend has a weedeater and a blower in about the same shape and was considering giving them the same treatment. One advantage I see to WD40 opposed to carb cleaner is no worries of damaging non metal parts I'm aware of and if it will save me a carb tear down (never done it and will only under duress I'm happy.

I do like these little engines as U can really experiment with little worry, with replacing one costing less than most minor car or truck repairs. Surprised mine still will run like new after 700-1000 miles or so three years later with my hair brain tinkering with it. From troubles I see here I'm just lucky I guess, even though I'm probably wrenching on some problem 1/4 as much time as I'm riding.

 

[professor]

Hi Dr, all wd40 is is oil and solvent. I doubt you can hurt anything with it, but get some fuel preserver to add to your tank before you put it away and you won't need to bother with WD.

 

[tooljunkie]

i have used it for starting fluid for many years.i have now switched to sea foam.both are on my shelf.
water displacing formula #40 is great for so many things.

sea foam is a fuel stabilizer as well,it penetrates well.cleans old fuel stains if left to soak long enough.

 

[2stroker]

i have used it for starting fluid for many years.i have now switched to sea foam.both are on my shelf.
water displacing formula #40 is great for so many things.

sea foam is a fuel stabilizer as well,it penetrates well.cleans old fuel stains if left to soak long enough.

I usually take my carb apart and clean it out so that the dirt is able to escape. Then i will take my head off and clean the block and top of the piston make everything look like new and slap her back together. I used wd-40 as started fluid for my lawnmower yesterday!!

 

[dcruhoff]

Well so much for my "new" great invention. Guess I'll have to get my first million some other way (grin). Did use it on my friends weed eater same way and blower..weed eater now runs at maybe 80% hoping a few clean tanks of gas will smooth it to perfect. Also on his leaf blower thing..it is just barley starting but improved so i'm sold on it.

Now I get to learn how to true my rear wheel as my very expensive "flat stopping" armadillo super kevlar etc tire let a little tiny piece of glass through. It was dark and engine running I didnt notice it right off. Tire blew off, tube came out..wrapped in spokes and sprocket and jammed in brakes stopping me dead. Overall impact left me with a wobble in wheel.

Brings up a new question and one other. Can u true a wheel decent with rag sprocket on or does it have to come off?

Also I've read a few people saying they replaced the spark plug wire. Mine just wouldn't clip or connect anymore so I cut plug off it and put on a wire connector which i bent around plug. I have a new wire but what I see is a wire coming right out of a sealed coil and don't know how I'd get inside that coil. Is there a trick i'm missing?

Hope it's ok to post all this I know it's all over the place...if I'm out of line please tell me and what to do otherwise. I'd think it's covered somewhere in this mass of info here but haven't had luck finding it yet. Maybe it should be new thread, not sure. Please don't hesitate to slap me upside head if I'm being a bother. Hoping as I get more experience I'll have at least a bit to give back to this awesome knowledge base as well and want to use it properly.

 

[Skyliner70cc]

My opinion is that it is a BAD idea. Here's why. Take a look at a typical HT engine internals. You will find a light coat of rust on the crank and piston rod. WD40 is incredibly efficient on loosening/removing light surface rust. Rust, iron oxide, is a component of some SAND PAPERS. Using WD40 in any internal combustion engine can cause premature engine wear. This is something commonly known by those who fly model airplanes and use glow engines.