I am fed up with cleaning crankcases and the like by hand and am considering investing in an Industrial Steam Cleaner, do any Forum users have any pearls of wisdom/advice/experience using them/one for sale?

All comments gratefully received.

R, in my experience, admittedly with what would now be quite old machines, you would still need to use gunk or jizer before steam cleaning. You may have problems over the foul water going into the drains too, depends how much you upset your neighbors! I wasn't ever all that impressed with the steam cleaners in the garages I worked in.

If you have space for one get hold of an old dish washer they do a fantastic job! My race engine bits always went in the dish washer after any work was carried out, then in the oven on 120c for an hour to make sure they were 100% dry.

S

hi R,

cover the crankcase liberally with paint stripper first.

although you might want to use the neighbours drive.

tony

Location: back in the warm

Thanks Stuart,

I have now destroyed three (free) dishwashers, and yes they do make a good job, can get about 4 engines out of each one before they die! Have now run out of them hence having to resort to hand cleaning again...

Thanks for that tip Tony.

Ruairidh,
I use a Baby Burco
with a strong solution of biological washing powder, then pressure wash. This will remove all the carbon deposits especially if you remove heavy oil deposits first with your chosen degreaser.
Hope this is of help.

Location: Deepest darkest Kent.

I used to soak realy dirty bits in paraffin for a couple of days first and use my mates paraffin wash bath (which are probably banned by now for commercial use!) then put in the dish washer, that shifted most grot without ruining my mothers dish washer......

Thanks Robert and Stuart.

The Baby Burco, is this a water boiler? Neat idea, thanks! What size allows a crankcase to fit inside?

hi R,

most industrial cleaning companies, aqua blasters etc. what ever you prefer. charge around £80.00 for a crankcase.

if it takes more value in time to clean it yourself. it may be cheaper to have someone else clean them.

then put the hours into something else.

tony

Location: back in the warm

What are your thoughts on soda blasting? I have recently had a crankcase done this way at reasonable cost and was very pleased with results.

I have heard it is good, does it require special blasting equipment do you know?

I dont think so, the guys who did it for me also do the usual media blasting. What appealed to me is that it is not an aggressive media and the soda is soluble so easy to clean out of oilways etc, I thought the finish was quite good.... much like a new casting. I will try to post some photos tomorrow.
Are you thinking about a home use set up or outsourcing.

Hi Ian,

ideally at home, I already have a large blast cabinet and suitable air flow etc. hence my earlier question, do you think it could be converted?

Soda blasting....

http://www.aircooledtech.com/tools-on-the-cheap/soda_blaster/

I also bought a soda blaster (from Millar Blasting) for a few of the reasons you state but also it means I can blast my Moto Guzzi engine / gearbox, rear bevel box and wheel centre which are all ally but painted.

They get a bit manky after a couple of years running so a quick soda blast brings them up a treat again.

It makes a lovely job of carbs as well.

I don't bother to strip anything off - I do it on the motorbike after doing a bit of paint masking, and you will have to wash things down afterwards however if a bit of soda gets into the engine, no problems. After all, what you are using is similar to Andrews Liver salts (be careful how much you ingest as it can gove you a good run for your money). The main caveat is to be careful where you point the blast nozzle as soda blasting shifts paint.

A further use is for stripping paint or varnish off woodwork. It makes a lovely job but best done outdoors (I am banned from going anywhere near the house with the soda blaster if doors or windows are open)

I have a couple of photos of a Zenith carb before & after cleaning - I will attach them if someone gives me a clue how to do it.


One further, rather important caveat:

Soda or grit blasting requires exactly the same type of equipment (slight differences in pressure is all). There are people I know who use soda in their grit blasting pot however I bought two pots / blast hoses and nozzles and keep them completely separate as I really do not wish to mix them - in my opinion the cost of buying two sets of blast gear pales into insignificance when balanced against the risk, and cost, of getting piece of blast grit in an engine / other bit of mechanical kit.

Location: Baku, where the sun is currently cracking the flagstones

Millar Soda Blasting site:

http://www.millarsodablasting.com

Jeff.

Location: Almost but not quite, the far North East of England

Good morning Ruairdh. I think things have got a little confused over your question. Before subjecting anything to any form of blasting - bead, grit or soda it is essential that the component is thoroughly de-greased first. I have a de-greasing tank with re-cycling hose and brush but after using this I always use my pressure washer. Having thoroughly dried the component (in the oven whilst swmbo is at bridge) only then would I blast clean it. Failure to do so leads to oilways etc becoming contaminated with blast media and oil.
However I recently had the opportunity to use a hot water pressure washer and this cut through the residual dirt effortlessly and would go to the top of my wish list if had the space for one.
Regards from the creative county.
Stuart

Thank you all, it is very interesting reading (to me) and has given me much to think on, good ideas and first hand advice experience, much appreciated.

I have two blast cabinets so perhaps one could be used for soda and the other for grit?

Stuart (I use a very similar initial process as you do) has brought it back around to the hot water/steam cleaners that I think I am after, as well as the above, anyone have specific model make that will cut through grime/oil and carbon?

R,

I don't possess a hot pressure washer, but do have a cold pressure washer, which has lasted me for years, it was quite expensive at the time, being near the top of their then domestic rather than industrial range, but you get what you pay for - mine's a German made Karcher, can recommend the brand without hesitation.

They have a couple of ex display Hot Pressure washers for sale on their site.......call for pricing.

http://www.karcher-center-aquaspray.co.uk/karcher-commercial/ex-display-sale.html

Also a Nilfisk Alto part ex machine here ...

http://www.karcher-center-aquaspray.co.uk/karcher-commercial/pressure-washers/ex-demo-used-machines.html

Interesting, but rather expensive ......

http://www.karcher-center-aquaspray.co.uk/karcher-commercial/bio-parts-cleaners/karcher-pc-100-m2-bio-parts-cleaner-16267220.html

Jeff.

Location: Almost but not quite, the far North East of England

When you use soda blasting media, as well as cleaning the component, you are de-greasing it at the same time so a separate de-grease may not be needed. Blasting companies use it for cleaning very mucky commercial kitchens etc.

Have a look at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NpjRBHz8QtQ

I have a blast cabinet but never use it as unlike Garnet grit for example, soda is expendable & cannot effectively be re-used. The big boys use wet blasting as the process kicks up a fair bit of dust.
My old Auntie bless her, used to say "trust in the Lord and keep your bowels open". Do enough soda blasting and all you'll need to add is some religion...

Location: Baku, where the sun is currently cracking the flagstones

Hi, Hope I'm not breaking any Forum rules, but I'm happy to vapour blast an A7 crankcase.(or any other parts) If supplied de-greased shouldn't cost any more than £40.
Thanks
Dave

Location: South Oxon

Jeff and Vin, thank you for your considered thoughts and research, it is all very interesting.


Dave your offer seems a very reasonable one and if I get stuck I will get in touch, thank you.

I used to use a DryIce shot blaster on some VERY large rotary printing presses, that did a good job of removing rubbish, dirt, congealed ink, and evaporated too, just left a pile of detritus on the floor.

Location: saff coast, still quite soggy,

Have a video of someone spraying stove cleaner onto a gearbox, and pressure washing later.
End result was a sparkling, as new 'box.

Geoff - Just modified a music stand sheet holder for armchair use. Man's ingenuity never fails to impress

Location: South Norfolk - Next to Suffolk

Just to clarify my position and purpose on this, I am much more concerned with the inside being spotlessly clean than the outside being clean at all.

Many years ago Rhairidh ,I worked on very dirty Lister Diesel engines,We stripped them down put the parts into a mild caustic heated tank overnight and pressure washed in the morning, all carbon,oil stais and paint were removed.This Video looks quite a useful workshop addition but doubt it would take a crankcase. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4FsF0s8FFlQ

Location: Piddle valley, Dorchester.

I like that!

Thanks.

I think that is what V&A engineering in Bristol used to clean engine parts before rebuilding an engine. They sponsored my race car for a while when we were developing the engine, no cash, but lots of free machining, it worked for me!

Anyway, back to the point...

Steel and Iron parts came out with a greyish dull finish and were so clean that, if left in the workshop unpainted, they would go rusty overnight I remember the guy who operated the "bath" wore thick rubber apron and gloves so I guess the stuff wasnt suitable for home use. lol

An idea R, how about conning, oops sorry I mean persuading, one of the suitable suppliers to do a site visit and test, you might have to hint that you have several hundred friends who might buy one...... or that you might just buy the £2500 model.....

Thanks Hedd for the reminder about the stuff.
I've never used it myself, other than for its intended purpose, but wouldn't using a pressure washer blast it all off?

Geoff - My garage drawer organising marathon looks to be on final approach at last!

Location: South Norfolk - Next to Suffolk

Gents,

Not wishing to teach granny to suck eggs but I would exercise caution when using a caustic bath to clean aluminium & it's alloys.

I used to use a caustic bath to clean my ally aircraft parts (to remove welding flux which is highly corrosive), but you have to be careful how long you leave the parts in there; the strength of the solution obviously plays a part as does temperature - if the solution has been heated, it works quicker. If you leave the parts in too long, then the caustic solution starts to eat away at the ally. Once or twice, I have seen the less careful end up with their parts reduced to sludge in the bottom of the tank.

If you are careful, it will do a nice cleaning job on your crankcase but as you may have gathered if you read my posts above, I am very biased these days towards soda blasting which as they say, does everything bar mend broken legs...

Location: Baku, where the sun is currently cracking the flagstones

Ruairidh, I would seek out companies specialising in diesel engine reconditioning (large 4x4 and that sort of thing) local to you and go and see them. Most have hot parts washers, which amount to industrial size top loading dishwashers with long cycle times for cleaning parts. Befriend the foreman and get them to do it for you for a few quid a time.

Ian Mc.

Location: Shropshire

This link for a suitable product was posted on the Model Engineering forum.

Geoff - Workshop time

Location: South Norfolk - Next to Suffolk

Hi Geof, this is likely to be a combination of phosphoric and hydrochloric acid, very similar to alloy wheel, truck or boat cleaners. They do work but you need to throughly degrease the item first and care is required as they will etch the surface.

Thanks for that Ian.
Like Hedd, I don't go in for all shiny bling on old cars, unless factory supplied.
Straight forward clean does it for me.
New paint job a different story of course, as it's not easy to add patina. Life is just too short to experiment on achieving this, although it would be most interesting would it not.

Geoff - Simple is me

Location: South Norfolk - Next to Suffolk

Peter Walton on the Model-Engineer Forum posted this:
"Best thing I have found to clean aluminium is boiled rhubarb is also fairly gentle on the ally.
Rhubarb contains some oxalic acid, even more in the leaves, use warm and it will clean off the oxide layer! wash well afterwards."

May be worth trying, or buying a pack of oxalic acid powder.

Geoff - Garage time.

Location: South Norfolk - Next to Suffolk

And if it doesn't work, you can always break out the custard...

Location: Baku. But not for much longer...

Tried the custard Vin,things seem a lot more gooey now,anyone know how to get custard off?

Location: Piddle valley, Dorchester.

You just need to lick it into shape!

Location: Oxford, sunny afternoon

Thank you for all your ideas, experiences and even your recipes! I am very grateful.

I will let you know what I decide to do and the successes and pitfalls of my decision!