VW Golf Door locks keep freezing, best lubricant?

Daniel J. Stern wrote:

> On Wed, 15 Dec 2004, Greg wrote:
>
>
>>A friend is having a lot of trouble with her door locks freezing on her
>>'96 VW Golf. What is the best lubricant to use on these locks? I've
>>heard good and bad things about silicone and graphite. Somebody also
>>recommended lithium grease. I've been warned from using regular oils
>>and grease because they can attract dirt over time.
>
>
> You're getting all kinds of dumb advice (engine antifreeze, insulating
> foam, Dura-Lube oil, etc.). The correct fix is indeed spray silicone
> lube. The CRC brand ("Heavy Duty Silicone") in the red and white can is a
> good kind. The can comes with a straw; push it into the spray head, then
> put the other end into the door lock (past the little flap door) and give
> a few quick spray bursts, moving the straw to spray up, down, and straight
> ahead. Then insert and remove the key several times to distribute the
> silicone on the lock's tumblers, and operate the lock in both directions a
> few times. Repeat for all body locks (doors, hatchback). Then, open the
> doors and hatch and spray the silicone evenly onto the rubber door
> weatherstrips so that the doors don't freeze shut. The silicone's carrier
> will evaporate, leaving the weatherstrips non-greasy but frostproof.
>
> Then, as long as you've got the can out, you can shoot the gas door
> hinges, the latches and hinges for the hood, doors and hatch, the rear
> wiper pivot, the sliding/turning dashboard and steering column controls,
> the antenna...
>
> DS

One caveat about silicone is that it makes it damn near impossible to
ever repaint the car without using a fisheye preventer, as the stuff
never completely goes away. Whether that's a concern or not to most
people I don't know. If you *do* use silicone and end up having any
body work done, I would definitely advise the painter that you have used
silicone products on the car.

I just did exactly what DS describes to the Porsche last night, FWIW -
looks like it might be gasket freezin' season in a couple weeks. I also
tried an experiment - I coated the squishy rubber rear spoiler in
silicone as well, I am curious to see if it keeps it from attracting
dust and dirt unlike my usual regimen of tire dressing.

Personally, I prefer to soak a paper towel with the silicone and then
*wipe* it onto the seals as I don't like to spray it anywhere near
windows nor is it a particularly good thing to get indiscriminately all
over one's paint. For the seals, a tube of silicone grease might be a
better product to use, but I've never gotten around to purchasing one.

nate

--
replace "fly" with "com" to reply.
http://home.comcast.net/~njnagel

So to sum it up, a lot of people have their own "dumb" methods that seem to
work for them! :-)
Some will work temporarily AKA for the short term.
Some will create other problems.
Some might be good for your friend's situation.

Decisions decisions decisions! lol

Let us know what you do and if it works for you!
later,
dave
(One out of many daves)

So to sum it up, a lot of people have their own "dumb" methods that seem to
work for them! :-)
Some will work temporarily AKA for the short term.
Some will create other problems.
Some might be good for your friend's situation.

Decisions decisions decisions! lol

Let us know what you do and if it works for you!
later,
dave
(One out of many daves)

In rec.autos.makers.vw.watercooled dave AKA vwdoc1 > wrote:
: So to sum it up, a lot of people have their own "dumb" methods that seem to
: work for them! :-)
: Some will work temporarily AKA for the short term.
: Some will create other problems.
: Some might be good for your friend's situation.

: Decisions decisions decisions! lol

: Let us know what you do and if it works for you!
: later,
: dave
: (One out of many daves)

I think Dave and I are in the same town... I've never had the GTI freezeup
yet, but I have suffered lots of freezeups on the Porsche. Often it rains
and then turns freezing and that nearly always does that car in.

WD-40 sprayed in a frozen lock will get me in, but have never been sure it's
the best thing (but it beats the constant warming of the key in your hand,
wiggle and and repeat until you can get in the car while it's -5 outside).

I put graphite lube in the house locks recently but they don't seem to be
any easier to use...
--
John Nelson
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chicago Area Paddling/Fishing Page
http://www.chicagopaddling.org http://www.chicagofishing.org
(A Non-Commercial Web Site: No Sponsors, No Paid Ads and Nothing to Sell)

In rec.autos.makers.vw.watercooled dave AKA vwdoc1 > wrote:
: So to sum it up, a lot of people have their own "dumb" methods that seem to
: work for them! :-)
: Some will work temporarily AKA for the short term.
: Some will create other problems.
: Some might be good for your friend's situation.

: Decisions decisions decisions! lol

: Let us know what you do and if it works for you!
: later,
: dave
: (One out of many daves)

I think Dave and I are in the same town... I've never had the GTI freezeup
yet, but I have suffered lots of freezeups on the Porsche. Often it rains
and then turns freezing and that nearly always does that car in.

WD-40 sprayed in a frozen lock will get me in, but have never been sure it's
the best thing (but it beats the constant warming of the key in your hand,
wiggle and and repeat until you can get in the car while it's -5 outside).

I put graphite lube in the house locks recently but they don't seem to be
any easier to use...
--
John Nelson
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chicago Area Paddling/Fishing Page
http://www.chicagopaddling.org http://www.chicagofishing.org
(A Non-Commercial Web Site: No Sponsors, No Paid Ads and Nothing to Sell)

Chicago Paddling-Fishing wrote:
> In rec.autos.makers.vw.watercooled dave AKA vwdoc1
> > wrote:
>> So to sum it up, a lot of people have their own "dumb" methods that
>> seem to work for them! :-)
>> Some will work temporarily AKA for the short term.
>> Some will create other problems.
>> Some might be good for your friend's situation.
>
>> Decisions decisions decisions! lol
>
>> Let us know what you do and if it works for you!
>> later,
>> dave
>> (One out of many daves)
>
> I think Dave and I are in the same town... I've never had the GTI
> freezeup
> yet, but I have suffered lots of freezeups on the Porsche. Often it
> rains
> and then turns freezing and that nearly always does that car in.
>
> WD-40 sprayed in a frozen lock will get me in, but have never been
> sure it's the best thing (but it beats the constant warming of the
> key in your hand, wiggle and and repeat until you can get in the car
> while it's -5 outside).

You could be using something a lot worse. I don't know exactly what the
special spays made for locks have in them, but if they use the right stuff
they should work even better.

>
> I put graphite lube in the house locks recently but they don't seem
> to be
> any easier to use...

This is likely because they need to be cleaned, not lubed. It does not
take much to gum up a lock. Good locks really don't need any lube as long
as they are kept clean. Shot of disassembly, I suggest a zero residue
cleaner (electronic supply house will have it) that should help clean out
all the old thick oil and other gunk that has gotten into the lock. Then
after it has had a few hours to dry out, then use the graphite. Even enough
of the liquid graphite will work. The liquid is just a carrier to help you
get the graphite (a solid) into the lock The liquid should evaporate
completely.

--
Joseph Meehan

26 + 6 = 1 It's Irish Math

Chicago Paddling-Fishing wrote:
> In rec.autos.makers.vw.watercooled dave AKA vwdoc1
> > wrote:
>> So to sum it up, a lot of people have their own "dumb" methods that
>> seem to work for them! :-)
>> Some will work temporarily AKA for the short term.
>> Some will create other problems.
>> Some might be good for your friend's situation.
>
>> Decisions decisions decisions! lol
>
>> Let us know what you do and if it works for you!
>> later,
>> dave
>> (One out of many daves)
>
> I think Dave and I are in the same town... I've never had the GTI
> freezeup
> yet, but I have suffered lots of freezeups on the Porsche. Often it
> rains
> and then turns freezing and that nearly always does that car in.
>
> WD-40 sprayed in a frozen lock will get me in, but have never been
> sure it's the best thing (but it beats the constant warming of the
> key in your hand, wiggle and and repeat until you can get in the car
> while it's -5 outside).

You could be using something a lot worse. I don't know exactly what the
special spays made for locks have in them, but if they use the right stuff
they should work even better.

>
> I put graphite lube in the house locks recently but they don't seem
> to be
> any easier to use...

This is likely because they need to be cleaned, not lubed. It does not
take much to gum up a lock. Good locks really don't need any lube as long
as they are kept clean. Shot of disassembly, I suggest a zero residue
cleaner (electronic supply house will have it) that should help clean out
all the old thick oil and other gunk that has gotten into the lock. Then
after it has had a few hours to dry out, then use the graphite. Even enough
of the liquid graphite will work. The liquid is just a carrier to help you
get the graphite (a solid) into the lock The liquid should evaporate
completely.

--
Joseph Meehan

26 + 6 = 1 It's Irish Math

wd-40 to displace the water, then break-free clp for a lubricant that
won't freeze or absorb water.

wd-40 to displace the water, then break-free clp for a lubricant that
won't freeze or absorb water.

Daniel J. Stern wrote:
> On Wed, 15 Dec 2004, Greg wrote:
>
>
>>A friend is having a lot of trouble with her door locks freezing on her
>>'96 VW Golf. What is the best lubricant to use on these locks? I've
>>heard good and bad things about silicone and graphite. Somebody also
>>recommended lithium grease. I've been warned from using regular oils
>>and grease because they can attract dirt over time.
>
>
> You're getting all kinds of dumb advice (engine antifreeze, insulating
> foam, Dura-Lube oil, etc.). The correct fix is indeed spray silicone
> lube. The CRC brand ("Heavy Duty Silicone") in the red and white can is a
> good kind. The can comes with a straw; push it into the spray head, then
> put the other end into the door lock (past the little flap door) and give
> a few quick spray bursts, moving the straw to spray up, down, and straight
> ahead. Then insert and remove the key several times to distribute the
> silicone on the lock's tumblers, and operate the lock in both directions a
> few times. Repeat for all body locks (doors, hatchback). Then, open the
> doors and hatch and spray the silicone evenly onto the rubber door
> weatherstrips so that the doors don't freeze shut. The silicone's carrier
> will evaporate, leaving the weatherstrips non-greasy but frostproof.

Good to know. No need to buy that expensive stuff in tiny cans made
especially for locks then...

>
> Then, as long as you've got the can out, you can shoot the gas door
> hinges, the latches and hinges for the hood, doors and hatch, the rear
> wiper pivot, the sliding/turning dashboard and steering column controls,
> the antenna...

Umm, yeah right...

>
> DS
Ulf