What is it with WD-40?

Actually, what WD40 stands for is "Water Displacement, 40th Attempt". It was developed by the US military on their 40th try for preventing corrosion and drying out ignition systems on military vehicles. Although it works great for that, I always wondered why a distributor doesn't blow itself out of the engine after being sprayed, since WD40 is so extremely flammable.

Straight fro the WD40 web site:

"In 1953, a fledgling company called Rocket Chemical Company and its staff of three set out to create a line of rust-prevention solvents and degreasers for use in the aerospace industry.

Working in a small lab in San Diego, California, it took them 40 attempts to get the water displacing formula worked out. But they must have been really good, because the original secret formula for WD-40® -which stands for Water Displacement perfected on the 40th try—is still in use today.

Convair, an aerospace contractor, first used WD-40® to protect the outer skin of the Atlas Missile from rust and corrosion. The product actually worked so well that several employees snuck some WD-40® cans out of the plant to use at home."