The AM Forum

Uncovered in garage by my friend Jacob who graciously helps these old bones out from time to time.
Musta been good.. M.G.C. hid an old box filled with this stuff in my garage to be found on the 10th Day of Christmas!

And a bonus technical question for the experts on NOS sealed-in-original-box spline-driven 5-gang capacitors!

and

And two of these.. Nice spline driven caps, zero backlash gearing, worm drive, physical rotation limiter - very nice for precision.

The tech part - I suspect the grease or whatever, apparently is turned to wax or glue or something. These will not turn.

They are obviously new and stored for decades. How do I free/clean/fix these things?

I did scrape a little of the blackened grease stuff off and it readily melted with a lighter, but that was only to find out what it may be.

Dunk it in a tin can filled to the proper depth with "dollar store" BBQ Lighter Fluid.
Give it enough time, and agitation to break up the old grease.
Rinse off with a cheap automotive "brake cleaner"/"carb cleaner"/"other stuff" spray cleaner.
The spray stuff may work right off.
Note, it is very NASTY stuff, gloves, respirator.
Seems to me the old "toxic" sprays were less nasty. Dunno.

Relube with synthetic grease or suitable other synthetic lube.

Or you can try just running it through the dishwasher on hot with the detergent...
may still need the degreaser afterwards...

Inject some solvent or "penetrating oil" into that grease injector fitting on the top -
think that is what I see...

Which is the nasty stuff, the brake/carb cleaner? Wow - -but seems simple enough.

Is there a concern that any of the chemicals may soak into the ceramic and leave residue?