Been a while since I did one of these...5 years? Been a while since I posted on Usenet. But, here goes!
Fluid Film. I bought some of this stuff because it is illegal in Mass to spray your car with hydraulic oil, although that has never stopped me before. But I did buy some and sprayed the Scion to hopefully keep it from rusting out. One drawback: it's made from "Woll Lanolin" which I assume is sheep dip. It smells like a rendering plant I used to pass on the way to work. It takes a few MONTHS before the smell goes away.
It is also billed as a lubricant and penetrant, and the description says it soaks into the rust scales to the base metal and STOPS the rusting of the base metal. OK, but it will take 12-14 years to see if it works...
But I bought a couple more cans at a Mazda dealer because they were half price and the front crossmember on my 89 Mazda was starting to rust. We'll see. I also sprayed around the car on any bolts, etc I think I might have to remove, and other places where the paint had worn away and rust was starting.
While I was under the car I noticed the shift linkage, which is a metal rod ala VW was rusting at the U joint, so I sprayed it. I went inside, had a snack and a cup of coffee, and about half an hour later went out to go to the store. The shifter was a bit stiffer than it had been before. The shifter in this car was REALLY sloppy, but now not as much. Still not tight, but it doesn't rattle in 4th gear anymore... ;)
So, I'm thinking...there must have been some bushings in there....hmmmm...
What does wool lanolin do to rubber....? After a wekk the shifter was still nice and smooth, so I called the company. On their website the FAQ says it will swell rubber, but nothing more. So I asked if it deteriorates rubber, and the girl (very nice, BTW) said, no, it will make it swell, but not deteriorate it.
COOL!
I jack up the rear of the car and put the ramps under it.
My rear bushings have been bad since I bought the car in 2006, and you cannot buy the bushings. You have to buy all the links, at a total of about $900. A smooth firm ride on a 24 year old car with 218,880 miles is NOT a concern, but it would be nice.
I sprayed all the bushings and let the car sit for about an hour, then took it out for a test drive. Now, it didn't ride like a new car, but a LOT of the slop in ther rear suspension is GONE! If they repair cracks in the asphalt in your area by spraying tar into them, you know the tar swells and makes the road really bumpy. I took it down one of these and while not smooth as silk, I barely noticed going over the cracks like I did before. And on a smooth road the car is a real pleasure to drive. Also, on the highway, anything above 60 MPH felt dicey, loose and not very safe. Now 70 MPH is no problem.
This is just a test, and we'll see what happens in the coming months, but as long as it doesn't deteriorate the rubber I don't see it being a problem!