Parts cleaning solvents

[Rick B]

Just finished boxing up the engine parts to send out. Now I am faced with a bunch of dirty parts that are not internal to the engine that I should be able to clean and restore myself. I have a parts washer from Northern Tool filled with the solvent that they sell (monster wash). It is water based. Due to environment concerns, I must use a water-based solvent. What I am using now is not much better than dish soap.

Any suggestions?

Thanks in advance

Rick

btw, weather in NC is finally returning to spring - should be 60's today with Carolina blue sky! (not Duke blue)

[brettm69]

I've had pretty good luck with Purple Power - it's pretty much the same as Simple Green except much cheeper - and of course it's purple. I get big jugs of it at PepBoys.

-just dont leave aluminum parts sitting in it overnight, they will pit - ask me how I know

Brett

[E Sully]

This purple Simple Green worked great for me. Claims it's safe, but I didn't leave anything overnight in it., just a few hours. Cut grease and oil great. I've also used Simple Green Motorsport claims it's safe for aluminum.

[88-diamondblue]

Find somebody with a BAPW (big ass parts washer) Put them into that and they will come out looking like new or nearly new. I worked on some of my parts for a while and did this. Hours saved and did a better job than I could have.

[peppy]

Originally Posted by Rick B

btw, weather in NC is finally returning to spring - should be 60's today with Carolina blue sky! (not Duke blue)

You said it Bother.

[RichHawk]

Originally Posted by brettm69

I've had pretty good luck with Purple Power - it's pretty much the same as Simple Green except much cheeper - and of course it's purple. I get big jugs of it at PepBoys.

-just dont leave aluminum parts sitting in it overnight, they will pit - ask me how I know

Brett

+1 on Purple Power 2.5 gallons from walmart is $11. I mix it wiht 2.5 gallons of water.

This mixture lasted entirely through the completely grungy engine clean up I did on my 3.2L

Richard

[Rick B]

thanks for the advice. I will try purple power. Rick

[Packy]

sounds like hippie talk to me

[Flieger]

I like it. It is clear and smells like oranges, weird name for such a product.

[lindy 911]

You can buy Barsol for your parts cleaner at the local NAPA store in five gallon cans. You'll need two cans. The other stuff mentioned here is glorified soap, not really a solvent. To get parts really clean you will need a solvent that dissolves the oil and then turns the dirt loose. When you're finished you can either leave it in the parts washer or re-can it in the cans it came in. I have mine in my personal garage at home and the same solvent has been in there for five years. Close the cover and even my wife, with the bionic nose, can't smell it. Barsol works WAY better than any soap.

Lindy

[jpnovak]

Agreed with Lindy,

Get the parts solvent not water based. It will save you in frustration. Make sure to setup your parts washer with an expanded metal grid on standoffs in the bottom. This will allow any dirt and sediment to sink below and your parts will not sit in the muck.

My parts washer bin is 5+ years old. it is now time to change it.

[James Brown]

I use dry cleaning solvent (stoddart solvent, PD-680) non smelling low voc parts cleaning solvent. Kinda pricey like $10.00/gal. at most hardware stores.

[johnman001]

I use parts washer solvent (Super Agitine). It works well in my parts washer.

I bought about 4 gal Castrol Super Clean that i keep in a 5 gal bucket. It's stronger than the super agitine as it dissolves carbon build up, but be careful as it does eat aluminum. It also eats paint and skin.

I am trying the Purple Power. It was cheap. It works, but not nearly 1/2 as well as the Castrol Super Clean. It also will stain aluminum if left in too long.

I usually get the hard stuff off with the Castrol Super Clean and then finish up (and wash off the super clean) in the parts washer.

One day, I will have a used dishwasher out in my shop to use on my parts.

[turbobrat930]

I also agree with Lindy... Use a solvent based product. It will be fine as long as you are not dumping it into the sewer.... I pitty the people in CA....

I use Mineral spirits also. I have been using it for over 15 years... and I have only changed it 3 times.... also works good when I get Poison Ivy.. I find parts to clean when I get the good ole' ivy!!! Helps dry it right up!!!!

[JFairman]

When I worked in shops we would use wash grade mineral spirits in the parts washers. Buy it by the 5 gallon can.
To make the solvent stay cleaner longer we put a heavy plastic bag liner thats resistant to mineral spirits in the solvent tank and fill it around 1/3 of the way up with water so the pump pickup for the solvent is above the water level.
Water is heavier than solvent and it doesn't mix and it will stay in it's own seperate layer at the bottom of the solvent tank.

This way most of the greasy crud, particals of scotchbrite pad from scrubbing parts clean, and little pieces of gasket material that become suspended in the solvent will sink down into the seperate water layer at the bottom of the tank and stay there so the solvent layer above stays cleaner.

[Green 912]

HEAT. All the water based cleaners work better if you heat the solution. See if you can find an immersion heater for your cleaning tank. I have a water based spray chamber type parts washer that heats the solution to 160 deg and it works better than my old solvent based cleaner. Parts flash dry in seconds with no rust or solvent to wipe off. Most all the water based solvents that work use sodium metasilicate. It makes an alkaline solution that converts oils into soap like chemicals that are soluble in water. Strong alkaline solutions can etch aluminum thus the warnings on using it on aluminum and other sensitive metals.

BTW water based might not be better for the environment. Less VOC and that is key in some locations but what do you do with the dirty water? There are plenty of recyclers for dirty solvent but not so many take water based solvents. it is real bad if you clean stuff and wash it right down the drain. At least the solvents can be captured and recycled

[911 tweaks]

+1 on the super agatine...what is good about this solvent is that the parts will not rust when they come out of your tank...I have 3 different sized baskets and leave parts in there for days sometimes weeks and when I get around to them, all I need to do is a quick brushing and viola...ready to go...shop around for the best price...I think I got it from mscdirect @ ~ $65/ 5 gal. can...