Which basic chemicals should I have in my auto garage?

[Jacobson]

I want to equip myself with the basics for general auto work.
Can you name a few basic ones, and their common uses?

Isopropyl Alcohol? Cleaner? Sap remover?
Acetone? This is to prep clean surfaces before paint work?
Mineral Spirits? What's that?

ATF and Acetone as a penetrating oil?

What else?

 

[zakmartin]

Distilled water

 

[d.mcfarland]

Huh? Like brake lube?

Or like off the beaten path stuff like B12 Chemtool?

 

[RedneckWelder]

Brake cleaner and Kroil...

 

[36truck]

DuPont 3812S enamel reducer is a very good cleaner before paint & removing grease from small parts. Also will take of the glue from removing decals.

 

[bob15]

Vaseline

 

[justanengineer]

If youre just getting started why pre-purchase chemicals that are usually some combination of expensive and/or hazardous? Buy as you need them, the leftovers will stack up and shortly youll be tossing some as they **** up room and dont get used regularly. I intentionally keep monkey piss on and paint thinner on hand bc I use both several times weekly, other than that I buy as I need bc I've got a cabinet full of leftovers.

 

[efb16acrx]

Brake cleaner and Kroil...

exactly what I was going to post. And if you are anything like me, start with at least 10 cases of brake cleaner.

 

[Shadowdog500]

Beer!

Chris

 

[Leaflessshadetree]

Carburetor cleaner, waterless hand cleaner, 3-in-1 oil, windshield washer fluid, an assortment of greases, simple green, purple power, valve grinding compound, gasoline, diesel fuel, kerosene, anti-freeze..........

 

[Jacobson]

I have all the aerosol cans of stuff like brake cleaner, Kroil, Carb cleaner, leather treatment, lithium grease, etc.

I am specifically talking about chemicals and alcohols that I never have on hand.

 

[RedneckWelder]

exactly what I was going to post. And if you are anything like me, start with at least 10 cases of brake cleaner.

The parts warehouse at work forgot to order brake cleaner one week...chaos ensued. We have parts washers but it's kind of hard to fit a major assembly into one plus the varsol does not flash off quick like the brake cleaner.

 

[bert1913]

pb blaster

 

[2ndGearRubber]

Acetone. Cleaning/paint prep. Also cleans your hands very well.

Rubbing alcohol can be used to separate water from diesel. Nice trick if you worry about water in fuel.

ATF - Soak ****** rusted stuff in it to free up.

 

[Bagherra]

Brake cleaner, anything from GUNK, Purple Power, glass cleaner, etc

 

[Techie1961]

MEK or Methyl Ethyl Ketone is a really handy and powerful solvent for cleaning. It seems to remove oxidized paint nicely and usually leaves the good paint behind. Test this before trying it though as some paint will totally dissolve or haze up badly. It seems that if it's hardened paint (catalyzed) it's okay.

 

[General Geoff]

Another vote for Acetone.

 

[Techie1961]

Be careful of brake cleaners and stay away from anything that's chlorinated. Two chemical names to look out for are Perchloroethylene and Tetrachloroethylene which are the same thing and are the main solvent that has been used for dry cleaning for many decades. It can cause very costly ground contamination and will drop through concrete and get into the water table. Stick with the non-chlorinated stuff if you can. The ones with nPb (N-Propyl-Bromide or 1-bromo-propane) work extremely well and don't have the same contamination issues.

 

[theoldwizard1]

• Penetrating oil (I'll let others fight over this, but PB Blaster is pretty good)
• WD40 - a good general light oil and cleaner
• Spray carb cleaner *
• Non-chlorinated brake cleaner *
• Old fashioned oil can with motor oil
• Spray silicone
• Isopropyl alcohol
• Mineral spirits
• Silicone dielectric grease (good as a silicone grease on rubber seals)
• White lithium grease
• Molybdenum chassis grease with grease gun
• Wheel bearing grease
• Midget grease gun load with wheel bearing grease (you need 2 if you have a bot, the second one loaded withe water resistant grease)

* these can remove some paint

 

[Whitworth]

What the heck are leftovers?

Buying small containers (esp. aerosols) as needed is a false economy.

Suggestions:

Gallon size - naphtha, lacquer thinner, paint stripper, alcohol, mineral spirits, WD40, LPS3.

Quarts - motor oil, tran oil, brake and power steering fluids, etc.

Other (small cans and/or aerosols) - PB blaster, circuit cleaner, LPS-2, more WD40, brake cleaner, carb cleaner, white grease, Marvel Mystery oil, seafoam, 3-1 oil, Starrett precision instrument oil, liquid wrench, Kriol, pneumatic tool oil, other stuff, these are just suggestions. Really depends on what type of work you do. Buy in bulk when possible, but just be aware aerosol cans can go flat if stored a long time, not often but can happen.

 

[Davefr]

Coleman Fuel from g-sales. (ie Naptha)

 

[User_Name]

Coleman Fuel from g-sales. (ie Naptha)

Keep some engine starter fluid (ether) next to it and you're halfway to a meth cook.

 

[zkling]

I guess you keep your ***** lube in the bedroom?

Why is your avatar a *****?

You'll need for the most basic:
A good solvent
A penetrating oil
A general lubricating oil for metal parts
A rubber safe lubricating oil, no not for your ***** this time.

 

[kramarj]

A couple more that I keep on hand are battery terminal cleaner and the terminal spray for afterwards(not sure of the technical name), a couple flavors of anti-seize, a couple flavors of RTV sealant, and a couple flavors of Loctite.

 

[Jacobson]

Again, what are the main uses for
Acetone and IsoPropyl Alcohol?

 

[General Geoff]

Acetone has all kinds of uses. It de-gums metal parts from petroleum products, degreases, also dissolves various types of rtv, petroleum-based and rubber sealants. It thins/dissolves various types of paint, and is an excellent surface prep agent before painting. It also is a fantastic hand cleaner after getting petroleum-based grease or oils on your hands.

The best part, though, is that aside from fairly strong fumes that are not pleasant to inhale, acetone is one of the most environmentally friendly and non-toxic solvents you can use. You can scrub your hands submerged in it, without concern. It feels really cold, because it evaporates very quickly.

 

[1950mercury]

Gibbs

 

[pendragon1998]

I like acetone and mineral oil.

 

[zkling]

Again, what are the main uses for
Acetone and IsoPropyl Alcohol?

Acetone is a strong solvent/degreaser. It will remove most all oily residue, however it can also dull and remove paints, melt plastics, cause printing to run, etc so use with caution. Alcohol is a solvent as well but more mild, especially the 70% version, compared to Acetone. As mentioned in your other thread Alcohol can be used to clean paint, glass, etc. Where as acetone is more for degreasing of metal parts.

Again, why is your avatar a *****?

 

[PMD1966]

Oxalic Acid.

 

[HanShotFirst]

• Penetrating oil (I'll let others fight over this, but PB Blaster is pretty good)
• WD40 - a good general light oil and cleaner
• Spray carb cleaner *
• Non-chlorinated brake cleaner *
• Old fashioned oil can with motor oil
• Spray silicone
• Isopropyl alcohol
• Mineral spirits
• Silicone dielectric grease (good as a silicone grease on rubber seals)
• White lithium grease
• Molybdenum chassis grease with grease gun
• Wheel bearing grease
• Midget grease gun load with wheel bearing grease (you need 2 if you have a bot, the second one loaded withe water resistant grease)

* these can remove some paint

That's a damn good list, nearly identical to what I have in my garage. I have a few other things that are gun related because I'm a gunsmith, but that's the list I'd start with for general garage stuff. The only thing I'd add is perhaps a gallon of muriatic acid for cleaning up the truly nasty oil spills on the concrete.

 

[90zcar]

Laquer thinner.....enough said


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[404]

I guess you keep your ***** lube in the bedroom?

Why is your avatar a *****?

You'll need for the most basic:
A good solvent
A penetrating oil
A general lubricating oil for metal parts
A rubber safe lubricating oil, no not for your ***** this time.

That is a pink my little pony not a *****.

After a lifetime buying Kroil, I have tried the ATF Acetone and have been converted and seen the light. And have more dollars in my pocket.

Brake Cleaner

Carb Cleaner

Isopropyl Alcohol

ATF

 

[bob15]

I guess you keep your ***** lube in the bedroom?

Why is your avatar a *****?

You'll need for the most basic:
A good solvent
A penetrating oil
A general lubricating oil for metal parts
A rubber safe lubricating oil, no not for your ***** this time.

If he works with buna O-rings, vaseline works just fine, If not, silicon grease. The vaseline can be used for other things if needed as well....like chapped lips.

 

[Jacobson]

It's a Barbie wrench!

Also, what is mineral oil for?

 

[bob15]

Also, what is mineral oil for?

Lubricant for sharpening knives.

 

[MagnumForce]

Brake clean, WD 40, lectro motive

 

[Outlander]

• Penetrating oil (I'll let others fight over this, but PB Blaster is pretty good)
• WD40 - a good general light oil and cleaner
• Spray carb cleaner *
• Non-chlorinated brake cleaner *
• Old fashioned oil can with motor oil
• Spray silicone
• Isopropyl alcohol
• Mineral spirits
• Silicone dielectric grease (good as a silicone grease on rubber seals)
• White lithium grease
• Molybdenum chassis grease with grease gun
• Wheel bearing grease
• Midget grease gun load with wheel bearing grease (you need 2 if you have a bot, the second one loaded withe water resistant grease)

* these can remove some paint

Excellent list. I have most, which makes me feel validated

I also have vinegar and electrical contact cleaner, and some Simple Green as well as windshield washer fluid in a spray bottle (for ATV windscreen)

EDIT: I need to try the ATF trick for penetrating oil. Had to dive 30km a couple of weeks back to buy PB Blaster

 

[logical]

If you don't know what it is or why you ever might need it or what you'll be doing that might or might not be something that will make you wish you had some of that stuff that you don't have any idea what it is used for, you don't need to be pre-purchasing it.

Your threads are becoming predictable.

I don't wonder about the ***** , it makes perfect sense to me as his avatar.

 

[WallynSC]

Oxalic Acid.

What is Oxalic acid used for?