MR Flyer57

Nice report.



Let me add a couple of things. I use a large tea strainer with the handle removed to put small parts in.

Some folks have tried it without heat. It does not work. Environmentally safe antifreeze does not work. It must be the ethylene glycol based stuff.

I use the low heat. I will let the parts cook overnight. High heat is OK for a short period. If you use high heat, over an extended period, it will discolor the aluminum. That seems to have no long term effect on running, but makes the engine look funny. I have left really stubborn engines in the pot for as much as 5 days. The antifreeze eventually dissolves the crud without the toothbrush. I prefer the toothbrush to speed the process. I have found that it will not remove the carbon on the top of the piston, regardless of how long the piston is cooked.

As you said, there are some plastic parts it will attack, and notably, it should not be used on YS engines unless they are torn down and all the gaskets, etc removed. YS uses a different material than most other manufacturers.

If we think about what antifreeze is really used for.. a car, to keep the cooling system clean, while running through gaskets, seals, and even plastic radiators, at about 220 degrees F, we can see that, in most cases, it will not harm the parts of our engines. It can even be left in the engines for a few days without damage. That's nice because it allows us to, rinse the engine, assemble it, and take the engine to where we can run it later and do no harm.

You can tell when it is time to change the antifreeze in the pot. It works slower and slower.

The stuff is poisonus and so are the vapors, over extended periods. Short periods of exposure are OK. The vapors are sweet smelling and attract kids and animals. Keep them away from it. Do not use this process indoors, use it where there is good ventilation. Keep the lid on the pot when your cooking. Never again use the pot for food, the stuff gets into the pours of the pot and it is almost impossible to get it out.

JR