Parts Washer Fluid

[qwakers]

yup

 

[Cobbler]

yup

New or old? They’ve changed it, supposed to be more corrosive, KimB posted about it

 

[qwakers]

a couple of weeks old. it is very caustic, but you're not leaving it on for hours. a few mins scrubbing and rinse is not going to damage anything.

 

[JOEPRO]

I buy water based degreaser in 25l drums from ebay. Then I use about a 30% mix with water in my parts washer. Works great. I do not want to risk having a large parts washer full of kero or similar in my garage with classic cars where I weld too!

 

[indy4x]

To reduce the working volume of part washer fluid needed in mine I put a sealed plastic 5L container in the bottom.

Me too

 

[Wedg1e]

I recently bought a big Clarke parts washer and foolishly (naively?) used the detergent they recommended rather than just bunging kerosene in it as the unit specifically said it wasn't recommended. I do wonder why though.

I think mine had the same warning (i.e. just use a mild detergent, which as we all know would be sod-all use) but I got well over a decade out of it permanently immersed in Jizer before the plastics deteriorated. It hadn't stopped working electrically though, and the cable was still supple.
Annoyingly, I had a spare pump that I binned barely weeks earlier thinking I'd never have any use for it.

 

[Turbo]

I use TFR, dilution depends on how strong it is but the stuff I normally get is a 50/50 mix with water.

 

[rcx132]

For those using petroleum based cleaners, beware that these parts cleaners create a mist that is very bad for your health. I do use diesel as it's cheap and much more effective than a water based degreaser, but I wear a mask when using the parts cleaner.

 

[pod70]

I used the Screwfix no nonsense stuff all the time on Ali motorcycle parts and as long as you rinse them in water & dry afterwards, I've never had a problem. If you leave the parts soaking for a few days then they will develop a grey coating. I found this out as I forgot about an Ali sprocket that I started cleaning and then moved onto other jobs. I also 2nd wearing gloves, it really softens your skin after prolonged exposure and the skin starts peeling off a bit like sunburn.

 

[8ob]

I think water soluble is the way to go, most if not everything that goes into a parts washer will need to be get rinsed off with water,the last thing you want going down a drain or into the watercourse is fuels/oils.

Bob

 

[bourbon]

I recently bought a big Clarke parts washer and foolishly (naively?) used the detergent they recommended rather than just bunging kerosene in it as the unit specifically said it wasn't recommended. I do wonder why though.

Sorry. I've only just caught this thread. I was asked exactly the same question last week. The seal material has changed on the newer Parts washers. The solvent based fluids eat them. We only supply water based stuff now.

 

[RWD3M]

I recently bought a big Clarke parts washer and foolishly (naively?) used the detergent they recommended rather than just bunging kerosene in it as the unit specifically said it wasn't recommended. I do wonder why though.

Sorry. I've only just caught this thread. I was asked exactly the same question last week. The seal material has changed on the newer Parts washers. The solvent based fluids eat them. We only supply water based stuff now.

Thanks Dave!

Better late than never