Solvent for Parts Cleaner

[BIGNASTY]

With all the EPA crap out and all the restrictions of what I can dump in the river out back ( Just kidding :-laf ) what kind of solvent are people using THAT WORKS!!! some of this junk that's out, I can P*** on the parts after a good night out drinking and do just as good.


BIG

 

[RVTRKN]

I use gasoline if a good solvent is not available, but here is a link to solvent we use in the tear down and rebuilding of refrigeration compressors. It's been awhile but if you can find it "Virginia 10" is the best. We use it because when we evacuate (pull a vacuum) the system it evaporates completely.
http://www.rsd.net/item.php?item_no=CAL+4162-07

 

[fest3er]

Try your favourite cologne: Eau du #2. Diesel fuel. #1 (kero) is a little lighter and might work better in some cases. Sometimes a bit of brake & parts spray is needed for denser accumulations of guck.

Dawn dish detergent and a brush removes almost all grease from my hands. Greased Lightning is a very good low-sudsing cleaner (cleans carpets well). Dawn and GL will remove most of the last oils and grease from parts. After that and a good rinsing, a good wiping with isopropyl alcohol should remove the last of the oils. The parts should be ready to paint or to have adhesive applied. (The vent shade and foot guards I put on my truck 14 years ago are *still* in place because I wiped the surface thoroughly with alcohol before sticking them on.)

 

[Bill Stockard]

With all the EPA crap out and all the restrictions of what I can dump in the river out back ( Just kidding :-laf ) what kind of solvent are people using THAT WORKS!!! some of this junk that's out, I can P*** on the parts after a good night out drinking and do just as good.


BIG

It reads "Combustible Naphtha" on the label and I use it in a power parts washer. I purchase it in 5-gallon containers from my fuel wholesaler. The "lights" in the Naphtha do eventually evaporate even though I keep the lid on the parts washer closed when its not in use. I add some fresh to it regularly. I've found that water based stuff isn't much better than just plain water or the warm yellow material you described.:-laf

Bill

 

[Wayne M.]

Been using POR15 on the job recently to coat the Ford SD fuel tanks as they're metal. They got the 3 items recommended. A cleaner, an etch wash, and the POR15 paint everyone knows. I've never used the cleaner before and it smells like simple green, but it must have a booster in it. It simply kicks butt. I've been using it on various things besides metal, and it's real good. I tried it on a factory floor mat and it was like brand new after a rinse. It even strips the floor as it washes-away.
I don't know how it would do in a tank, but I've used diesel or Kero with good success.

 

[HHhuntitall]

For mostly oil and dirt, I use Kerosene a lot in my parts washer. Fairly cheap, works good. Adding a little acetone or naptha helps, and I haven't tried it yet, but oderless Mineral spirits is one recommended by an old gearhead friend of mine....

 

[Hoefler]

I have used Mineral Spirits ( Paint Thinner ) for years, since I have been unable to find a Stoddard Solvent.

 

[TFucili]

Mineral Spirits here, for many years.

 

[GrantP]

I used Gunk Hydro Seal years ago at a previous job. It worked very well, didn't damage the finish on the parts and everything came out looking like new. You can hose the parts down when you're finished soaking them since it is water soluble and it won't leave any residue. We went through a lot of different cleaners in our aviation parts reman business and this one was the best for us. Unfortunately it looks like it's doubled in price since I last bought it 10+ years ago (like everything else I guess). I have no idea where you'd find it between Kalispell and Missoula though...

http://www.gunk.com/products/DET_HS5K.ASP

 

[HHhuntitall]

I used Gunk Hydro Seal years ago at a previous job. It worked very well, didn't damage the finish on the parts and everything came out looking like new. You can hose the parts down when you're finished soaking them since it is water soluble and it won't leave any residue. We went through a lot of different cleaners in our aviation parts reman business and this one was the best for us. Unfortunately it looks like it's doubled in price since I last bought it 10+ years ago (like everything else I guess). I have no idea where you'd find it between Kalispell and Missoula though...

http://www.gunk.com/products/DET_HS5K.ASP

Yikes!! That's higher than diesel per gallon!! I can hire a team of illegal aliens for $25 and give them toothbrushes for less than that!! it must work good at that price!! I talked to a friend who works at a local aviation shop here locally, and they use whatever SafetyKleen is selling, and it's running around $200 for a 30gallon barrel, a filter, and pickup costs, which lasts as long as it's not too dirty..... He says it's about every 45 days or so, but they're a pretty busy repair shop....

 

[BIGNASTY]

Had a fuel Drop at the house yesterday, talking to the driver he said that the owner uses heating kerosene and spikes it with acetone, today the driver came to make a fuel drop at the State yard, He came to the house with a small drum of Heating Kerosene and told me the boss said you can buy your own acetone.

Yikes!! I can hire a team of illegal aliens for $25 and give them toothbrushes for less than that

I looked into this option as well, our area must have a short supply of illegal aliens or certainly not enough tourists that constitutes a team classification, but the one I did find in the campground wanted lots more than $25 Dollars and got pretty upset when I asked!!! :-laf

 

[Mikey-KE7LBB]

I've always just scraped of the heavy stuff and spray with starting fluid. It sure works good on a handful of oily/greasy bolts.

Also, it will work well to get the oily residue left by solvents or kerosene. That comes in handy when you want to make sure that any LOCTITE® applied bonds 100%

 

[mwilson]

We have two Safety Kleen units, one at each end of the building.

But this product is what the techs primarily use for cleaning, we go through cases of it. I buy it by the pallet load now, I was giving the Castle guy a hernia buying it by the case.....we use the C2495 aerosol can.

It works. Period.

http://www.castlepackspower.com/index.cfm?Page=Castle+Shop+Solv

Mike.

 

[GrantP]

Yikes!! That's higher than diesel per gallon!! I can hire a team of illegal aliens for $25 and give them toothbrushes for less than that!! it must work good at that price!! I talked to a friend who works at a local aviation shop here locally, and they use whatever SafetyKleen is selling, and it's running around $200 for a 30gallon barrel, a filter, and pickup costs, which lasts as long as it's not too dirty..... He says it's about every 45 days or so, but they're a pretty busy repair shop....

It's not cheap but it is good. We'd go through a 5 gallon pail every 6 months or so and at the time it was ~$75 so the expense wasn't really an issue. Admittedly I'd have a hard time coughing up that cash at the current price for personal use.

 

[Bob4x4]

Most all shops pay outside companies to supply parts washers and service them to avoid all the hazmat paper trail
Last I bought for home use was naphtha from a napa store

For small clean ups I just use a can of brake Kleenex for convenience

 

[Deleted member 995608]

Another fan of kerosene or gasoline here. Just have to be in a well ventilated area, preferable outdoors.

 

[BIGNASTY]

We are in Glacier Nat. Park right now but a UPS truck pulled up to the house and dropped off a case of Zep A One degreaser , I had called a guy that I worked with he sent this to me, My BIL said he tried it on a pretty crusty Brigs and Stratton motor, put it in a spray bottle sprayed it on let it sit for like 10 min (while he got the parts washer into place and put some gloves on) Used the Heating Kerosene (which has an additive that makes it burn cleaner than normal Kerosene) added the Acetone.

My Parts washer has the solvent flow come out of a brush he said this is the best NEW STUFF that he has seen. He's pretty hard to impress so it must work pretty good.

 

[rscurtis]

I have Safety Kleen service my SK parts washer which I bought on line from them. They service it on a will-call basis, and the cost is about $125. I tried to get a line on one of their green machines with the centrifuge but it would have been easier to schedule a meeting with the Pope or Dick Cheney.

 

[Bill Stockard]

I have Safety Kleen service my SK parts washer which I bought on line from them. They service it on a will-call basis, and the cost is about $125. I tried to get a line on one of their green machines with the centrifuge but it would have been easier to schedule a meeting with the Pope or Dick Cheney.

Yep, I used S-K years ago and they have the best material I've used for a cleaning solvent. We used their service in our truck shop for years, but a new service manager (I won't go into what I thought of him.) had a falling out with S-K and we dropped the contract and I lost my connection. The Naphtha that I use comes close, but doesn't do as well as S-K's solvent.

Bill

 

[mwilson]

I have a parts washer tank at home and never use it. Once I started with the shop solve it cleans what I need 95% of the time. I do use a pan of gas on occasion, maybe once every couple of years. I even use the aerosol Shop Solve for trailer bearing cleaning, just set the bearings in a coffee can and blast 'em in between the rollers to get the raceway. Then swoosh the accumulated solvent in the bottom of the can around the bearing for a rinse cycle and they come out clean.
Stuff really does work.
Have to keep more on hand now, the wife started using it for difficult after job clean up in her painting business. It is as rugged as brush cleaner.

If you see some give it a try, it really works well. I would not mention it otherwise.