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January 8, 2003

The Rusteco/GreaseMaster Test

PART II

Well, it's been 48 hours, not 24, since my last update, which should only have helped the GreaseMaster do its work on my greasy suspension parts. Let's see what they look like:

BEFORE: No GreaseMaster used.

AFTER SOAKING 48 HOURS: I used an 800:1 solution of GreaseMaster as
recommended on the label and soaked it for twice as long as suggested.
No noticable degreasing has occurred, though the water was dirty.

AFTER PRESSURE WASH: I rechecked my source that recommended
GreaseMaster, and it suggested that after soaking, I should pressure
wash the part and the grease should lift away easily. I mixed  up a
fresh batch of GreaseMaster at approximately 200:1 concentration,
and ran it through my pressure washer @ 3200 PSI. No additional
degreasing has occurred.

Well, as you can see, the GreaseMaster hasn't really removed a lot of grease from the part. I'm concerned that I may not be applying it correctly, or that the conditions weren't right. I hope that's it. My disappointment is extreme, considering all the good things I've been reading about this product and its cost. I am going to E-mail the company and ask for assistance and advice.

I also promised to retry the Rusteco gel on a part that was not originally painted and that had already been thoroughly degreased. I selected one of the lower A-arms, which I know to have a natural finish with no paint or other coatings. I have also degreased this part using oven cleaner at the car wash. Since the part of the A-arm that I was testing on was never heavily caked with grime, it was a good place to retest the claims of Rusteco.

Here is the lower A-arm prior to applying the Rusteco gel.

Here is the lower A-arm after scrubbing the gel and letting it sit for 20
minutes. I then scrubbed again, and wiped it off with a clean rag. I don't
know how much rust it removed, but it made the surface shiny (most
of which I attribute to the steel wool I used). The silver you see is a
reflection in the shiny rust, not bare, clean metal.

So far, I'm not having much luck with these products. I've reviewed all the instructions and technical information, and do not believe that I'm doing anything incorrectly, but you never know...

If anyone has any experience with these products, and you can see whether I'm doing something incorrectly, please let me know.

I was exceptionally optimistic about this stuff, especially since it was so extensively praised in Tom Brownell's book, How To Restore Your Collector Car. He wrote about it as if it were the most wonderful substance on earth, and I really want to believe him. Am I a sucker for hoping that a non-caustic, environmentally friendly substance could actually work better than more traditional degreasers and rust-fighters? Well, if the stuff cost $20, I'd say that it was worth trying. Maybe I am a sucker after all (with the oven and now this, I wouldn't blame you if you thought I was just a rube).

I didn't try the liquid Rusteco after my initial results, because I might try to return it for a refund. Anything that is unused may be returned (with a 15% restocking fee), so after I write them a letter asking for advice, I may send it back. We'll see what happens after I get some advice from the company that makes the stuff. I'll report as I get more information. Stay tuned...

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E-mail me at toolman8@sbcglobal.net

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Last modified on 02/06/2005

Thanks, Fidget!