Harbor Freight Parts Cleaner Solution Help

[twentythreemx]

Hello,

I saw several posts when searching but many of them are old posts..
I'm hoping to maybe find someone with more RECENT experience (year or 2?) in case maybe they have changed the pump they use..

Just picked up one of the cheapo 20 gallon HF parts washers. Picked up a gallon of the yellow heavy duty degreaser they sell as well which has "decent" reviews. For what I'm doing (cleaning up some old motorcycle parts occasionaly and thats about it).. im sure any solution will be fine...

After reading though, some people say the water base stuff eats the paint up in the tank and will cause it to rust through pretty quick.. also tough on aluminum parts..

Lot of people said they run mineral spirits, kerosene or the tractor supply PSC1000.... but some people claim it ate up their pumps in just a few days or months... then you see people that said they have ran it in their HF tanks for 10+ years w/out issue. bad luck for those people or what?

Has HF changed to an even worse pump recently that cant handle the solvent based? i know the manual says to use water based but its a metal tank w/ a fusable lid.... seems to me like it should handle solvent.

Is the water stuff fine and not going to rust my tank out like some people say? The other dilema is its in a non heated barn and its currently like 9 degrees... solvent would be nice as it wont freeze...if i go water based.. I assume it will freeze (however cannot find confirmation!!!! any input there? figure i'll be diluting like 10 to 1)... then im looking to add some kind of heater to it if it will freeze (cant find info on SDS)

im over thinking something that should be very simple and just looking for someone to set me straight on the above, please!!!!!

Thanks in advance!!!!!

 

[Hot Rod Grampa]

I always used the mineral based cleaner. Never freezes, cleans any parts that get greasy and I don't have to think about it but once a year when I put new stuff in. Will not rust the tank. The Chinese build these cheap tools out of cheap steel, and there is no quality control to speak of. Thickness of metal, surface prep before paint, none of it matters to them. As long as the paint looks shiny when you open the box, they done good.

 

[WILD-BILL]

I got my HF washer about 2 years ago as well as the water based clear they sell. I did a bunch of mods such as adding a heater and relocating the pump and fluid to a remote tank.

The water based solution just doesn't cut it when your used to using a real solvent tank at work. It would take a long time to heat the solution and even at 140 degrees it took a lot of work to get anything cleaned.

My unit only got occasion use but the pump still failed pretty early even without running true solvent through it.

I've since switched to a little giant pump made for solvent and the Tractor Supply solvent. (still in a remote tank). The difference is night and day.

 

[DFB]

Well I'm curious too.

I have the smaller 35740 bench top washer haven't filled it yet, the instruction manual doesn't say you CAN'T use mineral or petroleum based solvents it just points out that premature pump wear can result from their use and recommends the water based solvents instead. More critical is flash point 150F* min and does specifically prohibit tri chlor use. Whew one of my very first factory jobs was on a heated trichlor degreaser.

I also have the PSC 1000 but I haven't used it yet either its Naptha according to the MSDS very similar to mineral spirits.

I just pulled the pump apart to look at it. Nylon and rubber. I did notice the filter is just a press fit wonder if has a habit of coming apart I also watched some videos people seem to be running solvents (and filtering good). But pumps do die according to many responders but I think the main reason is that they are just pretty cheap.

 

[22george]

I've used diesel fuel for over 20 years without issue.

 

[ducatithunder]

Ive got one that uses diesel with a oil filter attached to the pump. The other is a smaller one that uses mineral spirits. Its nice to have both. Years ago I converted a HF 20gallon to used water based. I added a heater and it worked ok. Nothing replaces a decent solvent for cleaning parts.

 

[twentythreemx]

sounds like the good move is to just use the solvent and cross your fingers that you got a decent pump.. and when it dies replace w/ something rated for solvent.

 

[Clik]

I've been using the PSC1000 from TSC for about two years.

The pump says use water based cleaners because it needs to maintain an electrical ground.

I'm nor sure if that's for shock protection or fire.

 

[bahamasair]

My pump worked for an hour in mineral spirits then failed. I took it out and saw that a rubber bushing that the motor shaft comes through had swollen and wedged the impeller. I trimmed the rubber with a razor blade and it’s been working for at least 5-6 years now.

 

[Homerr]

I got my HF parts cleaner 2 years ago and dumped in 5 gallons of Oil Eater water based cleaner. It's been in there since with no issues. I don't have experience with solvent based cleaners but this stuff seems to do fine.

 

[LeeG]

I've been using the PSC1000 in my parts cleaner for about a year now. No problems so far with the pump, but I do have a solvent ready pump standing by in case this one craps out.

 

[Falcon67]

I've been using the PSC1000 in my parts cleaner for about a year now. No problems so far with the pump, but I do have a solvent ready pump standing by in case this one craps out.

This "what to use in my parts washer" comes around every couple of months. I've been using PSC1000 in my 20 gallon HF unit for 8 years.

 

[gearheadzgarage]

This "what to use in my parts washer" comes around every couple of months. I've been using PSC1000 in my 20 gallon HF unit for 8 years.

PSC1000 works great ... pump still ticking after 2 years!

 

[OldracerJones]

I used a water based solution for a year and my filter, wash tube and tank is rusted very bad. I'm going to get rid of it it's so bad.

 

[iowa4x4dieselman]

I have B'Laster parts washing solvent in my HF parts washer, and it seems to be ok. It never did freeze, but it sure was cold on the hands in the winter time. I eventually want to convert this to a reservoir type washer with a filter to keep it cleaner, and not have to dig around the full tank of solvent for little parts.

 

[DFB]

Loaded mine with the PSC 1000 a few months ago

Works good and no problems so far

 

[Jason280]

Tag...

 

[raffaelli]

What pump would you recommend as the HF replacement with mineral spirits?

 

[SGKent]

I found a good used SafetyClean parts washer designed for Stoddard solvent/mineral spirits on Craigslist. You have to use a pump that is designed for it. A friend got thrown 40' in an explosion when a non-safe pump was used to replace one that wore out.

 

[iowa4x4dieselman]

Tag...

I don't even know what's going on in this thread anymore after seeing that avatar

 

[DFB]

So I'm going to update here In my earlier post I kind of questioned the filter's press "fit".

I had pulled up the screen shelf the other day and even though the pump's filter tube was still together just fine the filter's end cap that part that holds the screening material was falling off slightly and would not stay in place. The fit was just way too loose and must have swelled just a bit in the solvent, so I ended up putting a stainless steel hose clamp around it and problem solved.

Any how glad I caught it before my pump started to **** up any sludge and debris. My tank solution was still pretty clean so far, I had pretty much only cleaned a bunch of funnels and one grungy old vise.

 

[drmarkr]

I've had that HF parts cleaner for 20+ yrs. I've used mineral spirits the entire time, and the pump that came in it is still going. The switch had to be replaced, but that's it. Paint is fine.

 

[DFB]

Well thot I do a little update here to my earlier post #16 over a year ago.

So I assume this is mainly because of the simple press fit assembly of the 3 parts involved... the slotted cap over the filter housing and then the housing itself to pump pipe line

With no threads, grooves/o rings or other form of positive engagement and in the mineral spirits (Crown PSC) along with the lubricity of maybe oil mixed in...and add in little turbulance

Twice I have to fish the loose parts from the tank, reassemble and modify the original setup by using small stainless band clamps to secure things better.

Should be good to go now with out anymore issues.

Just passing this along if someone has a similar bench top unit might end up experiencing the same thing easy enough to add the band clamps before you even get started

 

[nadogail]

In My Experience, Stoddard Solvent, although not water based cleans engine parts very well. In my high school days, I worked for an engine rebuilder and washed literally tons of stuff in it with my bare hands.

The parts washer was made by the Winona Tool Company.

 

[clubairth]

I also have the 20 gallon HF Parts Washer. With the 25% off coupon it's cheap. Used the PCS1000 cleaner from TSC for several years and still works fine. Really recommend it. No smell, does not seem to evaporate? Easy on the hands but I have gauntlet gloves from HF.

I have had better cleaning with non-water stuff and no rust problems with PCS1000. I kept the jugs so if I need to I can drain and store the cleaner.

Funny because the pump does say for fountain use on it!

Added a HF moving dolly base (big one fits almost perfect!). Plus you get a bonus shelf to store something.

Added a ball valve in place of the drain plug.

Extension and bristle brush on the outlet as the HF one was too short and had no brush.

I was prepared to get the little giant replacement pump and add some additional filtering stuff but just didn't need too?

If your interested there is a big thread on all the mods people have done and they get quite involved! I picked the ones I wanted to use.
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[Kevkx125]

This is what I have been using in my h/f washer, no problems so far.

 

[DFB]

This is what I have been using in my h/f washer, no problems so far.

Ya that is just what I have too the 5 gal metal can...I had bought 3 of them at the same time I purchased the parts washer.

One can fills my bench top parts washer just right


Stuff works good...real good, low odor like has been mentioned already and parts dry quick, especially using some compressed air.


My pal at the motorcycle shop he uses brake clean on just about everything even tho he has a 20 gal parts washer. Buys it cases at a time. Sure it cleans good and evaporates real fast but cripes even at wholesale business rate its still a couple bucks each can

 

[n20junkie]

Milwaukee sprayer and the solvent of your choice is superior to brake cleaner in my opinion, and way cheaper.

Another vote for TSC PSC1000

 

[Jagmandave]

I've had my HF parts washer for over 30 years now, I used the water based cleaner for about two weeks when it promptly took the paint off the insides of the tank and clogged up the filter. So I re-engineered it. I bought a 25 gallon barrel of Safety Kleen solvent and suspended the pump on a piece of metal so it was about 10 inches off the bottom of the barrel - ran a hose up the metal and connected it to the spray hose and mounted a switch where the pump used to sit. Sat the tank on top of the open barrel and plugged it in. Worked perfectly - and still does. Still have it, still use it all the time, in fact I just got a new barrel of solvent for it delivered yesterday. Same pump.....