What type of cleaner/solvent do I need?

[ghnat]

Removed my pedal cluster and began cleaning it. What I first thought was rust seems to be "highly" compressed dirt.

I have been using (the past two nights) sand paper, wire brush, brake cleaner, carb cleaner and finally a wood chisel. Not all at the same time, I do only have two hands... The chisel works prety well, but I have to use a lot of force and it is tough to use in many places.

Is there any cleaner or solvent that will loosen this stuff up?

Thanks in advance.

[TerryH]

How about one of those high pressure self-serve car washes. If you have to chisel, I'm not sure high pressure water would work unless it could soak overnight perhaps.

[Porschekid962]

Soak it in acetone, spray gun cleaner, gasoline works well. Know anyone that has an ultrasonic heated water cleaner? Media blaster? Acid dip, castrol super clean, 3M grease cleaner in aerosol can. Spray gun cleaner is pretty darn strong, I let some sit in a fiberglass bowl I made and it dissolved the resin and pretty much turned the bowl into mush. Scrub, soak, scrub, soak, over and over and over. Who knows, hopefully one of these might work.

[jluetjen]

Lately I've started to use Oderless Denatured Minerial Spirits which is relatively oder free and melts grease and oil residues right off better then any of the water based stuff, but isn't as noxious as stripper.

[ghnat]

Thanks guys,
I think I will start with some mineral spirits. Soak it over night and then go from there. I guess gas would be next...