Best Solvent / Degreaser?

[CarlOrton]

Hi, All;

I've recently obtained an engine to be overhauled for installation into my next airplane project.

What have you found to be the best cleaner to remove decades of 1/8" thick dirt/grime/baked-on oil? Aluminum case, so I'm concerned about using regular Simple Green. But then again, would it be OK on the relative thickness of an engine case? I know it can corrode aluminum skins so it shouldn't be used there, but for an engine?

Or is there something better? I was planning on taking it to the quarter car wash to use the hi-pressure washer once I found a decent solvent.

Unfortunately, I don't have a Safety-Kleen parts washer.....

[Mike Switzer]

Do you know anyone that has a high temp (heated water) pressure washer? One of my friends has one with a diesel powered pump that has a diesel burner that can heat the water up so high it will take paint off an engine block. We dont use any kind of detergent, it just melts the grease right off.

[falcon21]

There is an aircraft simple green. I don't know the specifics off the top of my head but I have used it to wipe down my plane.

[CarlOrton]

Yes, Falcon21; I have several bottles of it specifically for the light touch-ups I'd do. Wanted something a bit / lot stronger. I've got some nasty baked-on stuff to remove. I'm not against sitting there with repeated cycles of apply, scrub, rinse, apply, scrub, rinse, etc., but - hey - if I can find something that reduces that to two or three cycles, I'd have more time for the real mechanical tasks.

[vaflier]

Use an engine cleaning gun that siphons cleaner up. Use mineral spirits for a cleaner. Cleans well evaporates quickly, and will not harm the engine. Use low pressure to wet it down, wait a couple of minutes and use higher pressure to clean it. Works very well. Do not use regular Simple Green, even on something as thick as an engine. It will start corrosion. You can buy the gun at harbor freight for about 12 dollars.

[gbrasch]

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.

[CarlOrton]

Use an engine cleaning gun that siphons cleaner up. Use mineral spirits for a cleaner. Cleans well evaporates quickly, and will not harm the engine. Use low pressure to wet it down, wait a couple of minutes and use higher pressure to clean it. Works very well. Do not use regular Simple Green, even on something as thick as an engine. It will start corrosion. You can buy the gun at harbor freight for about 12 dollars.
Yeah, I've pretty much decided to go with straight mineral spirits. Thanks also for the reminder about the siphon gun. Used one 40 years ago just for that purpose!

[falcon21]

You guys keep saying "regular" simple green, you know there is one specifically formulated for aircraft use, right? It's safe on aluminum. http://industrial.simplegreen.com/ind_products_extreme.php Sorry Carl if that is indeed what you are referring to.

I agree though, mineral spirits will be the best way. Good luck and have fun with your project!

[Blue Chips]

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.

Ken

[CarlOrton]

You guys keep saying "regular" simple green, you know there is one specifically formulated for aircraft use, right? It's safe on aluminum. http://industrial.simplegreen.com/ind_products_extreme.php Sorry Carl if that is indeed what you are referring to.

I agree though, mineral spirits will be the best way. Good luck and have fun with your project!
Falcon21, I've always felt that "green" Simple Green was a bit more aggressive than the aviation Simple Green. I have several bottles of the aviation formula, and have used it on my other planes. While great for light-duty apps, I felt it was never as strong as the "green." Never did any lab-quality studies; just subjective opinion.

[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/products/environmental-solutions/industrial-cleaning-degreasing/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.