Parts cleaning fluid

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340 Dart

340 Dart

I don't know ****.
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What do you guys use in your parts cleaners?
My fluid if getting pretty dirty and I need to change it.

We used diesel in my HS auto mechanics class but that was in the 80's.
 
I use to get solvent at MFA bulk but went back this spring and they no longer handle it. I went to Orielly Auto and they brought out a 5 gal can of expensive stuff and after reading on the can the main ingredient was mineral spirits. Went to the lumber yard and got the mineral spirits about half price. You can spike it with laquer thinner and that will really cut the crap. Wear your gloves in the tank.
 
Your local bulk petroleum dealer should have "Stoddard Solvent" which does a pretty decent job (mostly mineral spirits).
 
I tried diesel in mine because I too thought that was what we had in H.S. shop. maybe diesel's not the same as it was back then but it was kinda like John Wayne Toilet paper it didn't take anything off. I called an old HS buddy and he remembered Varasol (sp.?)
 
We've always used Varsol in ours. Safe-t-Kleen and Zep like to come around the shop trying to sell us a contract on their services, and that's one of them.
-Jon
 
Mineral spirits comonly known as Varsol is petroleum based, therefore leaving the oily residue as stated above. Another alternative would be naphtha.

You can try to filter the dirty solvent through a few coffee filters into a diferent pail to remove some of the grit, then clean the sludge from the bottom of your main tank.
 
I think I will give the laquer thinner and mineral spirits mix a try.

Thanks for the ideas.
 
When I had my shop I leased a Safe-T-Clean parts washer from them. I don't know what the composition of their cleaning fluid is but it was first rate. Best part is they periodically came and swapped out the fluid.
 
You'll notice two things with lacquer thinner: It will eat anything made of plastic. And it will evaporate off quickly leaving stinky contaminated mineral spirits behind. Oh yeah don't forget that it is EXTREMELY FLAMMABLE!!!

Typically if I need something absolutely oil free I wipe it down with denatured alcohol after removing from the tank and then blow it off with an air hose. Brake cleaner works well for a final rinse too, but it gets expensive.

I do use lacquer thinner a lot for soaking bolts and such, but I keep it in a 1 gallon paint can with a dipper basket from a can of carb cleaner. I also use it outside the shop due to my fire-based heating system.

My best advice is to treat such flammable solvents with respect.
 
Castrol makes some good stuff in 5 gal buckets that the bucket can also be used for the cleaning. :cheers:
 
I use mineral sprits in mine. When I'm done cleaning that way.
I spray the part with brake clean to rinse off all the solvent.
The brake clean will dry by it's self. Nothing left on the part.
Works for me. You can most times spray paint in right away.
 
Ok, it sounds like the mineral spirits and brake clean would probably work best for me.

Thanks alot fellas!!
 
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