Why does WD40 on leads help start 54 Commander

[go-studebaker]

Hi guys,
I went down to the South coast of the UK yesterday to get a 54 Commander coupe started that had been sitting for a year.

After checking a few things and making sure we had a spark at the points and a spark from the coil, we determined that it was not getting a spark at the plugs.

Some bright spark grabbed a can of WD40 and liberally sprayed it around the distributor cap and the leads, and blow me over with a feather - that darn car coughed and spluttered it's way into life like a true champion.

What elixior does the WD40 do to help ? Could there be a crack in the distributor cap?? The cap and rotor button looked new. I am not sure about the 8 leads to the plugs.

Your thoughts of why there was a problem would be appreciated. I would never have thought of grabbing WD40.

Will I have the same problem next time we go to start the car ?? It has a V8 in it and auto trans and is still on 6 volts. It is a little rough in the body, but solid enough and hardly needs any work for registration again over here.

Regards and thanks
Greg



Greg Diffen
Australian Stude nut living in Warwick, United Kingdom

1933 St Regis Brougham Model 56 Dutch delivered
1937 Dicator sedan. Australian Body by TJ Richards
1939 Packard Seven Passenger monster UK delivered
1939 Commander Sedan Australian Body by TJ Richards
1939 Commander Swiss Cabriolet by Lagenthal
1961 Hawk
1963 Daytona Hardtop
1988 Avanti Convertible

[Dick Steinkamp]

Greg,
The south coast of the UK is about the same latitude as here in Bellingham, WA. Also both are on the eastern side of an ocean. Both have similar climates. It's wet here!...probably there too.

The WD40 displaces the moisture that has settled around the wires and wire terminals. Spark that was going to ground through the moisture is now going to ground through the spark plugs.

How about some pictures of that '54?
Nice find!

Dick Steinkamp
Bellingham, WA

[studegary]

As Dick S. said.
The WD in WD-40 stands for water dispersant.
I would expect that you will experience the same problem in the future until you clean/replace the cap and wires.
With the systems in good shape, there is no reason that this V8 AT will not function well with a 6 volt system.

Gary L.
Wappinger, NY

SDC member since 1968
Studebaker enthusiast much longer

[fmarshall]

Yep. From the WD40 site:

Fascinating Facts You Never Learned in School

In 1953, a fledgling company called Rocket Chemical Company and its staff of three set out to create a line of rust-prevention solvents and degreasers for use in the aerospace industry, in a small lab in San Diego, California.



Convair, an aerospace contractor, first used WD-40 to protect the outer skin of the Atlas Missile from rust and corrosion. The product actually worked so well that several employees snuck some WD-40 cans out of the plant to use at home.

A few years following WD-40's first industrial use, Rocket Chemical Company founder Norm Larsen experimented with putting WD-40 into aerosol cans, reasoning that consumers might find a use for the product at home as some of the employees had. The product made its first appearance on store shelves in San Diego in 1958.

========================
63 Avanti R2, 4-Speed, 3.73 TT
Martinez, CA

[ROADRACELARK]

Using the "search" feature above, type in "WD40 uses". You'll be amazed at the list.

Dan Miller
Atlanta, GA

[img=left]http://static.flickr.com/57/228744729_7aff5f0118_m.jpg[/img=left]
Road Racers turn left AND right.

[bradnree]

http://www.wd40.com/uses-tips/

Brad

[go-studebaker]

Hi Guys,
thanks for the tip. I will have a can on hand now as a matter of principle.

The 54 Coupe is from a collection of 6 Studeabkers I have the job of selling on behalf of the widow of the previous owner. The previous owner just could not bear to see Studebakers going to the wreckers in the 60's and 70's so rescued a few of them. Consequently most cars are not great examples, but a couple of them are running or were running in the past 5 years. There is a very rusty, and I do mean rusty 58 Packard Hawk in the group, plus 55 Champion sedan, 57 Silver Hawk 6, 59 Hawk V8, 57 President sedan

The 54 coupe is currently on ebay UK as a classified ad. To view the car you would have to go on the ebay UK web site


Greg



Greg Diffen
Australian Stude nut living in Warwick, United Kingdom

1933 St Regis Brougham Model 56 Dutch delivered
1937 Dicator sedan. Australian Body by TJ Richards
1939 Packard Seven Passenger monster UK delivered
1939 Commander Sedan Australian Body by TJ Richards
1939 Commander Swiss Cabriolet by Lagenthal
1961 Hawk
1963 Daytona Hardtop
1988 Avanti Convertible