The propellant in WD-40 is quite flammable (being mostly propane), in
fact I've heard of it being used for starting fluid ! However, the
propane quickly disperses, and the oil left behind is no more flammable
than motor oil. So unless you are spraying it onto a running engine,
I'd say there is no chance of a problem. Even spraying onto a running
engine, it would take some pretty strange circumstances to ignite it,
and even then, all you get is a flash of flame. As long as you let go
of the can (which I think is a pretty instinctive reaction), I doubt
there would be any harm done.
Back in college, we used to play with lighting things with flammable
propellants (ISTR that Right Gard was a favorite). Although the flame
is quite impressive, it is fairly harmless. You can even run your hand
through it, if you're quick. And without an enclosed space, it simply
will not explode. Does leave nasty black marks on paint tho, which are
hard to remove <g>
There was a thread on rec.crafts.metalworking some months ago to the
effect that WD-40 had tried switching to a non-flammable propellant, but
got so many complaints that they switched back.
Randall - "those scars don't hardly show at all, now"
Anthony Zager wrote:
>
> Is WD-40 flammable? If so, would this be dangerous at all?
>
> Tony Zager
> 1963 TR 4
>
> Michael Ferguson wrote:
>
> > or WD-40.
> >
> > ----------
> > >From: "Beth and Ken" <BethKen@erols.com>
> > >To: <HMENTZEN@aol.com>, <triumphs@autox.team.net>
> > >Subject: Re: Stalled after the mother of all puddles
> > >Date: Sat, Sep 11, 1999, 10:53 AM
> > >
> >
> > >
> > > Spray that distributor cap (on the inside) with some CRC.
> > >
> > > ken shapiro
> > > baltimore
> > > VERY HOT 1970 GT6+ KC81872L
> > > -----Original Message-----
> > > From: HMENTZEN@aol.com <HMENTZEN@aol.com>
> > > To: triumphs@autox.team.net <triumphs@autox.team.net>
> > > Date: Saturday, September 11, 1999 6:04 AM
> > > Subject: Stalled after the mother of all puddles
> > >
> > >
> > >>
> > >>I'm looking for suggestions to get the 79 Spit running again. It died as I
> > >>was going through a busy intersection and I was able to coast to a stop
>off
> > >>the road. I waited for about 10 minutes before trying to start it. It
> > > cranked
> > >>but wouldn't catch. It puffed once but just wouldn't start. I left the car
> > > in
> > >> a driveway( the woman was very nice about it) I plan to try to start it
> > > this
> > >>morning but I'll bring a dry set of plugs to try. I think I must have
> > > flooded
> > >>it. I'm looking for other suggestions. Wiping out the dist. cap didn't
>make
> > >>any difference. TIA
> > >>Hans Mentzen & Sarah Berhardt (79 Spit)
> > >>
> > >
> > >
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