dishwasher clean

77targa · 02-08-2009, 06:15 PM

has anyone ever tried a dishwaher to clean engine parts?

cgarr · cgarr's Garage

Yes, A 912 case fits nice! But it was just before assembly and don't use the dishwasher soap its hard on alum.

RWebb · RWebb's Garage

hit search for at least 2 threads in the last week or so

herr_oberst · 02-08-2009, 07:28 PM

Hell, yes - been using the one at work for a couple of years, now. Air cleaner housing, rear view mirrors, all kinds of small parts go in grungy, come out daisy fresh...

Don't use dishwasher soap.

Use common sense to avoid destroying increasingly expensive German parts.

Don't tell my boss.

-mo-

moneymanager · 02-08-2009, 07:46 PM

Hope your significant others don't get wind of this.

efhughes3 · efhughes3's Garage

A buddy of mine did this. He spent longer cleaning the inside of the dishwasher to his wife's satisfaction than he would've on the parts. Find a machine shop that has an aluminum friendly tank.

Air intakes, rear view mirrors and such don't do the damage that greasy engine parts will.

stevemfr · 02-09-2009, 09:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by herr_oberst

Don't use dishwasher soap.

Can you elaborate? (never tried this)
No soap at all? Why? We put our aluminum espresso pot in the dishwasher. It comes out dull - but it always has been.

Gonna have to give this a try - I hate cleaning parts.

herr_oberst · 02-09-2009, 09:22 AM

Dishwasher soap is really harsh, and some of those plastics have sort of a sheen that I want to keep. The hot water under high pressure does the trick. Also, I don't let the parts go through the heat dry cycle. Air dry only.

Its worked for me, so I havent experimented.

cmcfaul · cmcfaul's Garage

LOL, I did once. Took a looong time to get the dishwasher clean again. I don't think it was ever the same. Some kind of black grease coated everything. After hours of cleaning the dishwasher by hand - wife askes why is the dish washer so dirty?

Also used the BBQ to install wheel bearings - better sucess then the dishwasher experiment;-)

Chris
73 911 e

Rusty Heap · Rusty Heap's Garage

If anyone in the Seattle area is interested in a spare Dish Washer for this use, I've got a fully operational one for free or small $ donation to my P-car cause.

PM me.

stevemfr · 02-09-2009, 01:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by herr_oberst

Dishwasher soap is really harsh, and some of those plastics have sort of a sheen that I want to keep. The hot water under high pressure does the trick. Also, I don't let the parts go through the heat dry cycle. Air dry only.

Its worked for me, so I havent experimented.

Makes sense for the plastic pieces - I'm thinking motor parts! Heads, cam towers, case halves...

I hate cleaning parts (have I said that before?)

efhughes3 · efhughes3's Garage

Those are the parts (motor parts) that will pretty much screw up a dishwasher.

RWebb · RWebb's Garage

Quote:

Originally Posted by stevemfr

Makes sense for the plastic pieces - I'm thinking motor parts! Heads, cam towers, case halves...

I hate cleaning parts (have I said that before?)

pay someone else to clean them in a solvent tank.

not only will it mess up your dishwasher and pollute the rivers, but the French authorities are very strict on this. If caught, you will be forced to eat American food for months. If a repeat offense, you will be force fed British food until you die.

ruf-porsche · ruf-porsche's Garage

Quote:

Originally Posted by herr_oberst

Hell, yes - been using the one at work for a couple of years, now. Air cleaner housing, rear view mirrors, all kinds of small parts go in grungy, come out daisy fresh...

Don't use dishwasher soap.

Use common sense to avoid destroying increasingly expensive German parts.

Don't tell my boss.

-mo-

No wonder the coffee taste a little strong.

T77911S · 02-10-2009, 04:26 AM

this has got me thinking, after all, nothing at work has. is there a non flamable parts cleaner that you could use. connect the water supply of the DW to a can of varsol (?), run the DW drain through a filter and back to the can to reuse. put a valve on the supply that would allow a second run using water

shbop · 02-10-2009, 06:55 AM

The dishwasher works quite well. Just don't use the one in your kitchen. As mentioned above: be careful about temp. setting and detergent used, depending on the parts inside. About the same time I tied this method, I bought a small table-top blast cabinet. It's a dedicated baking soda unit and has provided some amazing results as well.

77targa · 02-10-2009, 10:19 AM

yes i dont belive i would do this in my kitchen but as somone mentioned run a closed circuit with solvent and dont drain into the city system. there is never any harm in finding a old unit and putting her to good use.

RWebb · RWebb's Garage

I expect varsol or other solvent would dissolve the internal parts, leaving the dishwasher a puddle of plastic on the floor. They are designed to handle hot water & dteregent, not petrochemical solvents.

may run a couple of days tho.

stevemfr · 02-18-2009, 11:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RWebb

pay someone else to clean them in a solvent tank.

Actually, this is one of my probs over here. (Almost) No such thing as a corner machine shop (although I've noticed they're getting rarer at home too. Nobody works on cars anymore.)

Quote:

Originally Posted by RWebb

If a repeat offense, you will be force fed British food until you die.

OMG - one day is bad enough...
OK, OK I'll keep scrubbing 'em by hand. My wife says thanks BTW, I owe you a beer (why me?).