Parts Cleaner Suggestions

[rbruno68]

So as I keep working my way through my build, I was starting to try and clean up some of the parts I had taken off the truck. I don't have a parts washer or anything like that. I am wondering what solvent you guys use to wash your parts? I have heard that most of the brand name parts cleaner solutions are basically mineral spirits. Is that true?

[SkinnyG]

I buy "Varsol" locally, it is stronger than typical mineral spirits, but I bet it's from the same family.

Wear nitrile gloves and eye protection.

[AcampoDave]

I've even used GoJo hand cleaner as well as Dawn and Simple Green.

[lilpoindexter]

Diesel and a good brush. I actually read about diesel as a cleaner on this forum. I didnt believe it, but after trying it, Im a fan. I spray it with brake clean after to remove the oilyness that diesel might leave.

[rbruno68]

Originally Posted by AcampoDave

I've even used GoJo hand cleaner as well as Dawn and Simple Green.

I haven't tried Simple Green but have heard it works well as a cleaner. Did you dilute it or buy the concentrate?

[rbruno68]

Originally Posted by lilpoindexter

Diesel and a good brush. I actually read about diesel as a cleaner on this forum. I didnt believe it, but after trying it, Im a fan. I spray it with brake clean after to remove the oilyness that diesel might leave.

I might try that as well along with the varsol. Looking for something effective and doesn't break the bank. I don't do this everyday so would like to avoid spending a ton of money for a cleaner.

[Accelo]

A pressure washer with siding cleaner sprayed on full strength and left set for a few minutes.

[Chevy Fleetside]

I heard Easy Off Oven Cleaner works also. Wear gloves.

[SkinnyG]

Easy Off works great at removing carbon, I use it in rebuilding engines; works great. For aluminum I will spray it on for 10 seconds, and then rinse off - it will etch aluminum if left on too long. YOU are a carbon-based life form, and it will dissolve YOU. Wear gloves and eye protection.

I've found that diesel removes grease and oil, but not the nasty carbon staining that you'll have inside an engine.

Way back in the day I used commercial heavy duty degreaser, which works wonders but turns your skin leathery and your fingernails black. Wear gloves and eye protection.

There are some versions of Simple Green or Purple Power that do not etch aluminum, but I've only discovered the etching kind.

[Tpo]

For old gas-varnish, acetone cleans it almost on contact. I’m not sure what it will do to “softer” metals if left on too long, so use your best judgment. It took the sludge offa the bottom of my fuel tank, inside my sending unit/pickup tube and carb easy sneezy. And cleaned my nail polish off.

[rbruno68]

Originally Posted by Tpo

For old gas-varnish, acetone cleans it almost on contact. I’m not sure what it will do to “softer” metals if left on too long, so use your best judgment. It took the sludge offa the bottom of my fuel tank, inside my sending unit/pickup tube and carb easy sneezy. And cleaned my nail polish off.

I had some acetone but was finding it was evaporating before I finished scrubbing. I am working on frame/suspension parts with just caked on grease, grime, dust/dirt etc. I might try the acetone again and see how it goes.

[GranPanteraRoja]

It may seem strange but I recently have started using Dawn Power Wash for heavy grease and grime. It cuts through everything and works rather quick.

Diesel has been a great degreaser in the past for me but handling the cleanup has always been a pain. Oven cleaner is good for the dense stuff too but the fumes are intense.

If you have the money the best parts washer I have ever used was the CRC Smart Washer that use microbes to "eat" the oil. It's expensive but the chemicals are perfectly safe and it has an amazing performance.

[AcampoDave]

Originally Posted by rbruno68

I haven't tried Simple Green but have heard it works well as a cleaner. Did you dilute it or buy the concentrate?

My wife got a gallon of full strength for her work and i just use that. Full strenth for nasty stuff diluted for the easy stuff

I try to avoid the toxic cleaners since it goes on the ground and gets on my skin. A good stiff plastic and also a wire brush always help. Dawn or GoJo work just as good if you don't have simple green though.

[dennislbrooks]

For tar, oily, and greasy parts maybe with dirt or caked or both, I scrape off the chunks. Since some of the cleaners above are also volatile, I will say when I can clean outside, -guess- is hard to beat - I use a paint type nylon brush. It does not take that much and can be reused from a catch pan then I use a detergent degreaser. If appropriate I lightly cinder - TSC- pot blast to taste. I have a large gravel drive in front of my building.

A pressure washer with detergent especially a hot water one is definitely hard to beat.

USING ANY VOLATILE FLAMABLE LIQUID NEEDS TO BE USED WITH MUCH CAUTION.

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[rbruno68]

Originally Posted by AcampoDave

My wife got a gallon of full strength for her work and i just use that. Full strenth for nasty stuff diluted for the easy stuff

I try to avoid the toxic cleaners since it goes on the ground and gets on my skin. A good stiff plastic and also a wire brush always help. Dawn or GoJo work just as good if you don't have simple green though.

We need to go to Home Depot this weekend for other stuff. I think I might get some of the simple green and give it a try. I have a pressure washer so can try a few of those things as well.

[Cohi]

Originally Posted by rbruno68

We need to go to Home Depot this weekend for other stuff. I think I might get some of the simple green and give it a try. I have a pressure washer so can try a few of those things as well.

Old recipe for M60 cleaning:
soak/brush scrub with cancer causing solvent without gloves or eye protection
liberal amount of simple green <--------------------------------------
high pressure garden hose spray off
air/wipe dry, light oil and put away

spotless guns in 20-30 minutes per gun vs the three cleanings spread out over 3 days as required by the TO.

I still love simple green but think it was stronger back in the day.

[Cohi]

double post - oops

[Aussie Boy]

I bought a cheap ultrasonic cleaner from Amazon. It works well enough. The best thing I found though is a 5 gallon bucket and some drain cleaner. Drain cleaner contains caustic soda (sodium hydroxide) which will remove most grease, dirt etc. When I worked for an earthmover we used that to clean all engine parts and such after a tear down so everything was nice and clean to rebuild.

A word of warning - use rubber gloves and wash everything really well when you pull it out of the solution. It can burn through your skin.

[rbruno68]

Originally Posted by Aussie Boy

I bought a cheap ultrasonic cleaner from Amazon. It works well enough. The best thing I found though is a 5 gallon bucket and some drain cleaner. Drain cleaner contains caustic soda (sodium hydroxide) which will remove most grease, dirt etc. When I worked for an earthmover we used that to clean all engine parts and such after a tear down so everything was nice and clean to rebuild.

A word of warning - use rubber gloves and wash everything really well when you pull it out of the solution. It can burn through your skin.

Drain cleaner. I would have never thought of that. I was thinking of the 5 gallon bucket as a tub as well to soak parts.

[62c30]

A cheap degreaser that seems work decent is the stuff Sam's sells in gallon jugs. It works about like the purple power.

[theastronaut]

A turkey fryer and LA's Totally Awesome works great to get steel parts super clean. It'll darken/etch aluminum so use something else on aluminum/magnesium parts.

[rbruno68]

Originally Posted by theastronaut

A turkey fryer and LA's Totally Awesome works great to get steel parts super clean. It'll darken/etch aluminum so use something else on aluminum/magnesium parts.

Which product from LAs Totally Awesome.

And dumb question, but do you turn the heat on the fryer? When I worked in the a machine shop, we had a hot tank for washing motors. Do you heat the solution?

[theastronaut]

Originally Posted by rbruno68

Which product from LAs Totally Awesome.

And dumb question, but do you turn the heat on the fryer? When I worked in the a machine shop, we had a hot tank for washing motors. Do you heat the solution?

I get it at Lowe's, and heat it to 180-200.

https://www.lowes.com/pd/LA-s-Totall...ner/5013109115

[Aussie Boy]

Originally Posted by rbruno68

Drain cleaner. I would have never thought of that. I was thinking of the 5 gallon bucket as a tub as well to soak parts.

Exactly. I picked up the 64oz Pequa brand for under $15, poured it in a 5 gallon bucket and put my parts in there to soak overnight. Again, use caution. I pull the parts the following day and hosed them down on the drive. They come out like brand new. DO NOT use on aluminum parts, you won't have parts to pull the next day.

[AcampoDave]

I just got this in my Hagerty newsletter and it reminded me of this thread: https://www.hagerty.com/media/mainte...2444fb07c4a1c7