I'm out of spray carb cleaner, but have lots of wd40 type stuff, brake cleaner, electronics cleaner, etc. Just got me thinking, what's ok and what's not ok to clean these with? I don't want to use something that will attack the plastic.
Cleaning a Thermoquad. What can I use, and what should I definately not use?
- Thread starter RSie
- Start date
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I have used brake cleaner. No issues. I like it better than carb cleaner.
Demonic
Well-Known Member
I'd be careful about using chlorinated solvents on an older main body. They tend to crack due to age. Maybe the non-chlorinated brake cleaner. The 72 FSM only mentions not to soak the main body in solvents for a prolonged period of time.
New main bodies were available some time ago here:
http://tomco-inc.com/Catalog/thermalquad.pdf
New main bodies were available some time ago here:
http://tomco-inc.com/Catalog/thermalquad.pdf
You can use Dawn dishwashing detergent and hot water for the Bowl, everything else in carb cleaner, or whatever.
I have had good luck lately with soda blasting. It completely breaks down to dust and leaves nothing behind.
Son bought one of those amazon ultrasonic cleaners. Put simple green and water in it & it cleans like crazy. I didn’t think it would work so good. He uses it on jet ski carbs.
We have a ultrasonic cleaner. Amazing what this thing can clean. Carbs come out like new. My friend had a frozen outside rear view mirror soaked it in WD for a month with no luck at all. We put it in the sonic cleaner for 20 min. it now works like new. Every part that goes back in a motor goes through the sonic cleaner. I couldn't tell you how many Lawn mower carbs we do.
The fluid is a special super clean just for this use. I don't know if you all ever used straight super clean but it is strong and cleans it all . Not purple Power that stuff is carbage.
How long do yalls ultrasonic cleaners take? I have a big one and have tried everything in it I can think of. It doesn't clean worth ****. Everything comes out with a white chalky residue on it. Screw that.
I know my son turns the heater on an hour or two before using. The timer for the unit is 20 mins. rinse with water immediately afterward the cleaner is caustic. I will find out from him excactly where he gets the cleaner. I asked him one day about adding cleaner and I remember him saying its a special Super Clean cleaner. It is in a 5 gal white plastic container that he uses.
here are my heads before and the after the cleaner
This was after cleaning
And yes those are all the same parts including the valves
here are my heads before and the after the cleaner
This was after cleaning
And yes those are all the same parts including the valves
Yeah man! What kind of ultrasonic cleaner do you have?
Yeah, I would like to know the best cleaning solution to use too. I am fairly new at it.
Well I asked him and he said. For hard grime like carbon and varnish they use industrial cleaners that you cannot buy in a store.
Here is what he recommends. after the sonic cleaner reaches maximum temp with the part in the tank. turn the sonic waves on for 20 min.
Industrial simple green
PN# 13405
Extreme Aircraft & Precision Cleaner
That is what the tag says on the white container. He also sprays parts down with pure straight "Super Clean" and lets them sit. There are times manual labor is needed with a brush.
This is OK for cleaning up parts especially small parts . Nothing beats a Hot Tank for large old engine blocks.
And if you own a sonic cleaner you need a wash tank also. for final rinse.
We also use a 30 gallon parts washer with an agitator nozzle set up. The longer you let parts soak the easier they are to clean like new.
Last night I was watching him re-sleeve a "Dart race block" it went in the oven and brought to 300 degrees also Hemi head seats 450 degrees. Without the extensive cleaning the oil in the block or heads would cook and stink the whole shop up.
Once you think its clean do it two more times. Spray it down with Dawn then rinse inside until suds are gone. when parts are finished they are always sprayed with 5-56 spray lube the same thing he sprays the machine tables and weighs down with daily. 5-56 is the only lube that doesn't dry up.
Here is what he recommends. after the sonic cleaner reaches maximum temp with the part in the tank. turn the sonic waves on for 20 min.
Industrial simple green
PN# 13405
Extreme Aircraft & Precision Cleaner
That is what the tag says on the white container. He also sprays parts down with pure straight "Super Clean" and lets them sit. There are times manual labor is needed with a brush.
This is OK for cleaning up parts especially small parts . Nothing beats a Hot Tank for large old engine blocks.
And if you own a sonic cleaner you need a wash tank also. for final rinse.
We also use a 30 gallon parts washer with an agitator nozzle set up. The longer you let parts soak the easier they are to clean like new.
Last night I was watching him re-sleeve a "Dart race block" it went in the oven and brought to 300 degrees also Hemi head seats 450 degrees. Without the extensive cleaning the oil in the block or heads would cook and stink the whole shop up.
Once you think its clean do it two more times. Spray it down with Dawn then rinse inside until suds are gone. when parts are finished they are always sprayed with 5-56 spray lube the same thing he sprays the machine tables and weighs down with daily. 5-56 is the only lube that doesn't dry up.
Bill Crowell
Well-Known Member
When I repaired my TQ recently, I soaked all the parts in a parts cleaner filled with naptha. It didn't hurt the phenolic fuel bowl, and it got things pretty clean.
QuickDart360
Well-Known Member
Nice those are some really nice looking heads!!
who did the port work? Looks so well done.
my son does all the motors.Nice those are some really nice looking heads!!
Naptha is dangerous. Use proper protection.
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