Cleaning engine parts

[911-lightning]

I am in the process of rebuilding my 3.0 engine. As all of you that have already done this job there is a LOT of dirt and oil residues on many parts. So far I have tried break cleaner, de-greaser and Muc-off on some parts. I know that this is a pain in the **** regardless of the cleaner (and I do not have a parts cleaner) but I would like to get the experience that you guys have had.

What worked best for your parts? And is there any cleaner that is no go with regards to aluminium and the "mating" surfaces?

Thanks!

[jjeffries]

I see 77 others have read this and not responded, so I’ll try to be of help. On a low-budget level, I’ve always found mineral spirits to be a good universal solvent for degreasing; brake cleaner is very effective but fumey. If it’s an external part with sand/grit caked into leaked oil, I’m fastidious to make sure that does get inside where oil circulates (sounds obvious, I realize). If your using it in, say, a shallow tub or cake pan, change the fluid often and wiper out the container when you do so; you can add the used solvent to your the used motor oil you take to a recycler. I happen to use Bounties a lot as rags. Have a good selection of plastic and brass scribe brushes on hand. Hot soapie water (Dawn or similar) is good after you’ve gotten the bulk of the oily stuff off, with compressed air to get residual water out of the nooks and crannies. Keep cleaning-up after yourself, maintain a clean work area.

Better yet: Ultrasonic cleaners are something which have become DIY-affordable in the past 10-15 years and can render my mineral-spirits/solvent advice obsolete. This will also prevent the need to touch/inhale solvents … known carcinogens. A couple of hundred bucks spent here can be very well spent.

If you’re using a detergent, research first to make sure it’s aluminum safe. Simple Green Heavy Duty cleaner (purple) is good stuff.

Overall, grit and other particles of hard materials are the enemy; you have to be meticulous. Patience, common sense and avoiding false economies are my advice.

Best of luck to you,
John

[dannobee]

Use Meguires Hot Rims Chrome Wheel cleaner and a stiff brush.

[jjeffries]

Dan, is that an acid?

John

[reclino]

The first to round of cleaning for me is often soap and water, if the water is really hot you can dry off even steel parts with paper towels and avoid corrosion. Kitchen sink or the bathtub for parts. A utility sink in the laundry room would be nice, but I don't have one. Drying off complex parts with compressed air heps. Harbor Freight has a nice parts washer sink, that I bought about 7 years ago and I fill it with either paint thinner or parts washer solvent. Last 20 gallons over the past 4 years I have bought in 5! gallon drums from Tractor supply.
Cleaning is not really something that can be avoided, every part you get even new or rebuilt is probably not clean enough to put inside an engine. And even if it came out of a running engine with that carbon and oil crust on it doesn't.mean it won't cause an issue when you go to put it back in.
I have spent lots and lots of time cleaning engine parts. A little ultrasonic cleaner is also helpful, but it's not magic.
David

[dannobee]

Yes, it's an acid. Don't use the mild soaps, they just don't work for what I'd call a "clean" finish that looks like it just came out of the foundry. You need the acid to cut through the grime and oxidation.

Meguire's is a consumer product and isn't very strong. If you have access to professional detailing chemicals, the wire wheel cleaner from P&S works even faster, but you do have to watch it because the acid content is about 5x stronger. Obviously Meguire's isn't even strong enough to hurt the machined finish.

[Trackrash]

Yes, it is really frustrating getting stuff clean when rebuilding.

Gunk and a pressure washer can get a lot of stuff off.

For carbon oven cleaner, yellow can, works well.

The best thing I found to get old oil off, like what is inside the motor, is gasoline. Yeah, I know, it is toxic, but unless you are a shop with a hazmat permit, I could not find a degreaser that worked better.

For the final cleaning a dishwasher is nice.

[chrismorse]

I did this once, when i was 17, preparing my old MGA for a car show, i scrubbbed and toiled on my old MGA SU carburetors and popped them in the family dishwasher to scrub past the carb cleaner - really worked well, got first in sports car class.

BUT

My dear sweet mother was NOT PLEASED, she said words that i had never heard her say.

Maybe, runn it by her first, you know, to avoid an incandescent "discussion", or possibly, "the ICE PICK".

Gordon, my friend, you are a brave man and i will attest to the efficacy of the yellow engine cleaner you used on my combustion chambers, they came out great, thanks, BUT....

still alive,
chris

[safe]

Its a multistage process for me.
Scrape of the worst gunk.
Dump the parts in a ~10 gallon tub (a parts cleaner without a pump) with degreaser. Letting it soak for a couple of days. Brushing them once a day.
After this they should be reasonably "clean", whats left is the finish and wheel cleaner with some acid in it usually works quite good.
I found a German interior cleaner called SPAM, it is marvelous at dissolving carbon, submerge the worst possible piston you can think of and it will remove the carbon in a couple of hours.

[blucille]

Trusted local head shop recommends the following.

https://anchoratlantic.com/products/

[Jonny042]

Originally Posted by blucille

Trusted local head shop recommends the following.

https://anchoratlantic.com/products/

Did a double take at "head shop"..... they should know their chemicals lol.

[jjeffries]

Bob at Anchor Atlantic is The Man … and a lovely guy, too.

John

[buster73]

One of my best investments was a 10 gallon parts washer with a good degreaser fluid. For heavy oil/carbon residue oven-cleaner does a good job, but with alloy parts you have to be careful regarding soaking time so you won´t damage the surface.

I also use a small sand blasting cabinet for soda blasting and glass bead blasting where necessary. With some time and efforts parts will look like new.

[reclino]

Aircraft paint stripper will dissolve the carbon right off pistons, and cylinder heads. Did this to mine a few years ago, carbon all but wiped off. They have now removed the methalyn chloride but I have a few gallons of the old stuff.

[Jonny042]

Originally Posted by dannobee

Yes, it's an acid.

I don't know at what ph level hydrogen embrittlement becomes a factor but there may be things you don't want to clean with acid. Crank, rods, valve springs, rockers???

Again, I don't know - but would like to be sure before I start going to town on anything strength critical.

Anyone have a clue?

[dannobee]

I wouldn't want to clean a crank, rods or valve springs with anything but brake cleaner. Incidentally, any rust on valve springs and they should be tossed, as rust on a spring causes a defect that can cause it to break.

Just looked up the pH of Chrome Wheel cleaner on its SDS. It's "2-3" Pretty big spread, but somewhere between vinegar and apples.

[reclino]

PH is not the problem for hydrogen embrittlement, tensile strength of above 160 ksi is the limit I think. Grade 8 bolts are 150 ksi, socket head cap screws are 170ksi. Valve springs will suffer for sure.

[Aircooled4evr]

Originally Posted by Trackrash

Yes, it is really frustrating getting stuff clean when rebuilding.

Gunk and a pressure washer can get a lot of stuff off.

For carbon oven cleaner, yellow can, works well.

The best thing I found to get old oil off, like what is inside the motor, is gasoline. Yeah, I know, it is toxic, but unless you are a shop with a hazmat permit, I could not find a degreaser that worked better.

For the final cleaning a dishwasher is nice.

I'm pretty sure, the lady is out of town!!

[rory gallagher]

First scrape off the heavy caked stuff.
Then mineral spirits and plenty of time and brushes over a big pan or plastic tub.
Followed by hot water with a big squirt of dish detergent. Rinse with more HOT water.
An SC engine half block fits half way in a large slop sink. I'd show a pic but it could be used
as evidence.
Boraxo powder will clean the sink afterward. Don't forget this step.
Don't use gasoline ! Wire brushes cause sparks. Ask my friend Bill Ackerman

[Tippy]

Good ol' Naptha is all you need.