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Mon Nov 30, 2015 2:50 pm

Let me clear up a few things here.

Chemists have actually done a few studies on this, and there are two mechanisms at work.

1. polymerization of the long chain component of the oil - which will add a thin layer on top of the metal and will (likely) be chemically bonded to it
2. carbonization - which will affect the surface layer of the metal

Linseed oil will do the best job. Food grade linseed oil is called flaxseed oil. If you are worried about flames (from the very thin layer you will put on), then peanut oil will work also.

Not all oils will work. The type of oil you want is one that polymerizes, often called "drying oils," tho they don't really dry out, but instead polymerize.

The efficacy of this treatment will be limited. As pointed out above, the inside will not benefit; moreover, areas that do not get above the smoke point will not get carbonization, only polymerization benefits.

If you want a lasting exhaust system then get high-grade stainless steel. You can do better with inconel, and it will go well with your carbon fiber monocoque and hydrogen fuel cell drive system.

Mon Nov 30, 2015 6:16 pm

outcaststudios wrote: pedrokrusher- i think the reason youre having the smell linger is that the oil was applied very thick. the trick to the process is applying many VERY THIN coats and letting each coat fully burn in. the end result should have a gummy feel to it and not be shiny. if its shiny then odds are the oil is still burning in. i will take pictures of my doka exhast later on as the coat of oil on mine is from about four months ago and is plenty burned in. i sometimes just apply the oil and then use a small propane torch to burn it in, it takes less time i think and you can see the results happen before your eyes without getting smoked out running the motor. anything that the torch misses usually gets taken care of by the first few trips,;)
Terry Kay wrote: I don't think a torch is a good idea after the application of the oil, for the simple reason , you stand a real good chance of buring the oil off.

Your not heat curing it as the entire pipe gets hot from the inside & evenly--your exterior heating it, and I'll bet that your torching the oil off where your flame heating it at any given moment.

Not a good idea.

What is wrong with starting the engine to allow the entire pipe to get hot evenly--from the inside out?

This is how this seasoning job is supposed to get done.
outcaststudios wrote: tk- you are correct it is important to have the burn happen evenly, but in this case i am not burning the oil off, i am heating the pipe up FIRST then applying a thin coat. this way the metal is already "open" when the oil hits the surface. im sure either way works just the same. the oil nees to be burned off to leave behind the fatty acids that protect. so its pretty hard to over do it. but for those less seasoned (sorry bad pun) its important that if you do use a torch to not stay still too long in any one place,watch for hanging wires you dont want to char and also not to get the pipe too hot just hot enough to see some small smoke rise as you add oil. this is actually exactly how a traditional blacksmiths finish is applied which is exactly what this process is. so coming at it from a metalworkers perspective you woudl first get the metal up to temperature and drive off the moisture first either by running the motor or gently warming with torch ,thane after youre sure the temp is good begin applying small coats with a brush. after each coat simply run a torch along the areas and watch for the oil to start bubbling slightly and then move on you dont want to stay still and burn the heck out of it that isnt the idea here, it is to bake the oil into the surface.
Thanks outcaststudios and tk for the input.

Yup, i went all in with a thick coat of peanut oil. Next time i will go with multiple thin coats.

Thats another way of doing things, heating up the pipes with a torch. That is actually a good alternative to the oven technique. If you dont want to stink the house... And make the wife happy...

Tue Dec 01, 2015 6:42 am

I tried this one one of my coats that made a few drips during the application....wiping the coated pipe after the brushing on with a clean rag, than firing the engine to heat it.

We are having the first of three days of rain here in NY.
I will be driving the coated van.
Tomorrow sounds like heavy rain.
I will post some more pictures after it has seen some road spray.

D

Tue Dec 01, 2015 12:26 pm

insyncro- that clean rag is really good call. its certainly very moist for the next few days along the northeast, lets see those pictures im sure youll be pleased :)

Thu Dec 03, 2015 5:34 pm

Dear God, what have I wrought?!!! When I first recommended something as mundane as coating an exhaust system with peanut oil, I never imagined that a dozen years later it would generate 9 pages of consideration on theSamba.

Look, it's cheap (especially if spent p-nut oil is used), it'easy and it's effective. Moreover, Mike Popovich, the one and only Tube Guru from Johnstown, PA, tested it and put his stamp of approval on it long before many of these recent devotees could scrawl Vanagon with their jumbo Crayolas.

So, stop looking at the purty pictures and just do it to it.

Richie

Thu Dec 03, 2015 6:26 pm

Richie,

I think perhaps rather than making the announcement on this simple to use exhaust sytem extender, you should have bottled used turkey frying peanut oil years ago and made a bundle.

The issue here is it's way too simple of a concept for folks to follow, and a lot of them choose to deviate from the simplicity of the cure.

I paid attention, I slid it into the grey matter rol-a-dex, because it worked out well for me, back when I had my first Vanagon, which had a questionable exhaust system.
I oiled it up, it lasted for the 5 year duration of me owning it.

I salute TheTube Guru, and the Chef Of The Future ( you ) for bringing this concoction to my attention.

Bravo.

"Vanagon Exhaust System Extender"
In pink pint bottles, with a hint of turkey bouquet would have made you a million.

You really missed the boat on this one--nobody would have figured this mighty fine cures recipe out.
Too simple.

Up until this Peanut Oil Marathon, I know of only 4 folks who have used the treatment.
Mike, Pinky, You,& Me (there might have been a sprinkling of the Vanagon.com circus that may have-don't remember)

I'm happy to see some of the other folks here give it a try.
They'll be happy they did, and so will their exhaust systems.

Fri Dec 04, 2015 8:11 am

TK, I bet by this time next year, Lucas will have a propriety formula of a first pressing Organic Peanut Oil packaged in a fancy bottle and sold for the incredible low price of $19.99 shipping included. 8)

Fri Dec 04, 2015 8:15 am

Your right Bobby--

He doesn't miss too much, and probably has some Amigo's down in Tijuana cranking the magic elixir out as we speak-- :roll:

Fri Dec 04, 2015 6:06 pm

RicoS wrote: Dear God, what have I wrought?!!! When I first recommended something as mundane as coating an exhaust system with peanut oil, I never imagined that a dozen years later it would generate 9 pages of consideration on theSamba.

Look, it's cheap (especially if spent p-nut oil is used), it'easy and it's effective. Moreover, Mike Popovich, the one and only Tube Guru from Johnstown, PA, tested it and put his stamp of approval on it long before many of these recent devotees could scrawl Vanagon with their jumbo Crayolas.

So, stop looking at the purty pictures and just do it to it.

Richie
Ah richie i hear you...
There is like 3 pages of info, tops.
Its just soooooo hard to go buy a 5$ Peanut oil bottle and spread it with an old brush on your exhaust and try it.
Seriously, what do you have to loose?
Ashamed?

Fri Dec 04, 2015 6:23 pm

Terry Kay wrote: The issue here is it's way too simple of a concept for folks to follow, and a lot of them choose to deviate from the simplicity of the cure.
This right there sums it all up.
Its just so simple, but peanut oil is not macho enough. It even sounds wrong... I admit it, it does.
If it was swepco oil at 100$ a galon it would have that macho feel, and then it would sell Like crazy...
TK we need to market this "new product" and substitute the word peanut with a fancy name...

Edit:
Lets not forget something, this thread generated 7000 views in just two weeks!!!! There IS interest in this!!!

Fri Dec 04, 2015 7:24 pm

I'm having a hard time figuring out what people don't get.

This is a brilliant idea, and anyone who has used a well seasoned cast iron pan will understand at least the basic idea. I don't have pics but I went ahead and did it to the exhaust of my 92' Town & Country, and after the 2nd coat and heat it looks pretty great. WAY better than it did before. (yes I realize it's not a VW Vanagon, but I don't have one of those yet and wanted to give it a go.)

Fri Dec 04, 2015 7:37 pm

If you think the peanut oil is a difficult miracle in a bottle to digest, you should know how long I was telling folks with faded pop tops to simply wipe a coat or two of Penetrol onto their chalked out fiberglass for a brand new appearance.

I started mentioning that easy treatment back in Vanagon.com play days too.

Nope, your nuts, buffing & waxing is the only way.
And believe it or not there are some real muley folks here still doing it the hard way.

I should have bottled TK's Fiberglass Rejuvenation Syrup up way back when, along with Richie's exhaust system elixir.

Would have made a bunch.

Forget telling folks how easy stuff works, Nupe.
Charge them $29.95 a pint & it'll be the best stuff since Miracle Whip.

Fri Dec 04, 2015 7:47 pm

Terry Kay wrote: Ifvyou think the peanut oil is a difficult miracle in a bottle to digest, you should know how long I was telling folks with faded pop tops to simply wipe a coat or two of Penetrol onto thier chaulked out fiberglass for a brand new appearance.

I started mentioning that easy treatment back in Vanagon.com play days too.

Nope, your nuts, buffing & waxing is the only way.
And believe it or not there are some real muley folks here still doing it the hard way.

I should have bottled the Penetrol up way back when, along with Richies exhaust system elixir.

Would have made a bunch.

Another good bit to know about the penetrol, I've been wondering that as few of the rigs I've looked at recently had some wicked faded poptops.

Fri Dec 04, 2015 8:02 pm

DwarfVader wrote: I'm having a hard time figuring out what people don't get.

This is a brilliant idea, and anyone who has used a well seasoned cast iron pan will understand at least the basic idea. I don't have pics but I went ahead and did it to the exhaust of my 92' Town & Country, and after the 2nd coat and heat it looks pretty great. WAY better than it did before. (yes I realize it's not a VW Vanagon, but I don't have one of those yet and wanted to give it a go.)
Thanks DwarfVader (cool avatar by the way :wink: ) for trying it and reporting it.
Let us know how it worked out after a few months of winter driving, good or bad.

Sat Dec 05, 2015 7:01 am

The best part of all this, 4 19.99 u get TWO!

Sat Dec 05, 2015 7:15 am

But Wait!

If you act now, I'll send along a free nose hair trimmer, & a slicer & dicer-- only shipping & handling charges apply--

Sat Dec 05, 2015 11:46 pm

Terry Kay wrote: If you think the peanut oil is a difficult miracle in a bottle to digest, you should know how long I was telling folks with faded pop tops to simply wipe a coat or two of Penetrol onto their chalked out fiberglass for a brand new appearance.
. . . . . .
I should have bottled TK's Fiberglass Rejuvenation Syrup up way back when, along with Richie's exhaust system elixir. . .

You know, TK, whenever a man who has lavished love on acres of speedboat, Mack and poptop fiberglass says to use Penetrol, I listen. I went out and bought a quart of the stuff and I've never even had a Westy. Who knows, it might be NLA someday.

Richie

Sun Dec 06, 2015 9:19 am

It is already NLA Richie.
Out in the Kingdom of Kumquats.

The surfs out there have to smuggle oil based Penetrol in, or buy it via the black market.

Start warehousing it.

Sun Dec 06, 2015 7:44 pm

Well, FWIW, Ive been putting the peanut oil on ever since I first learned about it. I apply it every 6 months or so, sometimes sooner simply because I dig the way it smells. I use an old squirt bottle to spray it on...I can definitely say, without conviction, that it is slowing down the rust. A buddy of mine thinks I'm crazy for using it. But I haven't had to replace exhaust parts for a few years now either... 8)

Sun Dec 06, 2015 8:44 pm

why dont you say it with conviction?