Parts washer fluid

[signcrafter]

Would like to add a parts washer to the garage. Napa has one for 269 bucks this month. Great, it's big so will fit anything I would need to wash and the price is decent. Then ask about the fluid to fill it. Wow. Lots of different options but looks like 100-150 bucks for a 5 gallon pail. Not sure what the minimum is to fill 40 gallon washer to be usable but guessing 20-30 gallons at a minimum. So looking at a minimum of 400 bucks to fill the thing to a usable level, not even to the full capacity.

What are you guys using for fluid in your parts washers? Anything that works good for general cleaning and degreasing of parts that won't cost twice as much as the washer to fill?

I'm glad I checked on the price of the chemicals. I would have never guessed they were that much. I planned on ordering one of the washers yesterday so would have got that and have to stick it in the corner of the garage not usable after I found out I can't afford fluid to fill it.

 

[DFB]

Crown PSC 1000 from TSC is ALOT cheaper than whatever stuff is $100-$150 you mention for 5 gal

https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/crown-psc-1000-parts-cleaner-5-gal

Cant say if other mineral spirits be any cheaper

Cheapest stuff you could get by with probably be diesel or Kero.


As for volume needed keeping the pump covered is what counts

 

[M6erfan]

Crown PSC 1000 from TSC is ALOT cheaper than whatever stuff is $100-$150 you mention for 5 gal

https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/crown-psc-1000-parts-cleaner-5-gal

Cant say if other mineral spirits be any cheaper

Cheapest stuff you could get by with probably be diesel or Kero.


As for volume needed keeping the pump covered is what counts

^^^This

Edit: I haven't priced kerosene in a while but it works really well for parts cleaning and if you can find a station that sells it, probably 1/3 the cost of the Crown stuff.

 

[sberry]

Spirits is about 10 a gallon, many auto parts stores carry it in buckets, found some 40 a pail. You don't need 40 gallons in it. Mine is called 20,, over full at 17 and will run on 5, works well on 10. Add a pail after a while.

 

[BoostAddiction]

I recommend Blue Gold industrial cleaner. A 5-gallon barrel lasts a long time for me, and it is extremely effective, as well as being environmentally friendly.

Here is a link.

 

[KWtech90]

Whichever cleaner you use you definitely want something petroleum based. Degreaser is a joke and diesel fuel doesn't work much better. Mineral spirits work pretty good, but. it does evaporate on a regularly basis.

 

[B_Bimmer]

I like diesel, but I am generally not going for spotless, just lose the chunkies and wash anything loose out from where it doesn't belong.

 

[sberry]

I have hot pressure washer, mine stays clean a long time. Not only that most engine work on common cars is a thing of the past.
so many now run the life of the unit, used to be we always had a reman or valve job going.

 

[Steve_P]

Kerosene works well but might kill the pump; it does on the HF parts washer

 

[B_Bimmer]

Also, whatever solvent you use, I would strongly suggest you get one of these, they are WELL worth the price.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00U7LUVSI/?tag=atomicindus08-20

 

[bonneyman]

After seeing a video on how well kerosene dissolves sludge that'd be my choice if I had a washer. Bought a gallon of lo odor kero just for general cleaning purposes.

 

[DFB]

Wow was searching around online TSC sells canned Kero supplied same company as the Naptha solvent PSC 1000

https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/crown-1-k-fuel-grade-kerosene-5-gal


Pretty steep price though and about double what my local fuel oil supplier has tank Kero for.

Interesting, reading up about the different distillations and carbon chains for naphtha solvents, gasoline kerosene, diesel fuel, fuel oil

 

[foghorn1966]

Search for the parts washer mod thread here, add a pail on the lower shelf under the tub relocate or upgrade the pump to the pail. Only run 5 gal of solvent at a time. Doesn't evaporate as much. best mods I did to mine.

 

[JT2018]

To be honest I’d just use off road diesel if you can get it in your area, or regular diesel instead. It’s a VERY good solvent and will get all kinds of nasty grease off off just about anything.

 

[seanb02]

Stuff I used last change was with Napa branded solvent. Was $60-70 per 5 gallons if I recall correctly. Works great cleaning heavy grease out of bearings and such. I like gasoline for cleaning things, diesel is good to but leaves more residue. Whatever this stuff is seems to cut the grease best.

 

[mrobins297aaa]

Anything that doesn't have a water base, I used it once and in one year it totally ate my parts washer so bad I had to toss it.

I'm using that PSC 1000 from TSC, it's ok nothing to write home about.
I think next time I change it I'm just going to get kerosene it's about $4 gallon around here.

what ever you do don't use gasoline, I guess that is one of those things that goes without saying..........like you don't have to tell the babysitter not to put the baby in the microwave.

 

[fang123]

I use kerosene in mine, but I live where kerosene is available at pumps at gas stations. It's cheap to use and pretty effective. I burn it when it gets too dirty. Parts cleaner is too expensive for me and evaporates. $$$$ thrown away in my opinion. Diesel fuel works also, but not as good as kero. Some use simple green, mean green and such but that just doesn't work all that well.
My parts cleaner has a small bucket under it and is very easy to change out fluid. That makes it nice.