Best Solvent / Degreaser?

[CarlOrton]

Another option,
If there is a engine rebuilder in the area they almost always have engine block cleaning abilities, a big heated tank where the entire block is immersed in industrial strength block cleaner. Would save a ton of time and clean internal passage ways as well.

I thought about that option, Blue Chips. Since it's an aluminum block, I just didn't know if their caustic solutions would do any harm to the machined surfaces, like where the rocker cover or oil pan would mate.

Anyone have better info on what they use? I guess they have aluminum-safe solutions nowadays since there's such a proliferation of non-ferrous blocks out there...

[Sirota]

I have had pretty good luck with Carbon-X on my belly, well really my plane's belly, but then again the build up hasn't been excessive.

I've seen Glenn's belly - it needs more than Carbon-X …. And his airplane is beautiful (and clean) too!

[Mike Switzer]

I thought about that option, Blue Chips. Since it's an aluminum block, I just didn't know if their caustic solutions would do any harm to the machined surfaces, like where the rocker cover or oil pan would mate.

Anyone have better info on what they use? I guess they have aluminum-safe solutions nowadays since there's such a proliferation of non-ferrous blocks out there...

Ask first - I know of a couple cases here when someone put aluminum heads in the block cleaner & ruined them, but that was ~25 years ago. I would think with the number of aluminum blocks & heads out there now they would have aluminum safe solvents, but who knows.

[Blue Chips]

Yes, aluminum blocks and engine parts are so common any longer one can be sure they will have something suitable for aluminum.

[raytoews]

I washed a shinny motorcycle engine with Simple Green once upon a time. Took the shinny right off, turned the engine black. Stripped the alclad right off. Keep it the hell out of my hanger!!

Ray Toews
Fort Vermilion AB

[Kurt Flunkn]

Try naphtha and an air powered solvent gun. You can get naphtha at any hardware store in the paint section. It smells like really strong moth balls and does a great job of removing gunk.

[raytoews]

The naptha I am familiar with is what we use in camp stoves and lanterns. EXTREMELY FLAMMABLE. If you want to build an FAE,,, spray it out of a solvent gun. Make a heck of a bang!

Ray Toews
Fort Vermilion AB

[Sirota]

I found a Bio Circle product that I like alot. It's not inexpensive and needs to be heated, but it's safe (water based) and is designed specifically for aluminum. I built a small washer out of a plastic drum but since found a commercial unit at the local government surplus auction. It's really too big and I'm going back to my home made washer but I'm sticking with UNO S PF.

http://www.biocircle.com/en_CA/produ...asing/uno-s-pf

[FlyingRon]

I cleaned off many years of gunk from the underside of a fire engine with an industrial steam cleaner. Also removed some of the paint. Wear hearing protection. That sucker is loud.