Good degreaser?

I have an oily surface I'd like to degrease.
Does anyone have a preferred degreaser, preferable from something like
Trac Auto? - Mike

Sorry - sheet metal - Mike

"Jean-Paul Roy" wrote:

What kind of surface is it? aluminum, fabric, wood???????
"Michael Horowitz" a écrit dans le message news:
...

I have an oily surface I'd like to degrease.
Does anyone have a preferred degreaser, preferable from something like
Trac Auto? - Mike

Simple Green works wonders for me.

In article ,
(Harry Burns) wrote:

Simple Green works wonders for me.

Not a good idea! Simple Green leaves corrosive residuals on aluminum.

For simple degreasing, I use mineral spirits (sold as "paint thinner" at
Home Depot, etc.) or lacquer thinner or MEK or acetone.

I also use "Carbon X," which is noncorrosive, on painted surfaces.

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Just make sure you NEVER use an alkaline cleaner on internal engine
surfaces. The residue reacts with oil to make, in effect, soap. The
resulting frothy foam will destroy the engine in no time at all.
After all, soap is made from lye and fat (alkali plus oil).

Larry Smith wrote:

"Harry Burns" wrote in message
...

Simple Green works wonders for me.


Thanks, Harry.

I like the proprietary degreasers like purple stuff and whatever else is
sold as such. Dawn is good too, along with pressure and heat. We recently
rebuilt an engine for our arcadian air museum here in WNC. I took the
greasy glopped-up crankcase to the local Ford dealer where the garage
manager generously let us stick it in their clam. It is a huge
clamshell-like device like a dishwasher which cycles through several periods
of washing and rinsing. The case came out sparkling. The manager said
the secret was soap and water under pressure and 200 degrees F.

And finally I share with you a secret. Best in-the-field degreaser I have
found yet -- but you need to use a brush with it and mix it with hot
water --is Citra-Solv, an extract of orange peel and other citrus products.
Matter of fact the local tech school uses a similar citrus extract in its
engine parts cleaners. Not quite as effective as Stoddard solvent or
Varsol but passable, non-toxic, and water-soluble.

I try to stay away from anything too alkaline when cleaning or degreasing
aluminum, although I have seen people use that new Clorox with lye in it.

Sometimes you need a chemical like methylene chloride, one of the
ingredients in carburetor cleaner and paint remover, to get off varnish on
engine parts. That's some nasty toxic stuff but it will do the job. Use
special chemical-resistant gloves that reach up to your elbows, and don't
get it on your skin or breath the fumes.

Keep asking questions, Michael. Maybe you'll bring out a better crowd in
RAH. I wonder how many of the people who post here are genuine
homebuilders or restorers.

Back in the day, rebuilding the VW engine, I decided to use Moms 'Shout'
brand laundry pretreat to clean up the nasty case. Worked like a charm,
and I wasn't afraid when the gas furnace came on. Unlike when my brother
used gasoline for the same task. But, then again I'd never seen a fire
truck up close before.

Jerry

rip wrote:
Just make sure you NEVER use an alkaline cleaner on internal engine
surfaces. The residue reacts with oil to make, in effect, soap. The
resulting frothy foam will destroy the engine in no time at all.
After all, soap is made from lye and fat (alkali plus oil).

Larry Smith wrote:

"Harry Burns" wrote in message
...

Simple Green works wonders for me.



Thanks, Harry.

I like the proprietary degreasers like purple stuff and whatever else is
sold as such. Dawn is good too, along with pressure and heat. We
recently
rebuilt an engine for our arcadian air museum here in WNC. I took the
greasy glopped-up crankcase to the local Ford dealer where the garage
manager generously let us stick it in their clam. It is a huge
clamshell-like device like a dishwasher which cycles through several
periods
of washing and rinsing. The case came out sparkling. The manager said
the secret was soap and water under pressure and 200 degrees F.

And finally I share with you a secret. Best in-the-field degreaser I
have
found yet -- but you need to use a brush with it and mix it with hot
water --is Citra-Solv, an extract of orange peel and other citrus
products.
Matter of fact the local tech school uses a similar citrus extract in its
engine parts cleaners. Not quite as effective as Stoddard solvent or
Varsol but passable, non-toxic, and water-soluble.

I try to stay away from anything too alkaline when cleaning or degreasing
aluminum, although I have seen people use that new Clorox with lye in it.

Sometimes you need a chemical like methylene chloride, one of the
ingredients in carburetor cleaner and paint remover, to get off
varnish on
engine parts. That's some nasty toxic stuff but it will do the
job. Use
special chemical-resistant gloves that reach up to your elbows, and don't
get it on your skin or breath the fumes.

Keep asking questions, Michael. Maybe you'll bring out a better
crowd in
RAH. I wonder how many of the people who post here are genuine
homebuilders or restorers.

"Corrie" wrote in message om...
Question - what is the difference between Stoddard and mineral
spirits? They smell an awful lot alike. Come to think of it, so does
charcoal-lighter fluid. I think I've seen Stoddard used to to
jump-start a grill behind the hangar once or twice.

According to my docs, stoddard is described as being "similar" to mineral
spirits. My other source says charcoal starter is a micture of kerosene
and mineral spirits. Mineral spirits have more volatiles in it than straight
kerosene.

In article ,
Ron Natalie wrote:

"Corrie" wrote in message
. com...
Question - what is the difference between Stoddard and mineral
spirits? They smell an awful lot alike. Come to think of it, so does
charcoal-lighter fluid. I think I've seen Stoddard used to to
jump-start a grill behind the hangar once or twice.

According to my docs, stoddard is described as being "similar" to mineral
spirits. My other source says charcoal starter is a micture of kerosene
and mineral spirits. Mineral spirits have more volatiles in it than straight
kerosene.




They're all 'light petroleum distallates'. the difference is in "how much
of what" is in the composite.

Laquer thinner rips off grease and oil faster than anything else. And
catches fire just about as fast as gasoline. And gets under your skin
and causes
b-b-b-brain duh-damage...

Dan

Jim

115-145 octane (purple color) used in WWII aircraft would burn you
also. I've had a fuel tank, after sitting in hot sun, gush out when
opened to check fuel level and I had to go in and shower and put on a
new flight suit to prevent burns and blisters on my chest and arms.

The 115-145 also worked in Zippo lighters. When I pre-flighted and
checked tanks for water I held Zippo in stream. When just filled
would flame up 3-4 inches even in strong wind. G

I've also had one filled fresh, leak at altitude (no cockpit
pressurization in P-51) and burn by ankle/leg.

Don't think they make that stuff any more even on special order?

Big John

On Tue, 15 Jul 2003 20:01:32 -0400, "Morgans"
jisumorgan@charterdotjunkdotnet wrote:


"Dan Thomas" wrote in message
om...
Laquer thinner rips off grease and oil faster than anything else. And
catches fire just about as fast as gasoline. And gets under your skin
and causes
b-b-b-brain duh-damage...

Dan

One time, I was visiting a small furniture factory, and the guy I went to
talk to came out of the plant and into the break room. I didn't notice that
he had a lacquer thinner soaked rag with him, and that he tossed it down on
the picnic bench.

You can see what is coming. I sat on it, unknowingly, and didn't realize it
until it had soaked through a relatively large area, and had wetted my thigh
down in the process.

I danced around, and tried to get the jeans away from my leg, but the damage
was done. I ended up having to go in the restroom and washing out the area
with soap and water, and my leg also.

Moral of the story: Don't get lacquer thinner on sensitive areas of your
body. It really burns! :-(