[richr]

Purchased a 20 gallon parts washer over the weekend and having a difficult time finding a place that sells cleaning fluid for it. The booklet it came with says you can use kerosene but I am a little uncomfortable with that.

I read a previous post from Rainer and he used Simple Green. However I understnd that an additive is needed to keep the metal tank from rusting.

Do any of you guys have some ideas on a good fluid to use besides kerosene and where to buy it ?

Have any of you tried simple green?

Thks

Rich

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70 SS - L34
Sea Mist Green
N.J.
Member # 442
www.chevelles.com/showroom/richr1

 

[flywheel]

Richr, I got some solvent from a safty-clean guy once.They come around to the shops and exchange the washers for them.After that stuff got dirty I got some concentrate from NAPA,they say to mix it with mineral spirits,just poured it into my washer yesterday and haven't put the spirits in yet,so hope to get that today.Might try Napa auto stores.
Rick

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[JeffK]

I've been using Pure Mineral Spirits. Works great so far.

flywheel, what is the name of this concentrate your talking about?

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JeffK ACES #01510
Team Chevelle Gold #72
496 EFI/Richmond 6-Speed
[email protected]
www.athenet.net/~chevelle

 

[Alan F]

I buy 5 gal. buckets of Varsol at the mechanic's auto supply (not the consumer one, ie. AZ).

 

[Byfield]

Look for a large farm supply place. Here in the midwest, we have both Farm & Fleet, and Fleet/Farm (yeah, 2 different places, almost same name).

That's where we buy our cleaner, and I'm guessing that anyplace which deals with farm machinery would carry similar products.

Kurt

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The 68 Chevelle info page. [last updated Nov. 30, 98]
www.geocities.com/~68_chevelle/Chevelle/Info.html
Email: [email protected]
T.C. Gold #6
A.C.E.S. #1352

 

[sam]

I have used regular Mineral Spirits for years. It has less smell than kerosene, and I just burn it when it gets real dirty. It lasts me about two years. About $1.25/gallon the last time I bought it.


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1970 Chevelle 502-580HP
1992 Trans Am Conv(4Sale)
1992 Taurus SHO
Mercer, PA

 

[Wes V]

Talk to your local Snap-On guy and find out where you can purchase 5 gallon drums of solvent. (Don't buy it from him unless you have body parts you don't need)

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Wes. Vann
Technical Reference & Wagons sections
Gold Member #5

 

[Tom Kordick]

I also have been using Mineral Spirts. Buy it in a five gallon container at Lowes or Home Depot.

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[Cam Sweet]

SAFE!! The key word here boys, is SAFE!!

Cam

 

[richr]

Well by the responses and some questions I have been asking some freinds, I think Mineral Spirits may be the best bet. I would like to try the Simple Green option as it seems to be the safest but of course worry about the tank rusting. I will try and track the phone number down for Simple Green, see if I can find out the additive that prevents the rusting of the tank etc. If I find out I will share it with all. However if any of you guys find out - pls let me know.


Thks

Rich

 

[sam]

The thing to remember if you live in a climate where it freezes, is that most any water based solvent will freeze and be useless. Not to mention that if it freezes in the washer pump, it will crack the housing and become a nice paperweight. I bought some good stuff from Grainger and tested it in the freezer. It froze. Thats why I now use Mineral Spirits.

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1970 Chevelle 502-580HP
1992 Trans Am Conv(4Sale)
1992 Taurus SHO
Mercer, PA

 

[BillK]

Rich,
Most of the mineral solvents are ok if you use gloves with them. None of them are completely safe. Safety Kleen is slowly changing all their stuff over to a water based cleaner and it really works very well, plus it can be rinsed off with water and it dries real easy. I would have to say that it works better than the "regular" solvent in our other machine. Most of the mineral solvents take forever to dry, if that is a concern. The Safety Kleen machine that we have with the water based solvent in it is heated so the freeze problem would not be a factor. It also has a rust inhibitor in it. I do not know how good it would work cold ??? I think that mineral solvents will be a thing of the past very soon, the EPA rules on evaporation are killing them off.
Hope this helps,


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Bill Koustenis
Advanced Automotive Machine
Waldorf Md

1971 Heavy Chevy - original owner
Team Chevelle #100

 

[flywheel]

Jeffk, the NAPA stuff is #6101 Degreasing compound.The guy told me to mix it 1 part napa to 5 parts kerosene or mineral spirts.
ZEP also sells some stuff that works, look for a ZEP Rep.in the phone book.

 

[hangten]

Attention all mineral sprirts users.DO YOU HAVE FIRE INSURANCE? Here in Southern California using flammable products for parts cleaners is a citable offense by the local fire authorities and homeowners insurance is voided if a fire is a result of using that product. Disposal is also a big issue if you play by the rules. I do not prefer have my water contaminated. I purchased a Snap-On brand parts washer made of ABS plastic that uses Simple Green as a cleaner. Used in Conjuction with a built-in heating element (completely safe only with a non-petroleum cleaner!)It works nearly as good as my old safty-Kleen unit, and since its in my garage, I feel safe when its 100 degrees out side and Im at work. I was told as of jan 98 a petroleum based unit was illegal in California. The Simple Green waste product is accepted by our local recycler. The same place you would take old paints and solvents. The ground is not an option.

[This message has been edited by hangten (edited 11-12-99).]