Old timer at the shop showed me a trick for seized bolts I'll never forget

I was working on a 2007 F-150 at my uncle's shop in Phoenix about 2 years ago. The exhaust manifold bolts were completely rusted and I was about to snap one off with my impact gun. This guy named Earl who's been turning wrenches since the 70s just walks over and says 'hold up son, you're gonna make more work for yourself.' He grabbed a torch and heated the bolt area for maybe 30 seconds, then hit it with a wax candle. The wax melted into the threads and broke the rust loose. I got all 8 bolts out without breaking a single one. Has anyone else used this trick or got another weird method that actually works?

2 comments

2 Comments

blair_lewis856d ago

Yo did your friend try that wax trick on a tractor or something?

wren2175d ago

Tell them to warm the tractor first or the wax'll just flake right off.