what,s best way to clean an engine to get varnish off outside of engine

Use a potpurri pot with anti freeze in it. soak about 24 hrs bush with tooth brush.

Enjoy,

Jim

From what ive seen this works VERY well!!

Do you submerg the complete engine or dismantle first

Take the engine apart. Don't put any rubber or plastic items in the antifreeze. If you have an old crock pot, this also works well. However, NEVER cook any food in the crock pot after using it for cleaning an engine.

You do not boil the antifreeze, just have it hot. Do not leave the parts in there a week, it will start to turn dark.

You can get by in a cleaning by just removing the back plate and head but clean it real good.

Enjoy,

Jim

I purchased an Ultrasonic cleaner several months ago and they DO NOT clean engines well. The crock-pot seems to do the best job.

What happens to rubber ‘O’ rings?

Bill

The anti freeze does not seem to bother O-rings.

It did on one of mine. It made the O ring under the carb a gooey mess. This was a Como 51 with a red O ring. So, from that time on, I've been kinda "gun shy" about putting rubber items in the ol' crock pot.

The black kind is my experience

Enjoy,

Jim

I have used the crock pot method many times and never had a single problem. The engines have always come out looking like new. I set my crock pot on the low setting and soak the parts overnight. A little help from a stiff toothbrush will work on the more stubborn spots.
Most of the time I break the engine down and put in the parts, but it really isn't required if you don't feel comfortable doing it. Depending on why I am cleaning the engine, I may leave the piston/cylinder out of the pot.
After they have soaked overnight, I rinse the parts with warm water (except for the bearings) and use compressed air to dry them. I then immediately drop them into a container of synthetic ATF fluid and then re-assemble wiping down the exterior of the engine.
For the bearings, I use brake clean or a similar compressed solvent to flush the anti freeze from the bearing. I can then inspect and "feel" the bearing to make sure it doesn't have any pitting or rust and then I drop them in the ATF.
As far as the O-rings I usually don't put them in because its not something thats needs cleaning, just wipe them off with a piece of cloth. I don't own and won't buy engines made with plastic parts, so I can't comment on how it will effect those pieces.
You can buy single serving crock pots at WalMart or similar stores for around ten bucks and you want to use regular cheap anti-freeze (yellowish green color), not the newer environmentally friendly stuff.

the red and blue o-rings are silicone compounds.... they don't like anti-freeze or petro-chemicals....

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