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Tried a hot soak on a seized turbo actuator and it actually worked
I mean, I was ready to just order a new unit for this Duramax. The VGT actuator was totally frozen, wouldn't budge with a pry bar or anything. Out of pure frustration, I pulled it off, filled a bucket with boiling water and a ton of Simple Green, and let it sit for like an hour. Idk, I figured it was a waste of time. Pulled it out, hit it with some light taps, and the thing started moving freely. I was shocked. Cleaned it up, put it back on, and it's been working fine for two weeks now. I guess the heat and cleaner broke down years of cooked-on carbon. Has anyone else had luck with this kind of backyard fix on something you thought was totally junk?
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drews556mo ago
My buddy did something like that with a stuck brake caliper on his old truck. He soaked the whole thing in a mix of ATF and acetone for a weekend after we told him it was a lost cause. He put it back together as a joke before buying the new part, and it actually sealed up and worked. He drove on it for months before he sold the truck. Sometimes the simple stuff really does surprise you.
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shanes666mo ago
That ATF and acetone mix is no joke, it's like the holy grail of homemade penetrant. But I gotta say, putting a brake caliper back together as a joke after that soak is playing with fire. Brakes aren't something to mess around with, even if it sealed up. @drew706's uncle using diesel on a lawnmower is one thing, that's a low risk fix. A brake caliper that was totally stuck could have hidden cracks or wear you can't see. It's cool it worked out for his buddy, but I wouldn't tell people to try that at home. Some old tricks are best left for non critical parts.
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drew7066mo ago
That reminds me of the time my uncle swore by diesel fuel to free up a seized lawnmower engine. He'd just dump some in the spark plug hole and let it sit for a week, said it worked better than any store-bought penetrant. Makes you wonder how many old mechanics' tricks we've lost to just buying new parts. What's the weirdest mix that's ever saved your bacon on a project?
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