Is it safe for your engine parts to be cleaned in the crockpot with antifreeze? I have been cleaning a few in the crockpot lately and a buddy of mine says its not good because of the corrosion property's of antifreeze. Is this true and has anyone had a problem with this method?

I've heard of this method for years, and just last month dedicated a small crockpot to the task. My engine parts came out very clean, with no signs (yet) of any problems, but I've only used it twice. I've run the one engine, but not the second one....just not assembled yet.

Lynn

If antifreeze was corrosive, you wouldn't be pouring into your car's radiator. In fact, it contains lubricants and anti-rust stuff.

However, you should clean it off completely with mineral spirits (paint thinner) and re-lube the enginge parts after cleaning and before reassembly.

Don't leave it where animals can get into it. Tastes sweet to them and will kill them.

And dont be cooking no Beef Stew in that pot either!

I've used that technique with no bad effects as well. You do want to oil the parts as you take them out prior to assembly, as Mike said (though I personally have skipped the mineral spirts step with no ill effects)

I have also used this method. Anti-freeze is non corrosive, inhibits rust, and also has some lubrication qualities. I just use some marvel mystery oil, dont use water to rinse it out.

Works great!

Car radiator with plain water = rusty water over a short time. Car radiator with antifreeze solution = long term health of cooling system. For best results use the antifreeze straight out of the jug, don't mix it with water before putting it in the crock pot. Also use low heat on the crock pot. The older original ethylene glycol blend works better, IMHO, than the newer more environmentally friendly formula.

If still in doubt do a search on here and you will get more reading than you care to do on the subject.

Ed M.

Do you need to take the carb off or just throw the whole engine in?

Does the heat affect the the rubber O rings or cause them to swell?

Antifreeze is not corrosive.
Have your friend to read the bottle and he/she will see.

I would recommend that you disassemble the engine before doing this.

At least take the head and back plate off, and remove the carb. Take the plastic & rubber components off the carb and throw that in too.
Dennis-

Hey I don't have a crock pot, but have a really old cooking pot I could donate to the cause... If I put it on the stove on a REAALLY low setting for a couple of hours what do you think???? Would it work?

Thanks

~Andrew

I dont think you want to be boiling antifreeze and creating fumes inside you house.
do you have a burner you could use outside?

good point.... sounds like a trip to Walmart for a crockpot!!!

~Andrew

I heard somewhere that glycol fumes when inhaled were very bad.
Something about them being heavier than air and sitting in the bottom of your lungs not able to be exhaled.
I dont know if its true, but it always scared the hell out of me.
I have always been careful about breathing them in aroung a hot engine or somthing like that.

A guy here in hays uses that method to clean up engines. He'll put coroded engines in the crockpot in Byron airplane fuel to clean them up overnight then he'll shoot carb cleaner in them. They'll fire right up after a little work on them and they run powerful. No damage is caused by it whatsoever. The dirtier the fuel gets the better it works. Personally, I just save my fuel in a plastic ice cream container with the plastic lid and handle and I just soak them in there and use steel wool and toothbrush to clean them up. The crockpot idea is a lot easier to do, but he also uses an air compressor to blow all the gunk out.
Clint

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