[LinuxMan]

This will sound silly but what do you all use for cleaning parts?

I don't have a very large area for working on my vehicles. I have 1/2 of a 2 car garage and a little space on the side of the house. I normally use a big plastic bucket and carb cleaner or engine degreaser. I alway wind up with a big mess. The mess in the garage is bad enough but the mess sometimes follows into the house. That make the wife grumpy She's also not too keen on the smell of the solvents I have been using.

How you clean parts and still keep a clean shop/house? What kind of solvents do you use? (don't have enough brain cells left to keep using gas) How do you dispose of the dirty solvent? It would be cool to have a parts cleaning tank but what about the smell and fire hazzard?

Any ideas?

 

[K.C.]

If you get a parts cleaning tank with a lid, it'll keep the smell down just fine for the garage. If you use the correct solvent, it's not what you would call extremely flammable. The supply store that sells you the tank should be able to supply the correct solvent. If you scrape most of the crud off before you put the parts in the tank, the solvent will last a reasonable length of time. The old solvent can be dropped off for recycling. Most cities/towns have a location that will take it. Failing that, ask a local garage where you can drop it off. For some parts, I’ve used paint stripper, rinsed it off well and then ran it through the dishwasher when the bride is out. This works well for smaller motorcycle parts, I wouldn't try running any diff carriers through there, but hey, nothing like a test of true love!

 

[oldmanram]

I agree with KC. I mostly use a dish pan with the kind of solvent you get at the auto parts house. Solvent tanks are really cool if you got the money, the ones that pump the solvent through the brush and have filters and all, almost make parts cleaning fun ! A lot of them even have fuseable links that let the lid spring close, in case it did catch fire.

 

[s ǝoɾ]

kerosene is less vaporous and still cleans good. carb cleaner does great. so does most any paint thinner laquer thinner ect. but they may stink too much.

what are you trying to clean? somethings can be cleaned down at the car wash. some clean with water and a simple degreaser.

 

[harvester]

i use cheap paint thinner .$2 a gallon
and a large plastic tool box with a lid and a latch .
i dont worry about disposal .. just keep using till it all evaporates .
i store the thinner back in the bottle it came in when im finished whith the dirty cleaner .and use on the next project

 

[s ǝoɾ]

another tip is to mechanically remove as much as possible with a grinder scraper scub pad or other appropriate material.

 

[Hybrid]

you think the wifes mad now? wait till she finds the cylinder heads you put in the dishwasher...

 

[Murdoch]

you think the wifes mad now? wait till she finds the cylinder heads you put in the dishwasher...

hey, i've cleaned parts in the dishwasher before, i just never told my mom.....
shawn

 

[AZ-Trailduster]

i use Castrol Super Clean and a wire bbq brush (with scraper..)

or....snap on's crud thug!

 

[MudFlap]

I use a lot of brake parts cleaner. Cleans damn good, evaporates instantly, and leaves gasket surfaces oil and grease free. Plus usually there is enough aerosol pressure to blast off most of the shit that's built up. When I get thru working, I spray it on my paws to clean 'em, then finish up with good ole soap & water.

 

[LinuxMan]

you think the wifes mad now? wait till she finds the cylinder heads you put in the dishwasher...

Back when the wife was the live-in girlfriend she was distressed to find harley engine parts in the dishwasher. I guess she should have known what she was in for right then and there.

 

[phoenix827]

I like brake cleaner too, but it STINKS!! My wife has a set of cloths I wore last week, they STILL reek! Brake cleaner and diff oil makes a stinky mess! lol
IIRC, you can get into a parts washer for about $100, then add the flo-thru brush and solvent and you should be good to go.

 

[AZ-Trailduster]

you wear your wife's clothes to work on your rig? j/k

 

[K.C.]

Back when the wife was the live-in girlfriend she was distressed to find harley engine parts in the dishwasher. I guess she should have known what she was in for right then and there.

Not only does the dishwasher work great...... When I was 16, I used to sneak down the hallway when my mother was sleeping....... turn on the oven and use it to heat up motorcycle crankcases so I could slide in new main bearings. Nothing like a casserole that smells like Castrol R40

 

[Streak-O-Lean]

Just like some of the others said, a parts washer is the way to go. They don't take up much space. I purchased a parts washer from Harbor Freight Tools. It has an electric pump that recycles the cleaning solution... It also has a drain so you can dispose of your chemicals properly. There are a lot of eco-friendly cleaners out there. Some work really well and others not so great. The brands and availability seems to be regional. Do an internet search and I am sure you can find something. Our local landfill has a household chemical area. I would also invest in a couple of sets of coveralls and some gloves. They will keep the mess down a lot. I buy used coveralls from an auto parts store. They sell off the coveralls from the shop they own. Also use only a certain pair of shoes/boots when you work on your vehicle, and take them off before you go inside. I learned my lesson after my wife had my cleaning greasy boot prints off of the carpet. Here are a couple of links for parts washers that harbor freight sells. There are many other brands that do the same thing. A friend even made his own out of an old sink and some kind of pump he found at the flea market. I hope this helps.
Streak-O-Lean
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=42323

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=7340

 

[s ǝoɾ]

and another thing...............watch out for the curbs a couple days before garbage day. you can score a good working dishwasher or oven for free!

 

[phoenix827]

Hell, you can score ANYTHING!!! got my wife a working laptop! lol

 

[s ǝoɾ]

Hell, you can score ANYTHING!!! got my wife a working laptop! lol

if you re really lucky you might even score a free lunch

 

[dodgecharger]

I use diesel fuel in my parts cleaner it cleans pretty well but it does stink a bit. To get rid of it i just take it to a shop that uses waste oil as a heating fuel. They like the diesel it thins down the waste oil they're burning.