ultrasonic cleaner - observations and questions

[haycait911]

I picked up a 10 liter cole-parmer ultrasonic cleaner on ebay last week. no heater but works fine. using a mixture of simple green and water. below are some before and after pics of a weber top. also trying a well-carboned head which is much slower but it's getting there. you can't use solvent in it directly but apparently you can put a glass container in the unit containing solvent to clean injectors and such.

observations -

1. sometimes a slow process but requires absolutely no effort on my part

2. cleans things very well

3. removes corrosion from aluminum but won't look 'new' again, discoloration is still there

4. you can put your hands in the cleaner no problem, but if you have an open cut - you'll know about it.

questions-

1. what solution are other guys using? barring commercial types, they're a pain to get here.

2. will part orientation in the tank have any affect on the cleaning of a particular area?

3. any other experience/tips?

before and after, about 3 hours worth.

[RSWiser]

Interested in your Ultrasonic cleaner. Was is new or used and if you don't mind, what did you have pay.

[spuggy]

Originally Posted by haycait911

1. what solution are other guys using? barring commercial types, they're a pain to get here.

Ultrasonic cleaners work by cavitation rather than the solution you put in there, they are basically detergent and wetting agents intended to reduce surface tension so that the really small bubbles can form - it's those microscopic bubbles exploding that does all the work: Ultrasonic cleaning - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

I just use dish soap. Definitely works better than plan water. Also, the one I bought (rather smaller than yours!) has a heater (68F); the hotter solution does seem to be more effective.

I agree that it's surprising how effective they can be; almost all of what I thought was rust on some CIS injectors turned out to be baked-on fuel varnish or something and came off. The big advantage is how it can clean areas you just can't get at, of course...

If you want to make aluminum look "new" again without media blasting, try a fiberglass pen (3M make them, they're used to clean circuit board traces etc). They''ll have a dirty penny looking shiny and new - without flattening out any of the lettering or detail on the coin.

[haycait911]

the temp will get up to about 120 deg F just by the action of the cleaner. I don't really want 'new' looking alum, I'll be doing an alodine dip afterward anyway. I use those fiberglass pens at work, never thought about home use.

my unit was used, probably ex-medical use. paid $150 plus shipping on evilbay. good size, will take a head or a weber easily.

weber parts..........

[Flat Six]

Nice! But you'll want to be careful using regular Simple Green on aluminum parts -- even diluted -- if you care what the finish will look like. Couple of good threads on the board; some report good results w/the 'automotive' Simple Green. It's called Extreme Simple Green Motorsports Cleaner and Degreaser. It's goes on clear, not green, and comes in a blue spray bottle. Supposed to be non-corrosive and safe for both aluminum and carbon fiber. Got mine at Pep Boys; likely available at your FLAPS.

HTH

[haycait911]

I've used simple green a lot on aluminum, no issues if you rinse it off within a reasonable time frame.
I've been using dish soap in the cleaner now, cheaper and easier. all you need is something with good 'wetting' agents to remove the surface tension of the water and allow it to contact the parts better.

I just tried dipping in a greasy finger for about 10 seconds. came out clean and pink!

[Canada Kev]

Does it work for getting dirt and grease from under finger nails?

[jcge]

You will get a better result by using just enough fluid to cover the item you want clean (not filled to the top)

[haycait911]

Originally Posted by syzygy

Does it work for getting dirt and grease from under finger nails?

I haven't had the patience to hold my hand in there that long.

Originally Posted by jcge

You will get a better result by using just enough fluid to cover the item you want clean (not filled to the top)

I had the same thought but this unit has a minimum fill line about an inch down from the top of the tank. not sure why.

FWIW a carboned-up head is taking a LONG time, probably easier to bead blast. seems to work better on things that are dirty, varnished, gummed or corroded. next up are a bunch of valves, I'll post pics.

[gtc]

I don't know how much truth there is to this, but I've heard rumors of parts made from softer metals getting eaten away when left in ultrasonic cleaners for too long.

[356racing]

For brass carb parts, I would put limeaway in a small plastic container with the parts and drop it in the ultrasonic. They will come out like new.