How do you clean your parts?

[outbdnut2]

quote 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?

Yes,it works well on old grease, and requires a bit of soaking or working with a brush if the old grease has hardened, but it does dissolve it quite well.
#2 diesel works, but not as well as #1, as it is noticeably "oily" and leaves behind more oily residue, and, being slightly higher viscosity, it dissolves grease slower (I’ve tried it). #2 is also a slightlyyellow color, where #1 is clear. To get #1, you usually need to go to a truck stop. Take a blue or green can to be legal. You can buy Kerosene at hardware stores. I used to have an old pot oil heater in my garage that used #1, so I had it delivered to a 50 gallon drum. If you live near a heating oil supplier that will sell you a small quantity of #1 fuel oil, it is cheaper because there are no road taxes in it. In Minnesota there is a mandate for a percentage of #2 diesel to be biodiesel, and I don’t know what effect this will have on parts cleaning, but #1 diesel is exempt from this requirement. The diesel sold for cars at most gas stations is a blend of #1 and #2,mostly #2.

Note that kerosene and #1 do leave a very slight oily film behind that, after wiping off with a rag, is so slight it is not noticeable, and it dries up, but has to be cleaned off with a grease-neutralizing solvent if you are going to paint. Liquid dish soap and water will take this off for painting, so will carb cleaner. This slight film can also be blown off with compressed air if done before it dries. Of course this is not an issue with internal mechanical parts. Note that cleaning with gasoline also leaves a slight film behind.
Dave

[amuller]

I usually use diesel fuel, sometimes mineral spirits or gasoline or acetone. These days I’ve been using E-85 (85 % ethanol, 15 % gasoilne). E85 is slower acting but will dissolve most crud eventually and is cheap if a available in your area. Detergents and water also work, but most detergents–especially dishwasher detergent) are strongly alkaline and will attack aluminum. I think the dishwasher is good before painting because the parts will be degeased and etched.

[green-thumbs]

Product I use is not solde in any store or even on late night TV
Available everywhere
Guaranteed to work. Some effort required
Can safely be combined with any suitable cleaning products
Generic product known as Elbow Grease
Louis

[lyks2tinkr]

I have a small Safety Clean portable parts washer I got at a yard sale and use the parts cleaning solution from Tractor Supply.
It works well. Stubborn heavy crud usually needs some soaking and a bit of elbow grease.
Use the proper precautions with it and it is an effective cleaner.

[Buccaneer]

I know it’s been mentioned before,
but I can’t remember the answer…..
"How well do the Ultrasonic units
work on hard baked grease and crud parts?

Prepare to be boarded!

[adam1961]

Ultrasonic cleaners work well, but be careful on original paint parts that you are not planing on re-painting. I have had painted castings come out looking like they just came out of the foundry, bright and shinny. That’s why I like them for carbs so much.

[mr-asa]

Absolutely the best stuff I’ve found is in these guy’s parts washers
https://www.safety-kleen.com

I’d have to double-check with them to see which is the best option that’s safe for paint if you’re interested with that. If not, any of their solvent-based will be good.

[billw]

I use the parts cleaner at work. It is serviced regularly by Safety Kleen; so it is always pretty fresh. I don’t know whether they serve private residences or not, or how much it costs. It might be worth a minute to go to their website, search your closest distributor and give them a call. I see they are in Canada, too.

https://www.safety-kleen.com/locations

Long live American manufacturing!

[brian]

These days I just go with original Dawn dishwashing liquid mixed with small amounts of water. If I want to clean without removing paint, I use a soft bristled brush. Sometimes I fill a lawn sprayer with dawn and hot water and spray it on, let it sit, and brush it off. Less water lets it cling to parts longer. I’ve used all the commercial cleaners and they work well but I’m getting lazy and cheap in my old age.

[Buccaneer]

I always wanted to try throwing some hard caked greasy dirty
parts in a pot of boiling water with a little soap and see
what happens. Will have to try it some day when the wife isn’t home. 😛

Prepare to be boarded!

[Author]

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