Parts Washer Recommendations?

Disclaimer: Links on this page pointing to Amazon, eBay and other sites may include affiliate code. If you click them and make a purchase, we may earn a small commission.

HEMIMANN

Senior Member
Supporting Member
Military
Joined
Dec 7, 2020
Posts
6,795
Reaction score
17,079
Location
Minneapolis, MN
Ram Year
2017 2500 Laramie Crew Cab
Engine
6.4L HEMI
I'm tired of wiping down truck parts with various solvents prior to re-installing. My sons like to use spray brake cleaner onto oil absorbent. For old guys like me, that's pretty messy for periodic routine maintenance (oil pans, gearcase covers, fasteners, etc.). 40-50 years ago, school shop garages and work areas had a cleaning tank with shelf and brush to soak and scrub parts.

In those days, petroleum solvents were used, since they dissolved the petroleum-based gunk on vehicle drivetrain parts. Simple, done.

Now we have EPA regulations, reformulations, and claims they all are either terrific or terrible. Well sorry, something can't be both terrific and terrible at the same time. I hate the internet now - nothing but a waste of time.

What do members use for automotive cleaner and degreaser for home shops?
 

GTyankee

Senior Member
Supporting Member
Military
Joined
Nov 2, 2020
Posts
10,059
Reaction score
12,600
Location
El Cajon Calif. 92021
Ram Year
2016
Engine
3.0 ecodiesel
I have always like ZEP products
I discovered the their Chain Lube when PJ1 chain lube started to get harder to find.
Who used to milk the whale sp*rm out of them, does anyone know ?
 

18CrewDually

Senior Member
Joined
Nov 17, 2019
Posts
2,012
Reaction score
2,583
Location
U.S.- New Jersey
Ram Year
2018
Engine
Cummins 6.7 H.O.
I have a parts washer bin that I just drained. Next step is the scrapyard.
For years now I catch Brake Cleaner sales at Napa and buy it by the case.
For some jobs I still rely on good old Purple Power. I buy that by the 2.5 gallon container and refill a spray bottle. I don't reduce it, its straight or nothing!
If you want to see a customers face light up (if they care) hit the engine bay with some Purple Power and rinse before it dries. Then allow to dry and spray the engine bay area lightly with either HD silicone spray or a foaming tire shine. Wait 15 minutes and give a light wipe. It will look brand new and usually stays looking good for a long time.
 

CanRebel

Senior Member
Supporting Member
Joined
Jul 5, 2021
Posts
770
Reaction score
738
Location
Toronto
Ram Year
2021
Engine
Hemi
Depends on size of part(s). But have few different sized Ultrasonic cleaners with timers and heaters.
Have 2L, 15L, and 30L.
Normally add mean green, simply green.
Sometimes use varsol, or acetone, but heating those two isn't wise, but putting in ultrasonic cleaner without heating it, works.
Good dish soap works well, but better when it's heated, almost boiling.
 
OP
OP
HEMIMANN

HEMIMANN

Senior Member
Supporting Member
Military
Joined
Dec 7, 2020
Posts
6,795
Reaction score
17,079
Location
Minneapolis, MN
Ram Year
2017 2500 Laramie Crew Cab
Engine
6.4L HEMI
Yeah, I see heated non-petro soaps with spray and brush are the rage these days. I reflect back 50 years back using a professional solvent tank at school and work. Maybe time passed me by and it's not done this way anymore? Most everything I read is aqueous doesn't work at all unless it's heated and sprayed / brushed.

So I was just thinking of using a milder solvent like Blaster or Aquatene (both mild Mineral Spirits). Or just give up and buy a case of brake clean spray and spew it all over the place?
 

Dodge trucker

Senior Member
Joined
Dec 29, 2021
Posts
302
Reaction score
172
Location
Kankakee il
Ram Year
1985
Engine
225
Got a bit of everything. An old retired safety kleen tank with mineral spirits, a case of brake cleaner an ultrasonic cleaner, (I'm on #3 of those, #2 was junk out of the box, I plum wore out #1) power washer with which I usually use BH38 butyl based degreaser, (I really miss my diesel fired steam cleaner that I had stolen out of winter storage) and a stainless steel air powered spinning cleaner also filled with mineral spirits (hey that one came to me for free) though I seem to use that one the least for some reason. And a bucket of B12 chemtool carb dip. Use em all at some point, each have their uses, sometimes I use more than 1 type of cleaning depends on what it is.
I used to go to alot of auctions when they were plentiful around here. I miss the old farmer retirement, and old school tool auctions.
 
OP
OP
HEMIMANN

HEMIMANN

Senior Member
Supporting Member
Military
Joined
Dec 7, 2020
Posts
6,795
Reaction score
17,079
Location
Minneapolis, MN
Ram Year
2017 2500 Laramie Crew Cab
Engine
6.4L HEMI
Got a bit of everything. An old retired safety kleen tank with mineral spirits, a case of brake cleaner an ultrasonic cleaner, (I'm on #3 of those, #2 was junk out of the box, I plum wore out #1) power washer with which I usually use BH38 butyl based degreaser, (I really miss my diesel fired steam cleaner that I had stolen out of winter storage) and a stainless steel air powered spinning cleaner also filled with mineral spirits (hey that one came to me for free) though I seem to use that one the least for some reason. And a bucket of B12 chemtool carb dip. Use em all at some point, each have their uses, sometimes I use more than 1 type of cleaning depends on what it is.
I used to go to alot of auctions when they were plentiful around here. I miss the old farmer retirement, and old school tool auctions.

So, I can come over to your place, then?

I read chemtool carb dip changed recipes and doesn't work good anymore. I still got a 1 gal. can for small parts like B&S carbs, but I was looking for bigger sump for auto parts - but not engine blocks. I'm thinking of going with a Graymills HK 150 with 5 gal. sump. About the right size for me. Their mineral spirits have high flash point now for safety, slightly less solvency. I guess that's a good idea so as not to blow oneself up.
 

GTyankee

Senior Member
Supporting Member
Military
Joined
Nov 2, 2020
Posts
10,059
Reaction score
12,600
Location
El Cajon Calif. 92021
Ram Year
2016
Engine
3.0 ecodiesel
Transmission & engine rebuilders still use Steam Cabinets
Radiator Shops use chemicals & steam
 

Mister Luck

cassis tutissima virtus
Joined
Aug 25, 2020
Posts
1,542
Reaction score
516
Location
WEST COAST
Ram Year
2016/2017
Engine
5.7 V8
What metals ? cast iron ? aluminum ?
old school parts washers used a solution of sodium hydroxide (lye) but you wouldn’t put aluminum through them

Some part stores still sell small buckets of carb dip with a strainer and or you use to be able to pick up aerosol cans of carb cleaner at the .99 cent store

Tide detergent and hot water or any degreaser but stuff like Simple green does a number on some plastics
transmission oil or deep creep foaming cleaner , goop-off but again not plastics friendly

Brake cleaner a portable steam cleaner , baking soda and vinegar , soaking for a few hours, “solvent alcohol” wipe down, agitators or vibrating abrasives containers like rock hounds or jewelers use for small pieces, nuts , bolts .
Or if money’s no object a Dry ice blaster.
 
OP
OP
HEMIMANN

HEMIMANN

Senior Member
Supporting Member
Military
Joined
Dec 7, 2020
Posts
6,795
Reaction score
17,079
Location
Minneapolis, MN
Ram Year
2017 2500 Laramie Crew Cab
Engine
6.4L HEMI
Transmission & engine rebuilders still use Steam Cabinets
Radiator Shops use chemicals & steam

Smaller shops? We didn't even have that in Auto Shop in High School, and it was a big shop. Nor at work. I be poor!
 
OP
OP
HEMIMANN

HEMIMANN

Senior Member
Supporting Member
Military
Joined
Dec 7, 2020
Posts
6,795
Reaction score
17,079
Location
Minneapolis, MN
Ram Year
2017 2500 Laramie Crew Cab
Engine
6.4L HEMI
What metals ? cast iron ? aluminum ?
old school parts washers used a solution of sodium hydroxide (lye) but you wouldn’t put aluminum through them

Some part stores still sell small buckets of carb dip with a strainer and or you use to be able to pick up aerosol cans of carb cleaner at the .99 cent store

Tide detergent and hot water or any degreaser but stuff like Simple green does a number on some plastics
transmission oil or deep creep foaming cleaner , goop-off but again not plastics friendly

Brake cleaner a portable steam cleaner , baking soda and vinegar , soaking for a few hours, “solvent alcohol” wipe down, agitators or vibrating abrasives containers like rock hounds or jewelers use for small pieces, nuts , bolts .
Or if money’s no object a Dry ice blaster.

Any metals, basically. I hadn't planned on solvent cleaning any plastic parts cause you never know what is safe and what the part is made of. I've used Isopropyl Alcohol with pretty good results for paint prep, but not for grease and dirt on old parts. They still let us have MEK for a while, but that stuff's so evaporative you can't use in a dip.

Carb Dip was weakened - new stuff is about the same as any other "odorless" (higher flash temp) mineral spirits now. I know because I looked at an old can of Chem Dip in the shop vs. what's sold today.

They're taking the chlorinated solvents out of brake cleaners also.
 

JTonietto

Junior Member
Joined
Dec 23, 2021
Posts
12
Reaction score
10
Location
48098
Ram Year
2018
Engine
5.7 Hemi
About 2 years ago, I bought a HF 20 gallon parts washer and used their aqueous cleaning solution. I was VERY impressed with how well that solution worked...for a couple of months.

I had to drain and replace the solution so often, I switched over to TSC parts washer solvent (Crown PSC-1000).

I removed the pump from the side of the washer tank, submerged it in a 5 gallon container of the TSC solvent and have been running the washer like that for almost a year now. The solvent continuously drains into the 5 gallon container, so there is minimal odor and zero solvent at the bottom of the washer tank.

The pump is submerged in the solvent container and it is sitting on a perch that keeps the pump inlet about 3 inches above the bottom of the container. A fine brass screen keeps any large particles from getting into the pump inlet. It works great. There are lots of youtube videos and posts on garagejournal about parts washer mods; I picked a few of those ideas and built what I thought would suit my needs.
 

GTyankee

Senior Member
Supporting Member
Military
Joined
Nov 2, 2020
Posts
10,059
Reaction score
12,600
Location
El Cajon Calif. 92021
Ram Year
2016
Engine
3.0 ecodiesel
full service gas stations back in the '60s use to get parts cleaner stations on the cheap side.
One of those stations went out of business & sold almost all of the equipment, fan belts, etc.
In that stuff was a parts washer with some brand of windshield wipers
The wiper company must have specially ordered several of these as advertisement gimmick, the pump was bad & you could buy a electric fuel pump for next to nothing.
I kept that parts cleaning tool for several years, but i had to downsize larger pieces of equipment, because i lost the 2nd garage that i had been using.
I am about to downsize again, mostly large Ram parts
 

GTyankee

Senior Member
Supporting Member
Military
Joined
Nov 2, 2020
Posts
10,059
Reaction score
12,600
Location
El Cajon Calif. 92021
Ram Year
2016
Engine
3.0 ecodiesel
LOL
Foot bath or parts cleaner

 

18CrewDually

Senior Member
Joined
Nov 17, 2019
Posts
2,012
Reaction score
2,583
Location
U.S.- New Jersey
Ram Year
2018
Engine
Cummins 6.7 H.O.
LOL
Foot bath or parts cleaner


Great. Wife just saw that and is asking if that sander could work on the side of our bath tub.
 

GTyankee

Senior Member
Supporting Member
Military
Joined
Nov 2, 2020
Posts
10,059
Reaction score
12,600
Location
El Cajon Calif. 92021
Ram Year
2016
Engine
3.0 ecodiesel
That might be like sitting on a idling Harley Shovelhead w/ rigid frame
 
Top