Lets Talk Degreasers

I need to clean my 67 frame before I drop the BBB in so I am looking for good cleaners. Here's a few recommended on the web. I'm trying them on the ST 300 that came out - nice and nasty!

First up:


I used a ZEP Sprayer full strength and let it soak for 2 minutes. I then used a new clean brush and more spray to clean the area:

Nice job - no hard scrubbing! Next:

Same process - spray, let soak, brush off with spray:

Decent - took a little longer and more scrubbing.
Lastly:

This had a hard spray from the can. I used a "semi-clean" brush, but same process:

Similar to using brake cleaner. After brushing it could blow some more grease off with just the force from the can. You can see the grease running down the bell housing just from the excess:
Cost:
Purple Power - $7 for a gal. (Walmart)
Super Clean - $ 10 per gal. (Walmart)
WD-40 - $9 per can (15 oz) (Home Depot)

The WD-40 did the best job but is very expensive for doing a lot of cleaning. Brake Cleaner is as good and cheaper. The Super Clean did a better job than the Purple Power, but is a little more expensive.

After doing more cleaning the biggest issue I had was using a soiled brush. It just pushed the dissolved grease around. I need to think about that.

Power washer? I find cold water doesn't do a great job on grease. Hot water in a power washers does fantastic - but drains the hot water heater fast! Also, now its cold outside and I really don't like the cold...

I say the Super Clean is the best bang for the buck! I will follow up when I do the frame/inner fenders/firewall on the 67.

 

I have 2 outside water mixing valves and use just warm water. I use Simple Green, Purple Power or Grease lightning. Letting it soak for 10-15 minutes Then I use my 4000psi pressure washer.
Be careful of using hot water in a standard pressure washer as it can damage the pump assembly.
I use a full face shield also
Have fun as it is only getting colder out

 

Heat it up with a heat lamp or halogen work light and it will soften it up.


Keith

 

Wd-40 is available in 1 gallon cans.

A pressure washer is the way to go. pre-treat the nasty areas and then have at it. Its not an enjoyable job.

 

years ago simple green alone was great. now, not do much

 

I spray stuff down with purple power then key it soak and spray clean at the local car wash. I have an industrial 220V pressure washer (hot, cold, and soap inputs) that I’m hard mounting to my garage but I would still do really messy stuff at the car wash.

 

Yeah, when it first came out back in the eighties it was great! Later I noticed it didn’t work as good. Heard they changed the formula, and apparently ruined it.

 

A typical power washer pump will take 140deg of heated water as long as u don’t let it go into by pass mode by releasing the handle/trigger thus using the heated water to recirculate to cool the pump head. I use 210deg 3500psi/4gpm and it will clean it almost ready to top coat. Once u own a good steamer/pwr washer you will always have one.

 

Well EZ Off will work great but for goodness sakes wear gloves and have a door open if you use it. It’s strong crap.

 

Parson's sudsy amonia is a good degreaser along with oven cleaner. Scraping off the heavy stuff before using chemicals helps a lot too.

 

Purple Power is lye, just like EZ-Off. Anything that works well is going to be a strong chemical, and as Bostoncat68 sez, protect yourself.

 

I would start with a putty knife there and scrape most of it off first.

 

I tried to clean it first at the car wash. They changed ownership and had turned off the hot water. A**Holes. Wasted my $6 of quarters!

 

Lye is Sodium hydroxide. Purple Power uses Potassium hydroxide.

 

Yeah yeah yeah you’re going to think I’m nuts but I use gasoline and a brush. Do like other people said, use a putty knife to scrape off the thick grease and then start brushing away. If you want to be eco-friendly stick a hunk of plastic with a bunch of newspaper underneath of it so the gas in grease has something to soak into. Then fold it up and throw it in the trashcan. I know, a bunch of you are going to tell me I am flat out crazy, and I’m going to blow myself up. Gas is cheap, compared to cleaners, and I haven’t blown myself up yet

 

I've used Gas at times too ! Use a " Kiddie Pool " from Dollar General . Its also the cheapest place for Purple Power . Gas first then wash off with the Purple power

 

Kiddie Pool, Gasoline and an angle grinder. The last things you'll ever use.

 

We rebuild speed reducers here at work and use Green Gator. It is a formula that is special blended and does the best job of anything we have ever used. Trust me when I say it works!! I wish I had a way to get it to you, you would be amazed. "I think"

 

I went and looked at my jug. I was wrong, it is sodium silicate in my jug of Purple Power. Maybe it's different in different parts of the country?

 

i use LA,s totally ausome can find at dollar stores for $1 for 32.oz a guy at work turned me on to this product.work good on garage floor