Parts Washer cleaner

[72ScampTramp]

What do you guys use in your parts washers? Im thinking about making a homemade parts washer. I'm going to rebuild my transmission so I think water based is out.

[greg r]

Good 'ole Stoddard solvent is what I've been using. It's pretty close to being mineral spirits, and usually what's on the drum the guy pumps it out of for me. High flash point, fairly high vapor point so it doesn't evaporate very much. If you can rig up a filter to go with the pump, your "charge" of solvent can last a long time and with the hose or wand you'll clean the parts with clean solvent instead of recirculated dirty solvent.

[RustyRatRod]

I've tried most all of the environmentally friendly stuff....because let's face it, IF there's something out there that works well, it would have to be better for the planet. BUT, all I have found is stuff that works well for a very short period......it get's "loaded up" if you will with all of the grease that comes off stuff and looses it's effectiveness. I use straight mineral spirits now.....not the low odor stuff. Just good old make you have two headed babies mineral spirits.

[earthmover]

ive got purple stuff in my parts washer..got it in 2.5 gal jugs from lowes for a good price...

[RustyRatRod]

Originally Posted by earthmover

ive got purple stuff in my parts washer..got it in 2.5 gal jugs from lowes for a good price...

Yeah give it time. It'll load up too.

[OneOfMany]

Originally Posted by StrokerScamp

Just good old make you have two headed babies mineral spirits.

A couple of cups of lacquer thinner mixed in to the solvent don't hurt either.

Grant

[cudamark]

The trouble with some solvents and cleaners is what to do with it when it needs to be replaced. Flushing it down the drain is usually a no-no and the auto parts stores don't want it mixed into their recycled oil. I use diesel or kerosene as they can be added to the used engine oil without a problem (so far anyway!) The down side is it doesn't dry to a paintable surface.....you have to remove the residue to get it clean enough to prime. That and the smell....ugh.

[godfatherofchry]

I use parts washer solvent 5gal.and 3gal of diesel fuel works good dries good after blowing And wen it gets dirty makes a good fire starter for burning tree limbs and brush............Artie

[ramcharger]

Originally Posted by cudamark

The trouble with some solvents and cleaners is what to do with it when it needs to be replaced. Flushing it down the drain is usually a no-no and the auto parts stores don't want it mixed into their recycled oil. I use diesel or kerosene as they can be added to the used engine oil without a problem (so far anyway!) The down side is it doesn't dry to a paintable surface.....you have to remove the residue to get it clean enough to prime. That and the smell....ugh.

Kerosene is really, really flammable. Like flash, whoosh flammable.

[inertia]

Use plain old solvent with a little ATF in it to make it a little kinder on the hands, BUT most helpful is about 2 inches of water in the bottom,, which the sediment falls into, and stays,, helps keep the "solvent" cleaner, longer.. my 2 cents,, cheers.. grant..

[cudamark]

Originally Posted by ramcharger

Kerosene is really, really flammable. Like flash, whoosh flammable.

Since it was used for decades as a lamp oil, the flamability is at a minimum. It burns but doesn't flash like gasoline. It's not that much different than diesel.

[72ScampTramp]

Thanks for the input. Yes disposal is going to be tough. I dont plan to keep it around long just long enough to clean tranny parts.

[BillGrissom]

I rebuilt 2 trannys the last year. I only needed to clean the outside. If the parts inside need cleaning, something sounds really wrong and they are probably severely worn. I don't have a parts washer. I just use small brushes with gasoline or diesel. Actually a mixture left from when my wife called saying "the car sounds funny". I said "smells like gasoline, did you remember to fill it with the green hose?" (diesel engine). Nope, so I siphoned out 18 gal. Big parts I clean outside. Small parts on a table in the garage. I put newspaper underneath to catch everything and change it regularly. Diesel works better since it sits longer without evaporating. Of course, don't smoke (ever, even when you not working on cars).

[72ScampTramp]

Well.... Its not that something is wrong.. But how can you check surfaces and look for wear marks without clean parts? I worked in a tranny shop in the tear down and clean up. Every transmission that came in got tore down and all parts were cleaned.

[cosgig]

I don't know about other areas, but in my neck of the woods the oil change place I go to will allow me to dump anything I bring in down their drain basin. I couldn't believe it the other day when I had a couple gallons of used antifreeze and the guy told me to just dump it in where they drain the cars!! Mineral spirits are petroleum based if i'm not mistaken and could be added to used waste oil with no problems, at least at the place I go to!!! Geof

[cjh]

AVTUR.....Aviation Turbine fuel.....in layman's terms....power kerosine, Jet fuel.....it will evaporate in about 10 minutes or so when new......and cleans well.
For really stubborn stuff, I use a water based degreaser.....it will take the skin off ya hands......and don't let alloy sit in it....it will eat it.....need to keep it moving and scrubbing.

[BillGrissom]

Little parts, like from a carburetor, I soak in a special cleaning fluid you buy at auto parts. It comes in a 1 gal metal paint can w/ a strainer basket inside. I have also soaked pistons one at a time in it, with a plastic bag taped over (1 per night). It has something floating on top to limit evaporation. Smells nasty, but doesn't hurt aluminum.

Another idea is SuperClean, which you can buy at Walmart. I think it is a strong alkaline water-based solution. I used it to remove paint & chrome from plastic dash trim, which is an idea I found on plastic model web sites. Works great for that. Haven't tried on steel parts. I did hold down the plastic with an aluminium chunk and it attacked that, so don't try on aluminum.

[dustinmoran91]

Just mixed some solvent up from stuff i had sitting around, 2 gallons of b-12 chemtool, 2.5 gallons of parts solvent, 1 can aircraft stripper, 5 gallons of diesel lol i used a 30 gallon plastic tub and needed to soak a pair of heads and some other little stuff. Sounds like a lot but just barelt covered the tops of the rockers

[cudamark]

Originally Posted by dustinmoran91

Just mixed some solvent up from stuff i had sitting around, 2 gallons of b-12 chemtool, 2.5 gallons of parts solvent, 1 can aircraft stripper, 5 gallons of diesel lol i used a 30 gallon plastic tub and needed to soak a pair of heads and some other little stuff. Sounds like a lot but just barelt covered the tops of the rockers

.................................................. ..................................................
What are you going to do with it when it's spent. With that many different chemicals, it would have to be handled as hazerdous waste and cost a small fortune to get rid of.

[dustinmoran91]

Lol it is hazardous, didnt wear gloves and it soaked into cut on my knuckle and after the intial burning i got where i could stand that so i washed parts for about an hour and for the last two days that knuckle has been swollen and sore beyond belief haha