Hi all.

I went to fill my suspension cans with vegetable oil yesterday, and it immediately became apparent that they'd already been filled with what I'm pretty sure is clear Waxoyl. Has anybody come across this before? I'd have thought that Waxoyl would be mineral oil based, and therefore not good for the gaiters, but that's just a guess.

Incidentally, I read somewhere that it's a good idea to use tie wraps to hold the gaiters onto the cans more securely, which I've done, but should I use another tie wrap on the other end of each gaiter? I'm guessing that it's not a good idea.

Cheers,

John

Hi Pete.

Waxoyl (certainly the original Finnegan's stuff) has a very distinctive smell. What makes you think it's Waxoyl that you have in there? Does it look like it, or is it the smell?!

Once applied, Waxoyl 'dries' until what's left looks like candle wax - it becomes that thick. Is what's inside your cans still liquid? If so, I'd suggest it isn't Waxoyl - at least not on its own.

Anyways, I seem to recall that the original Waxoyl - which I've used a lot in the past on many cars - could be applied quite safely to rubber components (brake hoses, steering gaiters, etc.) and would actual preserve the rubber and prevent it from drying out and cracking. Whether the more recent versions of 'Waxoyl' are the same, I don't know.

If it is Waxoyl that's in there, I personally wouldn't worry. But others may have a different viewpoint

waxoyle is never clear, its ( or was) based on lanolin but has a high mineral spirits( white spirit ) content which may not be brilliant for the rubber but in normal situations that flashes off leaving rubber coated in sheep oil.

gawd knows what's in the can, LHM, brake fluid, expensive caster oil, engine oil have all been used or recomended in the past

cheap cooking oil is flavour of the moment, is rubber safe and ive never had a problem with it but it can become sticky making the donkey impressions quite loud if it dries out!

what does the stuff smell like? is it slippery like silicone brake fluid?....ill not ask you to taste it, but dot4 is slighty sweet to taste

tie wrap the big end.

Since I posted my query, I've been outside filling all the nooks and crannies (and the inside of the car ) with clear Waxoyl, and I'm now reasonably sure that's what's in the cans.

When I went down to 2CV City to pick the car up, Tony took us for a ride in it, to familiarise me with everything. As I got in, I noticed a butterscotch coloured, thick substance in a pool under the car. I brought it to Tony's attention, and he said that it was Waxoyl which had been sprayed into all the crevices under the car. With hindsight, I'd say it was coming from the suspension can; too much to just be coming off the underside of the car.

Smell? I wiped what I was getting on the tube with which I was injecting the vegetable oil off on a cloth (that's all I've got available to sniff), and I can't really say it smells of anything much. A bit fatty, perhaps?

Consistency? Pretty much like grease, but oilier to the touch, if you see what I mean.

Colour? A bit darker brown than butterscotch.

The gaiters look all right, and since any white spirit has apparently evaporated, presumably there's no problem. And since what's left is lanolin, that should be okay as a lubricant.

I don't know how much Waxoyl there was in the cans; I injected about a pint of vegetable oil at the rear, before it started dripping from the front, so I'm guessing that there wasn't much of anything in the cans beforehand.

Cheers guys.

John

it was the "clear" that got us
"butterscotch" is waxoyle

I wouldn't be at all worried about your wonderful veg-oil/Waxoyl mix...

I guess, if the gaiters are in place, the Waxoyl will take quite some time to evaporate off. However, what's the worse that can happen - the white spirit content will slowly degrade the gaiters? I actually doubt that will happen, but - even if it does - it'd be a simple replacement job after a number of years. Other than that, Waxoyl is a decent lubricant and rust proofer, so I'd be happy with it inside my cans. In fact, where's that extension probe...?

Ummm
it's not the gaiters which you should be worrying about, but the rubber buffers/end stops.
Once a mineral based fluid such as engine oil or LHM has turned them into mush, the suspension will be equally soggy...
Conventional brake fluid, as recommended elsewhere, will do a good job of encouraging the springs to rust.

ken


Vegetable or mineral oil? by slcchassis, on Flickr

Clear is the manufacturer's description.

If I remember correctly (which is by no means guaranteed), the gaiters were off all round when I first looked at the cans. I put them on, of course. They feel and look all right, btw.
I wouldn't say the suspension's soggy; it feels fine (now that I've made the adjustments that you and Sean recommended).

Applying Waxoyl's a pretty messy job; well, it is the way I do it. I thought I'd put some up the door pillars. It promptly ran out all over the car floor. Lovely. It looks as if someone whose diet consisted entirely of Wurther's Originals has thrown up in there. Lovely. I'll wait for it to set a bit before I try to remove it. That'll learn me.

Hi Ken. Yuck...!

Unless the recent Waxoyls are significantly different from the original one, I still wouldn't worry. Once the white spirit base has evaporated, the remaining stuff - afaik - is all 'good'.

But don't come crying to me if...

Is it okay if I come whinging to you?