Parts Cleaners

[rtaylor]

Hey guys. I have started stripping my engine and engine bay down to clean the 35 years of grime. I am planning on buying an inexpensive parts washer from Harbor Freight tools, about $80 for a 40GPH model. I am not too thrilled with Harbor Freight, but I can't see investing big bucks on such a simple tool. In my research I find there are two types of cleaning solutions: aqueous or petroleum based solvents. As much as I can appreciate the PC of being green (I just purchased a Prius as my daily driver), I wonder how well an aqueous solution will clean the accumulated grime. Can anyone share some of their experinece with the two products? And is there a particular brand of cleaning solution that works better than others? Thanks for the input.

[er34gtt2000jp]

Hey there,

I have one of the Harbor Freight parts washers and it is OK. The pump works good but the switch that turned the pump on broke so I have to wire up a new switch.

As for aqueous parts cleaners I used a product called Oil Eater. I bought a 5 gallon bucket from Kragen auto Parts for like $35.

Here is the link to the online shop.

http://www.partsamerica.com/ProductDetail.aspx?categorycode=3227&mfrcode=KAF&mfrpartnumber=35438

This stuff works great, but be warned that it will corrode aluminum if left for long periods of time. (I left my pistons in it for about 6 hours and they came out perfect but I left my intake manifold in for 3 days and it started to corrode it) Just be careful and don’t leave alum. parts in to soak for days on end.

[jmortensen]

I have the HF parts washer that you're looking at and I used Oil Eater in mine. I put my diff housing in there (bought one used it had been sitting for maybe 5-10 years) and it took the paint off the outside, and took every last bit of baked on oily crud out of the inside. Got the Oil Eater at Costco for ~$7/gal. I ran it straight, you're actually supposed to dilute it quite a bit. The only problem with it is that it eats aluminum, so you can clean aluminum in the solvent tank, but you need to rinse it afterwards. Can't just leave a head sitting in the tank for a month...

I think diluting it is the way to go, because after a while it started growing this hard white crystalline type crap on the pump filter and some parts that I left in there for a month or so. Now it is to the point where the pump will barely flow at all. I know I could get a new pump for it for $10 or so, but all of my really grimy cleaning jobs are done, so I haven't bothered yet. I was able to clean that stuff off of the parts with no problems.

One thing that I looked into but never bothered getting that I think really would have helped was a brush that attaches to the hose so that it pumps solvent thru as you're cleaning the parts. Never got one. Found one online somewhere for less than $20. They definitely help, I can tell you that from previous experience.

[Jimbeaux]

I have a tank and cleaner I bought used from an automotive industrial supplier in Houston 10 years back.

The Pro's:

It's Big

It's Heavy

It held 40 gallons of Varsol

The Con's:

It's Big

It's Heavy

It held 40 gallons of Varsol

I moved last year to Oregon and it cost me $150.00 to dispose of the solvent before moving. After numerous calls SafetyKleen took the solvent. It's a difficult item to move around by yourself.

The petroluem based stuff can smell up the garage pretty quickly and is rough on your skin. Even keeping it in the corner by the door, running a fan and using gloves it was strong. The Varsol cleaned everything very well.

The tank is empty now but I'm thinking of trying the aqueous path this time. I'd love to hear more on this subject. It sounds like it cleans fairly well. What does this stuff smell like? What are the disposal methods?

Jim

[jmortensen]

Smells like oranges, but kinda sickly sweet oranges. At first you think it's going to be a good smell, but after a while, not so much. It's not chemically and won't get you high like Varsol fumes though. With the lid closed you don't really smell it at all. Disposal is a big question mark. You can take the solvent and pour it straight on the ground, but once you've got grease, oil, paint and whatnot in the solvent I don't think dumping it is a good idea. I just figured when I moved I'd take the used stuff to the hazardous waste place nearby and let them decide what to do with it...

[AWC]

I have the HF parts washer and use Simple Green in there diluted with hot water. I like the fact that it is biodegradeable. That stuff is a good degreaser but probably requires more scrubbing (elbow grease) than your more hazardous chemicals to get parts really clean.

While you are at HF buy one of their big rock tumblers and use it to polish up the parts after you clean them. You can get the tumbling media from Eastwood or just use sand + Simple Green.

[sakijo]

My friend had a really cheap solution: 30 gallon galvanized steel trash can and Simple Green. Worked like a charm . . . every time. I can't remember if he used it straight or diluted a bit.

[John Coffey]

Rosemead Oil Products

12402 Los Nietos Rd.

Santa Fe Springs, CA 90670

They sell a "Parts Cleaning Solvent" in bulk. Its Mineral Spirits but they will never say that and it quickly cleans grease and oil off of anything.

[2003z]

I recently got one from northern tool and equipment for $79. Its a 20 gal one and needs 10 gallons of fluid. I just use the petroleum distillates that Northern sells in their store, which cost $100 for the 2 5-gallon buckets.

I use it for my powdercoating business, as I coat about 3-5 sets of corvette calipers per week, minimum. It has really cut the cleaning time, a quick soak in the solvent and scrub, then another scrub down with simple green. Probably half as much work as using simple green only. Just don't put rubber parts or seals in it if use use the distillates, as it will ruin them. I soaked a set of dust boots in for a couple hours (forgot about them). I just wanted to loosen the grime before cleaning them and they swelled up to over twice their size!

[HizAndHerz]

I use Zep Industrial Degreaser ($6/gallon) in my HF parts cleaner ($59 on sale about a year ago). It works better than Simple Green but not near as good as Varsol.

I am too much of a chicken to use anything flamable. I like being able to use a cordless drill with a wire brush on it.

[rtaylor]

Well, there is a lot of different products out there it seems. I most probably now will get a non-petroleum based solution. Didn't think of the odor emitted by a petroleum based product. Since I share the garage with my wife, that is where our washer and dryer is located, she may not be pleased with the aroma. I was just using some spray carb cleaner last weekend and she thought the place would erupt in flames when she started the gas dryer. Better to live in harmony I think... Thanks for all of the responses.