SuzukiSavage.com - Best Lubricant for Idle Adjust Screw

Andy RN Full Member Offline Posts: 107 Eugene, OR Gender:	Best Lubricant for Idle Adjust Screw 05/30/17 at 18:05:43 Forgive me if this is a silly question, but what is the appropriate substance to use if I want to lubricate the idle adjust on the carb? I have WD40 and PB Blaster on hand, would either of those do, or should I use something else? Thanks!
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Gary_in_NJ Serious Thumper Offline LS650 Cafe Racer Posts: 2633 Amongst the Twisty Roads	Re: Best Lubricant for Idle Adjust Screw Reply #1 - 05/30/17 at 18:11:24 Clean with carb cleaner. Lube with a shot of white lithium grease.
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justin_o_guy2 Serious Thumper Offline What happened? Posts: 55279 East Texas, 1/2 dallas/la.	Re: Best Lubricant for Idle Adjust Screw Reply #2 - 05/30/17 at 19:10:55 WD evaporates Look for a Zoom Spout oil container. Mine are OOLD,, they refill and last years. Your lubricant shelf isn't properly fleshed out yet. You need Antisieze, too.
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Andy RN

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Re: Best Lubricant for Idle Adjust Screw
Reply #3 - 05/31/17 at 10:40:26

Thanks, guys.

Yeah... I think the root of the question is what are the different kinds of lubricants, how do they work, and when are they appropriate and not appropriate?

I found this article here which I'm enjoying:
http://hackaday.com/2016/05/17/beyond-wd-40-lubes-for-the-home-shop/

Interesting excerpt:
"In 2012, a group of engineering students from Drexel University studied alternatives to commercial penetrating oils, which are often expensive or hard to come by in developing countries. In a controlled series of experiments, they determined that a simple mixture of vegetable oil and acetone was far superior to WD-40 in reducing the breakout torque of nuts rusted onto bolts. Similar comparisons show that a 50-50 mix of automatic transmission fluid (ATF) and acetone beats the commercial penetrating oils at a fraction of the cost."

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Gary_in_NJ Serious Thumper Offline LS650 Cafe Racer Posts: 2633 Amongst the Twisty Roads	Re: Best Lubricant for Idle Adjust Screw Reply #4 - 05/31/17 at 11:20:47 Wow, it took college students to confirm in 2012 what most old timers have known for decades (I'm now an old timer). A 50:50 mixture of ATF:Acetone is a great penetrating oil. BTW, WD-40, being mostly Naphtha, isn't a penetrate, it's a cleaner.
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Andy RN

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Re: Best Lubricant for Idle Adjust Screw
Reply #5 - 05/31/17 at 11:21:36

Hey Justin, I searched for "antisieze" on the forum, and boy did your name come up a lot Grin

Alright... So it also seems like antisieze is the stuff to use when two dissimilar metals are in contact with one another... And now all I have to do is become a master at judging dissimilar metals. I guess color/appearance is the way to start.

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Gary_in_NJ

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Re: Best Lubricant for Idle Adjust Screw
Reply #6 - 05/31/17 at 11:26:04

Andy RN wrote on 05/31/17 at 11:21:36:
Alright... So it also seems like antisieze is the stuff to use when two dissimilar metals are in contact with one another... And now all I have to do is become a master at judging dissimilar metals. I guess color/appearance is the way to start.

Color is actually a good guide. Also, any bolt that you want to reuse that has the finish worn off the shank should also get anti-seize (I typically use anti-seize on axle bolts and swing arm bolts). Don't use anti-seize on bolts that should NEVER come off like the brake caliper or sprocket bolts. Usually these types of bolts will get Locktite.

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Andy RN

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Re: Best Lubricant for Idle Adjust Screw
Reply #7 - 05/31/17 at 11:32:21

Gary_in_NJ wrote on 05/31/17 at 11:20:47:

Wow, it took college students to confirm in 2012 what most old timers have known for decades (I'm now an old timer). A 50:50 mixture of ATF:Acetone is a great penetrating oil. BTW, WD-40, being mostly Naphtha, isn't a penetrate, it's a cleaner.

Hahaha... yeah Gary. That's academia for you - common sense is often scrutinized

But I do like the fact they did controlled experiments. I'm a fan of the scientific method.

Thanks for mentioning WD40 as cleaner... I'm reading that a lot. The website for WD40 actually mentions that.

Here's an interesting page from WD40 about myths and legends... that some people claim it helps them catch fish, or helps their arthritis!

https://wd40.com/cool-stuff/myths-legends-fun-facts

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Andy RN Full Member Offline Posts: 107 Eugene, OR Gender:	Re: Best Lubricant for Idle Adjust Screw Reply #8 - 05/31/17 at 11:36:02 Loctite... another topic I will be researching soon. Thanks again, Gary! Right now I'm a little stuck on trying to differentiate when to use lithium grease and when to use antisieze.... Got any recommendations?
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stewmills

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Re: Best Lubricant for Idle Adjust Screw
Reply #9 - 05/31/17 at 12:39:34

One additional note...when using carb cleaner it is NOT a good idea to let it sit in the carb or expose it excessively to plastic, rubber, or the carb diaphragm. Carb cleaner is good for cleaning the gummy, grimey, varnish type crud from the carb and blowing out the little orifices but it isn't nice to plastics and rubber over time. When I clean a carb, regardless of whether or not there are plastic or rubber parts in there, I always follow up the carb cleaner with WD40 to help wash out the carb cleaner and lubricate anything that the carb cleaner 'dried out'.

I'm not a chemist or a professional mechanic, just my opinion after having worked on this bike as well as having cleaned and rebuilt carbs on a multitude of mowers, weed eaters, chainsaws, and several other toys around the house and this cleaning technique hasn't failed me yet.

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Gary_in_NJ

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Re: Best Lubricant for Idle Adjust Screw
Reply #10 - 05/31/17 at 12:46:51

Andy RN wrote on 05/31/17 at 11:36:02:
Loctite... another topic I will be researching soon. Thanks again, Gary!

Right now I'm a little stuck on trying to differentiate when to use lithium grease and when to use antisieze.... Got any recommendations?

Use grease on things that are supposed to move/turn. Use anti-seize on things that should remain fixed, and therefore corrosion can occur.

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Andy RN Full Member Offline Posts: 107 Eugene, OR Gender:	Re: Best Lubricant for Idle Adjust Screw Reply #11 - 05/31/17 at 14:07:54 It's making more sense now. Thanks, Gary. Thanks, Stew!
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piedmontbuckeye

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Re: Best Lubricant for Idle Adjust Screw
Reply #12 - 06/01/17 at 15:18:11

Andy RN wrote on 05/30/17 at 18:05:43:

Forgive me if this is a silly question, but what is the appropriate substance to use if I want to lubricate the idle adjust on the carb?

I have WD40 and PB Blaster on hand, would either of those do, or should I use something else?

Thanks!

Just a word: WD40 does NOT lubricate. Check the marketing and labeling on the can: no mention of lubrication. It has none!

When I was a purchasing agent for a huge Rubbermaid mfg. plant, WD40 was not allowed in the building because it actually washes off any residue lubricant! I like for a spray to use LPS #1 or #2. #3 is for rust prevention.

For what you want, I think the best is Marvel Mystery Oil in a flexible spout squirt can. Works great.

By the way, WD40 IS great for water displacement on electrical components, and for things that already have dried grease in them like door hinges. It softens the grease and allows it to re-flow back into the wear areas.

I have also heard that WD40 is great for sore muscles and joints. !!!! Don't drink it, just put it on topically like a linament. That's what some say. I've never done it!

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justin_o_guy2 Serious Thumper Offline What happened? Posts: 55279 East Texas, 1/2 dallas/la.	Re: Best Lubricant for Idle Adjust Screw Reply #13 - 06/01/17 at 15:35:01 Water Displacement 40.. Failed 39 times,
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Andy RN Full Member Offline Posts: 107 Eugene, OR Gender:	Re: Best Lubricant for Idle Adjust Screw Reply #14 - 06/01/17 at 17:58:28 Piedmont - awesome description, thanks Justin - Bwahahahaha!
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