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Solvents??? What do you use to clean parts??

Posted By: Troy

Solvents??? What do you use to clean parts?? - 04/18/12 10:30 PM

I have some parts that I needed cleaned and a old solvent tank with no solvent. Here in California you can no longer buy good solvent. What should I use that wont kill me and still works??
Posted By: ahy

Re: Solvents??? What do you use to clean parts?? - 04/18/12 11:00 PM

Common paint thinner works well. Is that available? Kerosene is OK... just a little slower cleaning and drying. Diesel works but is smelly and slow. Not recommended.
Posted By: Dean_Kuzluzski

Re: Solvents??? What do you use to clean parts?? - 04/18/12 11:06 PM

Mineral spirits work too.
Posted By: Troy

Re: Solvents??? What do you use to clean parts?? - 04/18/12 11:09 PM

Quote:

Mineral spirits work too.



....That is what I was just looking at.
Posted By: Challenger 1

Re: Solvents??? What do you use to clean parts?? - 04/18/12 11:22 PM

Can you still buy mineral spirits in California?
Posted By: bboogieart

Re: Solvents??? What do you use to clean parts?? - 04/18/12 11:51 PM

Quote:

Quote:

Mineral spirits work too.



....That is what I was just looking at.



yep it's what I use.
Posted By: 70Cuda383

Re: Solvents??? What do you use to clean parts?? - 04/19/12 12:00 AM

How big are the parts? how many? while it's probably not the most environmentally sound idea, I use gasoline

but only for small parts, and NOT in a parts washer!

paint thinner, mineral spirits, etc. are all like $10-15 a gallon. Gas is "cheap" at $3.xx a gallon around here....this week.

for small parts, I pour some out into an oil catch pan, and use a paint brush. while I'm sitting outside in the gravel driveway. away from anything electrical.

then I let the parts sit and dry outside.

if it's something that needs painted, follow up the gas bath with a shot of brake cleaner and you're good to go. I've not had any problems with it

The little bit that I let evaporate up into the air or pour onto the driveway where it quickly evaporates each year, is nothing compared to the amount of gas that gets spilled at the gas station from people topping off their tanks or overfilling jerry cans on the ground, so I don't feel THAT bad for "wasting" the gas that way
Posted By: Shoozy

Re: Solvents??? What do you use to clean parts?? - 04/19/12 12:07 AM

In CA check on the availability of 142 Solvent LA (low aromatic). I still stocked and sold lots when I left there 4 years ago. It should still be available. It is simply a higher flash mineral spirits with lower emissions.
Posted By: Challenger 1

Re: Solvents??? What do you use to clean parts?? - 04/19/12 12:48 AM

Quote:

How big are the parts? how many? while it's probably not the most environmentally sound idea, I use gasoline

but only for small parts, and NOT in a parts washer!

paint thinner, mineral spirits, etc. are all like $10-15 a gallon. Gas is "cheap" at $3.xx a gallon around here....this week.

for small parts, I pour some out into an oil catch pan, and use a paint brush. while I'm sitting outside in the gravel driveway. away from anything electrical.

then I let the parts sit and dry outside.

if it's something that needs painted, follow up the gas bath with a shot of brake cleaner and you're good to go. I've not had any problems with it

The little bit that I let evaporate up into the air or pour onto the driveway where it quickly evaporates each year, is nothing compared to the amount of gas that gets spilled at the gas station from people topping off their tanks or overfilling jerry cans on the ground, so I don't feel THAT bad for "wasting" the gas that way



OMG!!! your uphill from me!! Gas in your driveway???

Yup gas is a cheap solvent and I have used it in a presurrized sprayer, works really good for heavy grime and grease.
I have done it on a concrete driveway many times and it evaporates before it get's to the grass.

For inside solvent, paint thinner, mineral spirits, stodard solvent...it's all the same and the BEST to use.
Posted By: finadk

Re: Solvents??? What do you use to clean parts?? - 04/19/12 03:02 AM

Gas in a pressurized sprayer sounds like a recipe for disaster, won't take much for atomized fuel to go BOOM.

I used to clean with gas and other solvants all the time but heard one too
many of someone hurting themselves real bad. Once my kids started helping me in the garage I started using Water based cleaners, Purple Power, Simple Green, and even Dawn dish detergent are my favorites. Get a good assortment of brushes And you will find they work as well or better with alot less cost, zero chance of explosion and environmentally friendly.

I do keep a can of lacquer thinner handy to wipe Down parts before painting.

I got rid of my parts washer and just use
a cement mixing bucket from Home Depot to soak them in.

I don't mean to preach but the thought of my son getting hurt made me re think what I do and some of the dangerous things that I did not even realize I was doing.

Give it a try you may agree.
Posted By: ahy

Re: Solvents??? What do you use to clean parts?? - 04/19/12 03:23 AM

I was living overseas and had an OHC cylinder head re-worked at a small shop once. New (to me) car and I didn't get the timing belt changed fast enough. Anyhow, the character that replaced the two bent valves took the head into his wash bay when he was done, set it on the concrete floor and sprayed it down thoroughly with gasoline. Then he hit it hard with the pressure washer, rolling it over to get both sides. A good blast of compressed air to get the water off and it was clean and done. He just said oil it well before starting the engine... which I did. I had no problems with that head. Go figure.
Posted By: Challenger 1

Re: Solvents??? What do you use to clean parts?? - 04/19/12 11:58 AM

Quote:

Gas in a pressurized sprayer sounds like a recipe for disaster, won't take much for atomized fuel to go BOOM.





Pretty cool huh...? Could be a blow torch and use it to remove paint?
Seriousily, I and many others have used gas at the races to clean parts for many years. Is it the safest, NO does it work? YES, works really good.

You use common sense, We would go through 10-15 gallons on a weekend cleaning oil pans and stuff like that.
The tank.

Parts cleaner on the left sitting on the drum, we would almost fill that drum by the end of the weekend with old motor oil and gasoline from cleaning oil pans and more.

Mineral spirits is the best and SAFEST solvent to use to clean parts.


Parts cleaner on the right.
Posted By: 70Cuda383

Re: Solvents??? What do you use to clean parts?? - 04/19/12 12:42 PM

Quote:



OMG!!! your uphill from me!! Gas in your driveway???

Yup gas is a cheap solvent and I have used it in a presurrized sprayer, works really good for heavy grime and grease.
I have done it on a concrete driveway many times and it evaporates before it get's to the grass.

For inside solvent, paint thinner, mineral spirits, stodard solvent...it's all the same and the BEST to use.




yea, but that's ok, I'm "on the other side" of the hill, my water drains north.
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