I've been doing this for quite a while. While mineral spirits, kerosene and Safety Kleen will, eventually, get the gunk off, ANYTHING that will make the job easier, quicker, and safer, is worth a look.
Quote:
Originally Posted by davidb  Mineral spirits or kerosene would probably work just fine for those parts because you are just trying to desolve the grungy oil and dirt.
Now if you are trying to remove "varnish" or carbon from the hot parts of the engine, I have no doubt you'll be surprized at how effective that Kleen product or something simular is but...
Maybe a chemist can shed some light here. There's a bunch of environmentally friendly emulsifiers out there. They seem more effective in that they don't have to desolve a particular substance like solvents do, but rather they encapsulate any grunge so that you can wash it away. The problem is if any is left after you put your engine back together, it will encapsulate the oil and render it ineffective at lubricating. Is there a way to ensure you've rinsed it all away or somehow neutralize it? |