Part Washer solvent - what do you use?

[rpsurfr]

I am ready to replace the solvent in my parts washer. It is old and I got it from Krano the oil speciality people. It worked well for 3 years- I dont do a lot of parts each day but when I do it is a complete motorcycle
The issue is that I have issues with getting rid of it. I have to wait till we have a county recycle day-
Further, I see the water based stuff and wonder how it works So can you alls share your process?
Thanks

 

[Venumb]

I'm getting ready to fill my parts washer with Purple Power industrial strength cleaner/degreaser from Walmart, Advance Auto, etc.. It's the knock-off Castrol "Super Clean". It's bio-degradable.

I'm not sure how I'll dispose of it though. While the cleaner is bio-degradable, the grease and oil that will be mixed with it surely aren't.

 

[GeorgiaHybrid]

Make sure that ANY water based solvent you use is safe for aluminum. A lot of motorcycle parts are made of aluminum and the water based cleaners (Simple Green, Purple Power, Super Clean, etc) are very hard on aluminum and will stain it if left in contact with polished aluminum for any length of time. The petroleum based (and similar) solvents (mineral spirits, Stoddard, paint thinner, acetone, kerosene, diesel, etc.) work well on aluminum but are flammable and give off flammable vapors.

With the small area that I had to use for my parts washer and the air compressor located beside it, I did not feel comfortable with solvent based, could not use the water based on aluminum parts and that left me with few options. I finally went with the non-flammable versions of paint thinners that are available from several suppliers. It still smells like mineral spirits (and is) but they have hydrogenated it and created a "milky white" thinner that is safer to use, non flammable and easy on aluminum parts.

It's not that expensive when bought in 5 gallon buckets (around $6.50 a gallon from my paint store) but the cost is higher than the water based solutions. This is one of those Ford/Chevy types of debates but I tried to go with the Ford body/Chevy motor ******* solution that, so far, seems to be working out OK. It's not as good as straight mineral spirits, not as cheap as Purple Power but it is a good compromise for my use.

 

[Venumb]

Good info GeorgiaHybrid!

Do you have the brand name of the solvent you're using?

 

[GeorgiaHybrid]

The ones that I found were:

KS-Pro Paint Thinner by Klean-Strip

Crown NEXT Paint Thinner

I wound up using the Crown (found it in 5 gallon jugs). They both have several versions of them but are all basically the same. Some are listed as cleaners, paint thinner or parts cleaner but they all seem to work OK.

 

[mslisaj]

I'm still using Chevron Solvent. Five gallons is running now about $42 now which is hard to believe when I think back and years ago could get a 55 gallon drum for $60. But I don't want to be responsible for starting that thread. My parts washer is a small one and holds about four gallons and I put a quart of clean Dexron in it to keep from drying out my hands and have been using that mixture for 30 years.

That's what I use.........

As far as disposal I dump it into my 55 gallon waste oil drum and when its filled I transport the whole thing to the recycler and they pump it all out and off I go. I'm lucky there is a recycler close to me in Klamath Falls.

Lisa

 

[krooser]

Stoddard solvent... I need to find an activated charcoal filter bag to keep the solvent clean.

 

[diggertodd]

For aqueous cleaners (water), the good stuff contains 2-Butoxyethanol, got hooked on this with Oil Eater brand products but the price is ridiculous.

Have slowly changed over my washer to the water based degreaser that harbor freight sells by the gallon, it also contains 2-Butoxyethanol, so does simple grenn, and the purple cleaners. Pour the harbor freight stuff into my parts washer straight (non-diluted) and probably because it is a little weaker than Oil Eater, it seems gentler on aluminum.

The dollar stores also sell "Awesome Cleaner" that contains 2-Butoxyethanol - I pick up some spray bottles every now and then to spray/soak stuff outside of the parts washer.