Part Washer Solvent?

[Bigbird]

Just wondering if anyone out there knows of a really good solvent for a parts washer and where to get it. I'm getting ready to tear down my Bronco and there is plenty of grime to be removed.

 

[ransil]

I use mineral spirits found at lowes or wallyworld

 

[Rox Crusher]

good ol mineral spirits does the trick (don't get the enviro-friendly version as it doesn't)

also, I forget the actual name...........but super purple or something like that in the auto department at Walmart. put it in a spray bottle and go to town

 

[Broncobowsher]

Gas powered pressure washers can be had for a little over $100 new and work really well at cutting old goo. I don't know a good solvent. I use a pressure washer and a case of cheap carb/brake clean for what the pressure washer doesn't do.

 

[KyleQ]

I personally enjoy my heated washer and plain old water and simple green mixture. Its not hard on my hands and I can pour the filtered waste water out when I'm done.

 

[Rustytruck]

Get an old dish washer and put it in the garage.

 

[Crawdad]

Wally world had big containers of Simple Green. X2 on the pressure washer, you really dont need a huge one. Repeat steps of simple green and power wash and it comes out well. But you are up in NY so that may be a prob. In colder months I still used simple green in a an old tupperware w/ top for small items like nuts & bolts.

 

[Hozr]

For really nasty parts (like mine were) I use Ed's Red mixture. It is a 4 part mix from basic stuff but did wonders on 40 year old axles and enine parts. he developed it for firearms which are both delicate and tough to clean at the same time. The nice thing is it will protect the part from rust until you need it. It will need a a degrease (simple green) and rinse before coating but it's efortless.

Here's a link.

http://www.handloads.com/articles/default.asp?id=9

I don't have a heater, I just run it cold.

 

[75brnco]

My 2 cents

Try Ozzy Juice I found it at napa $80 bucks for 5 gallons a little expensive but its water based and worked awsome, and i didnt have to worry about my house burning to the ground when I was welding.

 

[Broncobowsher]

Get an old dish washer and put it in the garage.

When I was renting a house my roomate was using the dishwasher in the kitchen to clean up trim pieces of his chevelle. Ran it with the rest of the dishes. Came out pretty good. Good for lighter stuff. Tried it with heavy stuff and not too great. Did another that had some gravel in it, that took forever to get out of the dishwasher.

Never added one to the garage, didn't think it was really worth it for anything more then headlight trim rings and the like.

 

[Dave]

I use Stoddard Solvent. It's also called white mineral spirits. I get it in bulk from a local oil distributer. It's about $5 a gallon. It lasts a long time if you keep your parts washer covered. I recycle the dirty solvent so there isn't much of a waste stream. Probably less than dumping the contaminated "enviro friendly" stuff. Use rubber gloves as it really dries out your skin.

 

[fatboy]

I have a small tabletop cleaner and run kerosene in it. Empty it into a gas can when not in use and I wipe it out good with paper towel. for big stuff like a chassis I go the power wash route and for stuff that is too big for my parts washer but not big enough to pull out the power washer I use brake clean with a nylon bristle brush and rags.

 

[crews44]

MEK, methyl ethyl ketone; works well to but pretty hazardous. Soak parts overnight in 5 gallon pail with a lids and it will do wonders on stuff. Keep and re-use it as many times as you can till it get to black.

 

[TOFIC]

if you want a soaking type cleaner, get a large pail of old ATF. I got mine from a tranny shop for nothing. greasy part into pail in the evening, next day clean as a whistle.
TOFIC

 

[Scott C.]

I think that the Ozzie Juice has to be heated to work properly? I use good old mineral spirits. That is what has been used in shops for a long time. You can pick it up at farm stores in 5 gallon buckets.

 

[sicaz66]

Diesel fuel,cheap and works great in my table top parts cleaner.;D

 

[SpareParts]

Use a quart of ATF in with the mineral spirits/paint thinner, it will do wonders with keeping your hands from drying out. As stated before, it is a cleaning agent too.

 

[bec]

im with siaz66 thats what i use in my parts cleaner and on the ship i work on let the parts sit over night for the old dried up caked on stuff it will come right off