# 2x4 soaking in motor oil? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [August 18, 2002, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2x4-soaking-in-motor-oil/124499 "2002-08-18T19:42:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2002, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2x4-soaking-in-motor-oil/124499/1 "2002-08-18T19:42:31Z")
A long time ago, I seem to recall seeing a movie, or perhaps TV show, in which the character refers to another character hitting someone with “A 2x4 that had been soaking in motor oil for two years”. Assuming I’m not insane (and that’s a broad assumption :D), what would be the point of soaking a 2x4 in motor oil for two years? What effect would it have on the wood (no pun intended)? ---
**Author:** ![jackelope](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/a6a055/32.png) [@jackelope](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jackelope)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2002, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2x4-soaking-in-motor-oil/124499/2 "2002-08-18T19:56:04Z")
Seems to me the wood might swell up a bit, maybe get a little softer, maybe a lot heavier. Then again, if it’s properly treated wood, maybe nothing at all would happen to it. That’s really strange. Maybe the screenwriters just thought it sounded bad-ass. (Anything that invokes the manly arts of target shooting and engine repair sounds bad-ass to screenwriters.) ---
**Author:** ![What\_a\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/65b543/32.png) [@What\_a\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_a_1)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2002, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2x4-soaking-in-motor-oil/124499/3 "2002-08-18T21:17:33Z")
The oil is to deter insects. That’s how railroad ties are treated. And it makes the wood as heavy as green wood, which as any camper can tell you is a lot heavier than deadwood. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Carter\_of\_Mars](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/2bfe46/32.png) [@John\_Carter\_of\_Mars](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Carter_of_Mars)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2002, 3:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2x4-soaking-in-motor-oil/124499/4 "2002-08-19T03:53:15Z")
Yeah, what **What a . .** said. (Hey, somebody was gonna’ do it, sooner or later, right?) Welcome to the SDMB **What a . .** ---
**Author:** ![Reeder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Reeder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reeder)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2002, 4:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2x4-soaking-in-motor-oil/124499/5 "2002-08-19T04:01:41Z")
Railroad ties aren’t treated with motor oil. They are treated with creosote. ---
**Author:** ![clayton\_e](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c57346/32.png) [@clayton\_e](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/clayton_e)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2002, 5:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2x4-soaking-in-motor-oil/124499/6 "2002-08-19T05:51:13Z")
I think the only effect would be having it heavier. Seems pretty pointless, just hit the guy over the head with a bar rather than put something like that in a lot of motor oil. ---
**Author:** ![Mudshark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f04885/32.png) [@Mudshark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mudshark)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2002, 5:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2x4-soaking-in-motor-oil/124499/7 "2002-08-19T05:53:45Z")
Would motor oil have the same affect as a barrel of liquid fat behind a McDonnalds? ---
**Author:** ![Edwin\_North](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e47c2d/32.png) [@Edwin\_North](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Edwin_North)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2017, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2x4-soaking-in-motor-oil/124499/8 "2017-09-04T19:20:11Z")
a classic bit I’ve not heard in years ---
**Author:** ![El\_Kabong](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/el_kabong/32/496_2.png) [@El\_Kabong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Kabong)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2017, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2x4-soaking-in-motor-oil/124499/9 "2017-09-04T20:31:37Z")
> [@Edwin\_North](#): > > a classic bit I’ve not heard in years Since 2002, maybe?