Why Soviet people filled cars with castor oil: an interesting explanation

The history of road transport in the Soviet Union is full of interesting and unusual facts. Many of them may seem strange to a modern driver.

For example, many people are now amazed that castor oil was widely used in the automotive industry in the Soviet Union. Read about it in the OBOZ.UA article.

Castor oil was widely known in the field of medicine during the Soviet era, but its use has also found a place in the automotive industry. Drivers and car mechanics often used it to maintain engines and other car parts. Today, however, such manipulations can lead to various negative consequences, so you should not try to pour castor oil into modern cars.

Why castor oil?

Until the 1960s and 1970s, castor oil was a part of brake fluids for cars such as the Chaika and Volga. Therefore, if you diluted it with some types of alcohol, you could get homemade mixtures and not spend money on them.

Castor oil was also used to lubricate engines. Back then, it was believed to be the most effective in lubricating parts and was also environmentally friendly.

However, later, after the transition to disc brakes, castor oil was no longer used. Since then, modern alternatives have been used. The reason for this is, in particular, that brake fluids based on castor oil become viscous at -20 degrees and boil at +115 degrees.

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