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What is THE best degreaser?

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metalmagpie

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Nov 1, 2011
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Seattle
The best degreaser is boiling concentrated lye. Not that you'd want to use it.
I suggest going to the sporting goods store and buying a bottle of Hoppe's no. 9 Nitro Solvent (used for gun cleaning). Smells great, works great on caked-on goo. I like to use it on machine tools.
 

speeder

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Sep 20, 2011
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Happy Valley
Thanks NUTTSGT!

Yes, CRC fared pretty well, and in some cases, not so well. I think it speaks to the huge range of degreasers they have... lot of different formulations and applications. I think some of the older formulas are perhaps showing some of their limitations.

If you look at their full site, it's pretty tough (impossible?) to choose degreaser X over degreaser Y.
 

4x4_G30_Sportvan

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Jan 3, 2013
Messages
547
Spray carb cleaner seems to dissolve anything.
In actuality, there is no 'one' chemical that will just allow you to spray on and wipe off. They all take time and some elbow grease.

Spray with solvent, and then use hi pressure hot water for the best effect.
 

ChevyEFI

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Location
Phoenix, AZ
Gunk SC mixed 1:8 with mineral spirits / stoddard solvent / paint thinner.

Harder to purchase than some products. I bought several quarts via special order @ Ace Hardware around 2003. Aircraft Spruce stocked & shipped it in 2012.

Unfortunately, leaving it on painted surfaces extended periods of time won't leave them painted. On engines, that's not a problem; rinse with water within 30 minutes and you're good.
 

lynnbilodeau

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Jun 4, 2013
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813
Location
Oklahoma
I'll just leave this here... independent ASTM testing of the top 15 degreasers, seperate ratings for grease and oil, also addresses safety concerns. From Oct 23, so it's new.

http://www.wastemin.com/discuss/ind...ratings-how-the-top-15-degreasers-stack-up.6/

What is the part number for a gallon of the number 1 in that test?

On the crc website i am looking at:

14408 HydroForce® All Purpose Degreaser, 1 Gal
14416 HydroForce® Industrial Strength Degreaser, 1 Gal

I don't believe it could be any of the others listed (i.e. citrus or super citrus).

#1 doesn't state either "all purpose" or "industiral strength". #6 says "heavy duty", so is that "industrial"? The website has nothing that is an exact match to the wording on the test page for #1 or #6.
 

speeder

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Location
Happy Valley
Hi Lynn-

You're looking for the 14416 CRC Hydroforce Industrial Strength. They don't make it easy... have had bottle, label changes, and their site is not the easiest to navigate at times.

It's available on Amazon under that PN.
 

smokem2020

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Jul 21, 2011
Messages
92
Location
Rossville In
I use Super Clean from wallyworld. It's purple and in a purple jug. It's about $10 gallon. I put it in a spray bottle. Apply, brush it in, let sit, rinse it off, repeat as needed. I seen a car that had oven cleaner used to clean engine. Don't use that on aluminum....It looked real bad.
 

ears

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Mar 23, 2008
Messages
943
Location
lorton VA
The best degreaser is boiling concentrated lye. Not that you'd want to use it.
I suggest going to the sporting goods store and buying a bottle of Hoppe's no. 9 Nitro Solvent (used for gun cleaning). Smells great, works great on caked-on goo. I like to use it on machine tools.

I use lye a lot. Dirt cheap and works well. Only on the rough stuff. Takes paint off too.
 

Qualitytools

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Want2race

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Nov 8, 2008
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Simple green is corrosive on aluminum... Don't use it there! It will discolor and strip some of the anti corrosion finish.
 

Kevin54

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Jan 12, 2005
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29,341
Location
Urbana, Ohio
lacquer thinner!

My dad used to use lacquer thinner all of the time on his engines. He's dump it in the spray gun and tune it into a finer spray and go to town. The engine was spotless after that. But, it will kill grass, and it will eat up asphalt it if drips a lot. Best thing is to do it in gravel.

a handfull of quarters and a self serve car wash

dont forget your raincoat, you'll probably get wet


:beer:

I spray all of my engines off at the carwash. A couple of cans of Gunk engine degreaser, and about $10 in quarters, and go at it.
 
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hal1

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May 10, 2015
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244
Location
Phoenix
Just had a small oil leak. from Home Depot, for $8.00, it's called Chomp Pull It Out Concrete Stain remover. The only bad thing is that that spot is now cleaner than the rest of the driveway
 

d.mcfarland

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Jun 18, 2012
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Western PA
The best depends on the circumstance and location. What I would use on my engine is not what I would use on concrete. Different objectives.
 

MagnumForce

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Syndet, we buy it in 55 gallon drums, not sure if it is commercially available but the stuff is amazing.
 

LS6 Tommy

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Northern NJ
Oil eater at Costco, beats simple green, engine bright, purple power... But can't touch a true solvent like white gas :)

X2 on the Oileater. I did the underhood area of the Malibu with it & have sworn by it ever since. 50/50 with water should do it. I have found it may rarely streak some types of paint if used full strength.

Frontendcrop2.jpg


IMG_3616.jpg


Tommy
 

Qualitytools

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Hi Lynn-

You're looking for the 14416 CRC Hydroforce Industrial Strength. They don't make it easy... have had bottle, label changes, and their site is not the easiest to navigate at times.

It's available on Amazon under that PN.

I just received it from AMAZON, will try it and give some feedback. I will be using it on the underside of the car where I have had (now fixed) some oil, power steering leaks as well as road grime and the associated stuff that gets collected on a 15 year old car on the road.
 

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amalik

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Feb 3, 2016
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221
X2 on the Oileater. I did the underhood area of the Malibu with it & have sworn by it ever since. 50/50 with water should do it. I have found it may rarely streak some types of paint if used full strength.

Frontendcrop2.jpg


IMG_3616.jpg


Tommy

Hi Tommy,

On the oil eater, there are numerous products.

I see some at home depot and some others at costco.

can you tell me which one you have exactly direct experience with? I have some *nasty* caked up oil from leaks on my 97 4runner.

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Oil-Eater-1-Gal-Cleaner-Degreaser-4-Pack-AOD1G35437/205857283

Is that good? Also, pressure washer with house water (cold), is that OK? I also live right next to a bunch of coin operated washes.
 
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LS6 Tommy

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Dec 27, 2013
Messages
26,162
Location
Northern NJ
Hi Tommy,

On the oil eater, there are numerous products.

I see some at home depot and some others at costco.

can you tell me which one you have exactly direct experience with? I have some *nasty* caked up oil from leaks on my 97 4runner.

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Oil-Eater-1-Gal-Cleaner-Degreaser-4-Pack-AOD1G35437/205857283

Is that good? Also, pressure washer with house water (cold), is that OK? I also live right next to a bunch of coin operated washes.

I use the "household" concentrate:

http://oileater.com/household/cleaner-degreaser/


Tommy
 

Ttyson

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Joined
Feb 15, 2017
Messages
7
I use mineral spirits and the air hose...then wipe clean with a clean shop towel
 

stonesfan68

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Apr 19, 2012
Messages
2,764
Location
Houston, TX
I just received it from AMAZON, will try it and give some feedback. I will be using it on the underside of the car where I have had (now fixed) some oil, power steering leaks as well as road grime and the associated stuff that gets collected on a 15 year old car on the road.



The CRC HydroForce Degreaser is good stuff. You can get it at Grainger or Zoro as well.

CRC Part # 14416

Grainger Item # 3EED1

Zoro item # G3752612




Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
 
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Pig9r

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Nov 27, 2016
Messages
60
Another vote for Oil Eater but it can leave an oxidized looking residue on aluminum.

For the engine compartment I like to use Dow Scrubbing Bubbles bathroom cleaner. It's safe for metal, plastic etc. Spray, let it sit for a few minutes, then hose it off. Repeat if necessary. Don't do it over your drive way the first time.
 

ALLFAST

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Feb 20, 2017
Messages
1,233
Location
Northern California
If you can find a product called Opti-Kleen , it is super.Especially if used straight. I use it at work.
I had a big glob of thick copper anti seize freshly stuck to a steel painted bulkhead, 6 feet above an overhead deck.
I sprayed it on straight (no dilution with water) and the glob slid down in a clean trail. It's ABSOLUTELY non toxic and is used to clean fish hatchery tanks and is food grade. No residue if properly diluted.

Next up, and a new addition to Home Depot on the West Coat is Krud-Kutter. A less pricey version of OptiKleen. I have used 3 gallons recently over 3 months. It tears through grease and slop that is 10X worse than any work truck or old automobile will present. Just perfect when used non diluted and does a fabulous job when diluted on less bothersome messes and stains.NON TOXIC.

I enter very confined spaces in an Industrial Marine environment and the Purple Power,Zep, and other such rot gut is NO BUENO for my skin and it makes me ill with a short exposure.

Also, I regularly use my 2 favorites here to obliterate very dark soot diesel stains from bright white painted bulkheads. It rarely disturbs the paint, and the rest of the offerings eat the gloss right off of our Interthane catalyzed epoxy paints.
(Toxic in its own right).

If you tried my 2 straight, with a course scrub brush, you would be shocked at the results.

Just my .35 worth !



Good Luck !

Shawn
 

Bondo

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Joined
Dec 22, 2007
Messages
2,550
Location
Greenfield, Maine
I need to degrease the front end of my 99 250 7.3 to help find an oil leak. Some is fresh, some is caked on real good. I've used Simple Green, and Purple Power, and it took some of the fresh stuff off, but didn't touch the old stuff.

I have some engine bright that I'm going to try, but wanted to see if anyone had any better suggestions first.


Thanks,
Brian

Ayuh,... Start with a putty knife, 'n wire brush,...
Then spray with diesel fuel / home heatin' oil, let soak, 'n then power wash it all off,...
 
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Socket Pounder

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Joined
Feb 7, 2017
Messages
329
Location
Santa Clarita
I don't know the best but I use Home Depot brand orange citrus degreaser and it covers my needs. It's basically generic Zep. It'll take paint off if you leave it too long. It also stings if you get it on a soft spot like the bottom of your wrist.
 
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