How do you clean your parts?

[huntleybill]

I have a 20 gallon parts cleaner I use to clean my parts, however I can’t seem to find a chemical that cleans the parts well. Most of the stronger stuff says not to use it on aluminum. I have tried the purple stuff, the yellow stuff from H.F. I have tried heavy duty de-greaser solvents with little results.

What do you use/recommend to clean these parts that will actually remove the old grease/dirt/ etc from the aluminum?

Yes, I tried the dish washer (when the wife was away) to remove the sand blasting dust and remaining dirt on the pieces. They came out nice but wouldn’t recommend repeated attempts!!

Thoughts?
Bill

---

Attachments:

[frankr]

Trouble is, all the "good stuff" has been declared "Hazardous Waste" We got in big trouble from using it at one place I worked.

[huntleybill]

So…whats the next best thing? or is there anything?

[mikesea]

A friend of mine has used Simple Green as it cleans great but will etch alum if on too long. I would try it on one part as see how it does. I smiled seeing the dish washer as I used it to remove glass bead ‘dust’ from piston ring grooves before assembly. No, I did not glass bead the ring grooves. I used to buy TRW blanks no rings grooves back in the 60’S &70’S and fit the domes to the chambers, cut the ring grooves, drill the gas ports and then glass bead the domes. Glass beading the ring grooves is one of the worst things to do to you piston if being reused. Why? Because the ring will never reseal to the glass beaded finish and you know own what is know as a LEAKER. Glass beading build up static electric very small charge but that dust in the rings grooves it will not just rinse out. Use a back light to light up the groove and 5x or 10x eye piece you’ll see dust in there not fun.
Mike

[outbdnut2]

I use kerosene or, #1 diesel (same as #1 fuel oil). The #1 smells better than kerosene. Yes these are flammable, but not explosive like gasoline. If you put some on a paper towel and put a match to it, it just burns like a candle (ever seen a kerosene lamp flame?). I put some in a bucket and cover the bucket when not in use to stop evaporation. I use an old paintbrush with these solvents on stubborn areas. When the solvent gets good and dirty, I take it to an a hazardous waste collection event my county has twice a year, and they take it for free – I get rid of old gasoline from newly acquired old old motors that way too.
Dave

[huntleybill]

I have used simple green as well also with limited success.

I never thought of using diesel. I am not too concerned about flammability as I am careful not to let any type of flame or heat source around the parts cleaning tank. Does it work well on the old grease used on these motors? What is the significance of #1 or other types?

[opposedtwin]

Gas

[PugetSoundBoater]

The LA Awesome does as good a job as Simple Green,and only cost a buck at the Dollar Store. It is Biodegradable too.

"Some people want to know how a watch works, others just want to know what time it is"
Robbie Robertson

[Buccaneer]

There’s been a couple I thought about taking my little
electric power washer to to get that hard baked, dirt
and grease off the transom clamps and lower unit.
Would have worked good on the A-80 Johnson I’m working
on now, as there’s no paint to worry about!
Too late now, as I already shut off the outside water
for the winter, and drained my test barrel yesterday.
SAD that I won’t be testing outboards for another five
months. 😯

Prepare to be boarded!

[dmbono]

Tractor Supply sells a naptha based degreaser in five gallon cans. Works great

[Author]

Posts