Boyce Moto Meter Question

[gvinz]

I have a Brass Rad. cap with a Boyce Moto Meter temp gauge screwed into it. I am trying to remove the guage from the cap. There is a nut on the inside of the cap that I have not been able to get to turn. Does this nut come off or does the guage screw out of the nut on the inside of the cap. I don't want to screw this up. Help needed. Thank Glenn

[Guest Texas Old Car Guy]

Glenn: I think it would help everyone diagnose your issue if you posted a couple of close-up photos of the cap and motometer (including the inside of the cap with the nut showing). I have a "dog-bone" style cap with my Buick script motometer but it's nickle plated and I'm not sure what your cap looks like.

Thanks,

Fred

[Mark Shaw]

You need either a 13/16" or 3/4" deep socket and lots of penetrating oil to remove it. It may also help to use some Lime Away to remove any deposits on the threads first. I have never had one stuck so bad that it needed to be tightly clamped in a vice to remove the nut. I put a leather sleeve over my vice jaws and loosly put the gauge end between the jaws to jently hold the body while removing the nut.

There were two sizes of Motometers. Oddly enough, the larger one that I have takes the smaller 3/4" socket.

[trp3141592]

Hi,

For penetrating oil, try "Kroil." This stuff saved badly rusted-in-place brake parts on my Cord. It's incredible.

It's also not cheap, but it does what it's supposed to do. Available at Amazon.com.

--Tom

[gvinz]

Thank you for the response to my question about my Moto Meter problem. The nut inside the cap does require a 3/4" socket. I have soaked the nut in PB Blaster for two days, do I will take Tom's suggestion and check out getting some Kroil. Now that I know that the nut does come off I can work on the problem. I didn't want to get to rough with it because I don't think that my customer would be to happt if I gave it back to him in pieces.

[Mark Shaw]

"Machinist's Workshop" published information on various penetrating

oils. The magazine reports they tested these products for "break out

"torque" on rusted nuts and bolts. A subjective test was made of popular

penetrating oils, with the unit of merit being the torque required to

remove the nut from a "scientifically rusted" bolt.

Average torque load to loosen nut:

No Oil used ........................516 foot pounds

WD-40 ..................... ........238 foot pounds

PB Blaster .........................214 foot pounds

Liquid Wrench ......................127 foot pounds

Kano Kroil .........................106 foot pounds

ATF/Acetone mix...................... 53 foot pounds

The ATF/Acetone mix is a "home brew" mix of 50/50 automatic transmission

fluid and acetone. Note this "home brew" released bolts better than any

commercial product in this one particular test.

Our local machinist group mixed up a batch, and we all now use it with

equally good results. Note also that Liquid Wrench is almost as good as

Kroil for 20% of the price.

ATF/Acetone mix is best, but you can also use ATF and lacquer thinner in a

50/50 mix. ATF = Any type of Automatic Transmission Fluid

This version of the story was in one of the Military Vehicle Club newsletters.

[Brian_Heil]

Mix the Acetone/ATF in a small batch or in a squirt bottle with a cap (a left over eye dropper bottle or used contact lens solution bottle works well) because if you don't, the Acetone will be long gone due to evaporation the next time you go to use it.

My Buick is nice and oily underneath ( that oil you put in those rocker shaft galleys has to go somewhere) and rusty fasteners have never been an issue but I have a 'new' 1960 Willys Jeep project that re-defines the meaning of rusted fastener. Everyone is rusted solid and never been touched. This mix works and is easy on the wallet too. I just put a clutch in the Jeep and spent 2 days on the fasteners and just hours on the actual trans / transfer case in and out and clutch. I'd still be working on the fasteners with WD40.

[gvinz]

Mark. Thanks for the tip on the ATF\lacquer thinner mix. I mixed up a batch and soaked the nut overnight, it came off with no problems. Thanks again Glenn