Parts Cleaner Fluid

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My 20 gallon parts cleaner fluid is getting old. What is everyone using? You know what I am cleaning.
So far three XS2’s, two 73 TX650’s and one 1981 XS650SH. The fluid is getting really dirty.
Thanks guys.
Bill
 
My 20 gallon parts cleaner fluid is getting old. What is everyone using? You know what I am cleaning.
So far three XS2’s, two 73 TX650’s and one 1981 XS650SH. The fluid is getting really dirty.
Thanks guys.
Bill
Hi Bill,
Low-cost cleaning solvent is available from a filling station's diesel pump.
 
Kerosene at a fleet / farm store filling station pump
 
Kerosene at a fleet / farm store filling station pump

Hi Mikey,
Kerosene at a farm store is same stuff as Diesel fuel at a filling station but costs less because it's taxed less?
Up here the tax Nazis have color cards to test non-farm vehicles' fuel to see if it's dyed pink (farm use only) or not.
 
Where is your parts washer parked? If it's in an attached garage I would be inclined to use soap rather than something that can feed a fire.
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Where is your parts washer parked? If it's in an attached garage I would be inclined to use soap rather than something that can feed a fire.
Most modern parts washer tanks have a fusible link holding the lid up... at least mine does. At least that mitigates the fire danger some.
 
Where is your parts washer parked? If it's in an attached garage I would be inclined to use soap rather than something that can feed a fire.
d10a6685-962d-411a-8647-b69f2748b4f3.9a07433e6a5a4aa5fa98d5817eae5da7.jpeg
Great cleaner but can do nasty stuff to aluminum if left on too long. Also hard on electronic devices like sensors. Found out the hard way on my wife’s Miata. Decided to wash the engine so I gave it a liberal spray with Super Clean and it took out a couple of sensors. Also removes your fingerprints if you use it without gloves on. Lol. I still use it but with caution.
 
Most modern parts washer tanks have a fusible link holding the lid up... at least mine does. At least that mitigates the fire danger some.

I can attest to that, when I was a welder in a fleet garage, I was using an angle grinder on something and I was about 8-10 feet away from our parts washer. A big one with a 50 gallon drum under a big basin, anyways the sparks from my grinder started a fire in that basin and man it grew huge in a hurry. Before any of us had a chance to grab a fire extinguisher , that fusible link Jim was talking about , melted and that lid slammed shut and immediately extinguished the flame. It was pretty impressive really.

I also caught a gas pump on fire once, that was a lot more exiting! :yikes:
 
Varsol, AKA Stoddard solvent.

It isn't very flammable. I've seen an angle grinder discharging sparks directly into a parts washer with it in it and nothing happened.

I used to clean parts in it for hours some days, with no gloves. I had no adverse effects. However I seem to have been sensitized to it over the years, so now even brief exposure gets my skin broken and burning, so use gloves no matter what you use. It's not odorless by any means, but is surely light years ahead of diesel, aka, the stench that will not die.

Super clean will take your skin off. It has sodium hydroxide in it, which is lye and sodium metasilicate, which is also corrosive. We have a 208l drum at work, and under the tap used to dispense it, it has dried out into a white crust. It has dried out and split the polypropylene drum dolly it is held in. Nasty stuff at full strength. It will likely destroy any rubber seals and hoses in short order.
 
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I'm using PSC1000, I top it up with kerosene and mineral sprits mixed. I also occasionally strain it through coffee filters when it gets to dirty. I keep a big magnet on the bottom of my parts washer to collect ferrous debris.
 
Great cleaner but can do nasty stuff to aluminum if left on too long. Also hard on electronic devices like sensors. Found out the hard way on my wife’s Miata. Decided to wash the engine so I gave it a liberal spray with Super Clean and it took out a couple of sensors. Also removes your fingerprints if you use it without gloves on. Lol. I still use it but with caution.
I use it often, but I am cautious with it. Full strength, it's pretty good at removing paint, especially if it was sprayed from a rattle can. I'm also aware that it eats aluminum. That said, I don't think I've ever done damage with it. I've always diluted it, and/or thoroughly removed it with water. Super Clean sure does get after the grease! Be careful what you're cleaning with it.
 
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