Engine component cleaning

[cnprior]

Evening,

I've been cleaning sumps and rocker covers using Mr. Muscle oven cleaner.....works quite well if left half hour then scrubbed.
but am a bit nervous to use this on Aluminium, cam bearing caps.

What other chemical cleaners would you suggest to clean aluminium cam bearing caps?

I have heard brake cleaner, but this sounds expensive.

Advice please....

Thanks,

Chris

[LunarOne]

Brake cleaner would seem much cheaper than the vapour blasting cabinet that Sreten from M539 Restorations uses to clean his engine components...

[finlo]

Put them through the dishwasher when the wife is out.

[jfdi]

finlo said:

Put them through the dishwasher when the wife is out.

I wouldn't put a dishwasher tablet in with aluminium parts though, it will discolour them.

[hellorent]

Paraffin

[colin_p]

hellorent said:

Paraffin

Yes, I've used a deep baking tray with paraffin with great success, even letting stuff soak.

I then used to wash that off with WD40, but now favour aerosol brake cleaner for rinsing off.

[DVandrews]

Jizer, followed by William’s wheel cleaner. Have cleaned hundreds if not thousands of parts with those two.

Dave

[cnprior]

Thanks - will try paraffin. Any idea where I can buy some please?

[LunarOne]

cnprior said:

Thanks - will try paraffin. Any idea where I can buy some please?

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Barrettine-Premium-Grade-...

You can also buy it at DIY stores:
https://www.homebase.co.uk/bartoline-premium-grade...

As this is PH, you could also siphon some out of one of the fuel tanks of your private jet or if you're a pauper, your turboprop...

Edited by LunarOne on Friday 9th February 11:44

[donkmeister]

cnprior said:

Evening,

I've been cleaning sumps and rocker covers using Mr. Muscle oven cleaner.....works quite well if left half hour then scrubbed.
but am a bit nervous to use this on Aluminium, cam bearing caps.

Just to weigh in, that you are correct to be nervous. The active ingredient in every oven cleaner I've used is concentrated sodium hydroxide, which will react with aluminium. It even strips off the oxide layer first, that layer being what usually protects aluminium from reacting with chemicals.