Old timer told me to use heat on stuck refrigerator compressor bolts

I was wrestling with a seized compressor on a Frigidaire last Thursday and this retired guy at the parts counter said hit the bolt heads with a butane torch for 30 seconds. Turned out the heat broke the corrosion loose and I got it out in 5 minutes after fighting it for an hour with penetrant. Has anyone else found heat works better than penetrating oil on rusted appliance hardware?

2 comments

2 Comments

the_jenny25d ago

Heat works great, but also burns off my fingerprints lol.

troyreed25d ago

Did you start losing your prints after just one time, or did it take a few sessions? I always thought heat would just mess with your skin temporarily, but I guess enough exposure really does a number on those ridges. That actually worries me a bit since I use my phone's fingerprint scanner for everything these days. I used to roll my eyes at people complaining about readers failing, but now I get it.