Ian Jackson wrote:

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I just hate dealing with customers machines after they use WD-40 as a
'lubricant'. In all cases, after a few years, the gear systems are
frozen with some sort of glue like substance that take soaking in
mineral spirits/paint thinner overnight to soften enough to take apart.



** Or another squirt of WD-40 will dissolve in seconds.

Indeed. WD40 never sets 'hard'..
--



** The certainly ARE oils and greases that can turn into glue.

Anecdote:

I bought one of the very first CD players available for purchase in Australia ( Sony CDP101 ) in May of 1983.

I still have it and it works perfectly.

But after about 15 years, the drawer mechanism became VERY slow and eventually would not allow a CD to be played. The reason was the white grease applied to all the nylon gears had turned into brown glue.

I found that some WD-40 instantly softened the grease and operation returned to normal - but not for that long. After another couple of years the same problem returned.

So I bit the bullet, pulled the mechanism apart and cleaned all the nylon parts thoroughly - in WD-40. Then re-lubed with Valvoline "X-All Grease", a product intended mainly for marine use.

No problem since.


..... Phil