Treat underbody with linseed oil?

[cram]

Greeting from sweden!

I've just bought a t3 caravelle from -86 in decent condition. Now to the question; I've heard that some use linseed oil to treat the inside of doors, underbody, etc against rust. Has anyone tried this?

Thanks for a great forum!

//marc

[pocolow]

Welcome Marc , As for using linseed oil inside doors or underbody, well I've never heard of that before. I always thought linseed oil was just for wood. Personally I use automotive waxoyle with great success.

Mark

[Oldiebut goodie]

I have used it for boat metalwork - albeit by heating the metal and plunging in linseed oil method.
If it is put on too thick it can take ages to harden and can develop a white bloom due to moisture emulsifying the oil before it can harden. (just wipe off excess after applying).

Purloined from the net:
Linseed oil has been used as a metal finish and rust protector for centuries. Yes that is hundreds and hundreds of years. Linseed oil is used to quench hot wrought iron to give it a nice black finish. Linseed oil is also used to finish the iron by heating it up and dunking it in linseed oil. Linseed oil is a long bond double molecule, and while it sounds big it is actually very small and will penetrate into anything from iron and steel to woods and other porous materials and even smooth modern plastic laminates.

When done properly linseed oil will offer fine protection from rust to any ferrous metal. The key word is properly, that means wiping off all excess. That means there is no extra oil left on the surface, and this is where people end up with a gummy finish, they don’t get all of the oil. A thick coat of oil will dry from the outside in by forming a skin on the surface, preventing the oil underneath from drying, hence a sticky mess. A very thin coat will dry quickly and not have that problem.

[CovKid]

Mind you. your camper will smell like putty

[Oldiebut goodie]

Beautiful smell

[cram]

Thanks for your answers! I think ill give the linseed oil a go inside doors and on bare metal. Im also thinking of treating the exhaust system with thin layers of boiled linseed oil, as they get hot the protection should be something like the quenching process you described. Do think there's a risk of fire as it gets hot?

// marc

[CovKid]

Better off with a very high temperature paint on exhaust. Unfortunately they tend to rust from the inside out.

[Oldiebut goodie]

There is a very real risk of fire! Don't use on an exhaust.
Any rags that have had linseed oil on must be burnt or very carefully disposed of as they can and do self-ignite.