cappaj1

My Feedback: (1)

I just purchased a used QQ Yak which included a used OS Max 1.60 that is in fairly good condition but it needs bearings so I'm going to attempt putting them in. It also has a muffler that is in pretty sorry condition on the outside.

I heard from a guy in our club that soaking an engine and parts in antifreeze in a heated crockpot will clean parts like new. Has anyone had experience doing this? I'm going to go out and get a cheapy used crock somewhere and try it.

What temperature and how long do you soak for generally?

Is there a better method? I've heard dawn power disolve works wonders too.

Thanks.

HighPlains

My Feedback: (1)

Been doing it for about a decade now. 50-50 mix of the green antifreeze on the low setting for a day. Remove parts and rinse in cold water. Disassemble engine for best results.

RCKen

My Feedback: (9)

And make sure that the crockpot is used ONLY for this purpose from now on. You cannot cook food in the crockpot anymore as it poison your food. It's best to get a crockpot and use it specifically for this purpose

Ken

Campgems

A couple of our guys use a can of Carberator cleaner. If I remember from my day rebuilding an old vet. that stuff requires a hazmat suit to use.

On the crock pot, best outside, but at a minimum the garage. Any antifreeze spills, clean it up with soap and water, twice, because you dog or cat will be attracted to in and as Ken said, it is poison and will kill your pet. When you have decided that you nolonger need the crock pot, bust it up with a hammer to keep someone else from using it.

Oh yes, on the used pots, they can give off some strange odors for a while. Ipicked up a used pot at the Good Will store for a big silver braclet I was doing. My store smelled like baked beans for several days after.

Don

aerofly0610

Try biodegradable degreaser instead of antifreeze, I use something comparable to simple green industrial cleaner (Jungle Jake works best if you have it in your area). You can find something similar at a local hardware or automotive center in the automotive chemicals/car wash section. Ive had good results with light-medium varnish and carbon build up. Heavier im not sure, but it doesn't hurt to try it. Can always go to antifreeze afterwords. Plus the simple green does wonders on other stains on concrete to jeans!

MetallicaJunkie

oven cleaner works for minor stuff just dont let it sit for long(will discolor metal)

bkdavy

My Feedback: (1)

I've used the anti-freeze method on several occassons. I just use it straight. remove any rubber parts and gaskets. Set it up out side and let it cook overnight on low. Put the lid on and put something on top to keep animals out of it. Next day, just brush any remaining gunk off with a tooth brush. Rinse it with water, then dry thoroughly. After the Antifreeze cools, just pour it back into the original jug and save it for your next use. You won't need to dispose of it for years.

Brad

psuguru

If you're going to be investing in equipment how about a small-parts washer?
Clarke do fairly cheap ones (from Machine-Mart in the UK) and you can use it for your car parts too.
I've tried the cooking method with blue anti-freeze. Useless! Definately use the green stuff.

cappaj1

My Feedback: (1)

Actually, I emailed that friend in the club who told me of this, and who has a crockpot dedicated for this purpose and asked if I could borrow his.

Thanks for the tip on the antifreeze although I thought it was all ethylene glycol regardless of the color. I have the green stuff though.

playntraffic

Use the low temp setting or your parts may turn out blackish. Mine turn out best with the Prestone original mix. It has to have the ethylene glycol in it. The eco-friendly stuff doesn't work.
Strip the rubber parts and the carb off. Let it soak on low heat for a long time. Few days to a week.

cappaj1

My Feedback: (1)

I got the engine disassembled and borrowed the crockpot from my friend. Here's a before picture (along with the new bearings); I'll post the after picture of all these parts tomorrow sometimes after 24 hours in the kettle

opjose

Hint:

Apply Dawn Power Dissolver ( available at your Grocery store ), wait a few minutes, brush with old toothbrush.

Rinse, re-apply Dawn, let it sit for about 12 minutes then rinse.

Much faster than the crock pot and very good on the stubborn stains.

cappaj1

My Feedback: (1)

Thanks, I'm familiar with that stuff but didn't know how it was used. If the crock doesn't work after 24 hours, I'll buy some and try it.

Gizmo-RCU

My Feedback: (27)

I have used the crock pot method on my own engines and those of many of our club members. It never fails to work well, high for about 12 hrs.rinse in warm water, blow out with air and let stand until dry. Assemble with ATV to prevent
dry parts from seizing or galling.

STAY AWAY FROM OVEN CLEANERS......................THEY MAKE ONE HELL OF A MESS. If you want a Black stained chunk of metal that looks worse than the stufft you are trying to remove than go for it!!!!!!! (NOT)

Campgems

When Iwas sailing some years back, the oven cleaner was the "poor mans anodizing" for mast. You sprayed it on, painted it on, etc and wrapped the mast in plastic warp for a few days. You ended up with a nice dark grey mast. Not the black ones like th big guys had, but not dull aluminum either. It wasn't very thich and scuffed of easly, unlike the real anodized mast. One of our guys tried the oven cleaner on a O.S 40 and like you said, dull dark grey. Didn't hurt anything other than the color though. I put a new set of bearings and a new cam and lifters in it and it was fine other than the looks.

Don

Stripes

My Feedback: (19)

Yes, Sierra Antifreeze and Prestone LowTox are propylene glycol and not much good for cleaning.

cappaj1

My Feedback: (1)

How much approximately does that Dawn Power Dissolver cost? My grocer doesn't carry it.

Campgems

The Dawn Power desolver cost about the same as any pump spray cleaner. $4 to $5if I remember correctly. I had to look around to find it, but when I did, i figure I had overlooked it at othere stores. It isn't in with the oven cleaners, but with the dish soaps if I remember correctly. The bottle looks like a blue windex bottle with the squeeze spray. Some hardware stores will have a household goods area that my carry it also.

It isn't the do all, end all cleaner though. It has a dificult time knocking off a really baked on coating of cator. It will dry out after being sprayed on the part if left to long. Frequent visits with a soft tooth brush are needed, as well as repeat applications. The instructions caution that it should go on a dry pan, so any water cleanup will have to include enough time to fully dry out, before the next application. With mufflers, this means the unless you plug the holes, you have to make sure the inside is dry also. The positive side is that it isn't toxic and will do a reasonable job. On a lightly stained engine it works well, it's just the run for five years and never cleaned ones that give it fits.

I've got a couple parts that need a cleaning and I'm going to try imercing the part in the Power cleaner in as small a jar as the part will fit in and then put this jar in my heated ultrasonic cleaner and see how that works. I'll post the results.

Don

cappaj1

My Feedback: (1)

Well, I just pulled the engine parts from the crockpot and wiped off the antifreeze with a paper towel and they look pretty good. I'm satisfied enough so I am not going to get the Dawn just yet. I now have the muffler, which was really bad, see my prior post above, in there and will see how that looks tomorrow. If it's still pretty bad after pulling it out tomorrow and scrubbing it with a scotch pad, I'll try the Dawn and post my results.

At least I can put the engine back together now

Stripes

My Feedback: (19)

Don't use a Scotch pad. They are an abrasive. Lots of automotive engines have been damaged by them.

cappaj1

My Feedback: (1)

LOL. Thanks for the concern, but on the outside of THIS muffler, I wouldn't care if I ended up using a Brillo pad, much less a fine Scotch pad. Shoot, I'll try scraping it off with a putty knife if neither one of those work!!

cappaj1

My Feedback: (1)

Well, I pulled the muffler out of the hot antifreeze after just a few hours in the crockpot, then scotch brited for about five minutes, and finally scraped some of the black deposits that wouldn't come off and scotch brited, rinsed and dried, and voila - pics before and after below!! Needless to say, I'm pleased.

road_rascal

I just cleaned up an old Thunder Tiger 42 using Jungle Jake (Simple Green equivalent). I poured the cleaner into an old plastic ice cream tub and let the parts soak for a few hours. I used an old toothbrush to knock the heavy stuff off. Works great.

Stripes

My Feedback: (19)

Your muffler looks really good and Scotch Brite on the outside will surely not hurt it. My information on Scotch Brite comes from an engineer at the Cadillac factory. Using Scotch Brite leaves very small particles that if not properly removed do what abrasives are meant to do and if that is the inside of your engine, well . . .

Rubbing compound and polishing compound could also advertise themselves as not causing scratches I guess.

cappaj1

My Feedback: (1)

Thanks for the tip. I rinsed off the muffler really well afterward, and then hand wiped it dry.