Acid Washes and Chemical Baths for Internals

[Deckdout2]

This information is hard press to find in the Detailing Section, but I've almost got the longblock completely torn down. I have to remove the heads, crank, rods and pistons and I'm done.

At anyrate, when I send the block and heads off to the machine shop, I'm going to have them dip it in a chemical bath or do an acid wash to clean it completely. However, I have alot of misc items as in Timing Chain cover, valveguides, chain, valve buckets, and misc nuts and bolts that I need to get the oil residue off of and cleaned completely.

Question is, what is the best thing to use for these internal motor components that I'm planning on cleaning myself at home?

I was suggest that purple power would work well and just leave the parts bathe in them for a few day. I was going to go the old fashion route and get a couple cases of CRC Brake Cleaner and start hosing away.

What have you guys found that has been a time and money saver and does a great job in this department?

Thanks!

-Paramy

[nismology]

Found this with a quick google search : http://www.magic555.com/product.sc?p...0&categoryId=2

Aqueous parts cleaner with rust inhibitors. You can heat it up for extra effectiveness.




You don't want to mess with anything petroleum-based or caustic if you don't ABSOLUTELY have to. They're just not very fun to work with. An aqueous cleaner should be just fine.

[Deckdout2]

Originally Posted by nismology

Found this with a quick google search : http://www.magic555.com/product.sc?p...0&categoryId=2

Aqueous parts cleaner with rust inhibitors. You can heat it up for extra effectiveness.




You don't want to mess with anything petroleum-based or caustic if you don't ABSOLUTELY have to. They're just not very fun to work with. An aqueous cleaner should be just fine.

Good info right there! Thanks once again, bro!

[1993-VG30E-GXE]

Go to Home Depot and buy the huge jug of Varsol (Stoddard Solvent). Use an engine cleaning gun if you have access to one, and a blow gun. Then after the initial cleaning with the Varsol, use Laquer Thinner (I wouldn't put the laquer thinner in the engine cleaning gun - it ruined one of mine) in a spray bottle then blow gun it dry, the laquer thinner takes most remaining residue off. Doing these 2 steps you won't have to do any soaking, and beleive me it's major messy work so you want to move as quickly as possible because even at that rate it will take forever. I would also do the same steps on the parts before you take it to the machine shop, and also after when you get it back, in case there was debris in the caustic tank. Use Dollar store cleaning brushes for kitchens as well as I bought a variety of steel & stainless steel wire brushes.

Watch your overhead with those other costly cleaners, you'll use this stuff up REALLY fast if your cleaning alot of parts. I've already gone through 40 L of varsol. Also the Loctite Pro Varnish Remover in spray can around 5 bucks is good, but it will get costly - better to buy the big container of Laquer Thinner in my opinion.

Many times the worst chemicals for our environment are the best cleaners.

[1993-VG30E-GXE]

By the way, if I were you I would confirm that the shop actually has a caustic hot tank. Many shops don't mention it, but they use jet sprayers instead...but this won't do as good a job as the caustic, and you are paying big bucks to get this done so better to confirm ahead of time.

[nismology]

Varsol is overkill for the parts he wants to clean, IMO. If you're working in a shop-like environment it's great. But for home cleaning I'm not so sure I'd want to work with that stuff. At least I wouldn't.


Good info nonetheless!

[MDeezy]

good information here for the future... subscribed...