Cleaning mechanical parts

[Guest Ken G]

I have been spending much of my weekends cleaning up the engine and other mechanical parts of my 1925 Rover 16/50, which had decades of accumulated gunge but fortunately very little rust, partly because quite a lot of outside surfaces are aluminium (with two letter Is). After removing the worst with an old screwdriver and a small paint scraper, I have been using old toothbrushes, ordinary paint thinners, and lots of elbow-grease. I have just been browsing other places on the internet, and been left with the impression that paint thinners is not a good idea, not from the health point of view -- I'm sure it's bad for you, but so are many other things -- but because it might cause damage, although I cannot see how. The differential housing is held together with dozens of nuts and bolts, and it is almost impossible to get anything in to clean around them (even a toothbrush won't get in there), so the temptation is to use quantities of solvent.

I have no (water) pressure washer, but I'm not sure that it would be very effective, I couldn't use one in my garage, and in any case I would be concerned at the amount of water that would inevitably get into the inside of the car (up through the floor-boards).

Has anyone any ideas/suggestions?

[John N. Packard]

Ken,

It's a lot of work; but I disassemble everything, sand blast, prime, and paint. Then reassemble with new bushings etc. as needed. My biggest problem is the fasteners. Haven't come up with any really satisfactory way to restore them. Cleaning the assembled parts in place does not work for me.

jnp

[Ron Green]

I have had success using laquar (spell check) thinner with a good stiff brush. It takes a little time but before to long the grime will slowly melt away. You also need to use a respirator (canister type) which are not that expensive. The method John P mentions is the best if you are going for a perfect job.

John P, try sending your fasteners, brackets, etc out to a cad plater. You will be surprised just how cheap it is for the results. I had fair amount of stuff done for around $150.

[Guest Ken G]

Thanks, Ron and John. Yes, I am well aware that the best thing is to dismantle completely. Indeed, that what I did with the steering (the ball joints needed extreme measures), the brake distribution (rods) and come to that, the head and the oil pan. However, I don't think there's anything wrong with the inside of the back axle/differential, and having taken so much apart necessarily I am reluctant to dismantle anything unnecessarily, particularly because it would involve messing with wheel bearings. I suspect they have pre-loading, but I have no instructions; the service manual basically says they should only be touched at the factory!

It just occurs to me that there may be a half-way measure. I could remove a few nuts and bolts at a time, clean them up and the places they came from, put them back and move on, so avoiding actually taking the axle apart. I'll look at that possibility this weekend.

I suspect that lacquer thinners is essentially the same thing that I am using, and am relieved that so far at least nobody has suggested that it will do any harm to the car.

Ken G, 1925 Rover 16/50

[ronbarn]

I built a parts cleaner: Acquired a junked stainless steel sink cheap (metal tub or sink would work), bought a metal flexible hose at a machinery supply, and a submersible pump at WW Grainger. Placed the pump into a 5 gallon can and plumbed is with PVC and rubber hoses to circulate mineral spirits. I use mineral spirits (paint thinner) since I can buy it less expensively in 5 gallon quantities and also since I was told by a chemist that most of the so-called parts cleaner fluids are mineral spirits with perfume added to change the smell.

I also use a wire brush on a bench grinder and when all the major grease and dirt has been removed, if needed bead blast the part. Remember, if you remove all the grime and paint down to bare metal, get some nonhygroscopic paint on the cleaned metal as soon as possible.

Your idea of removed just some bolts or nuts just a few at a time is OK - IF they are not associated with a part that requires precise torque.

You obviously have found that this is a tedious miserable part of a restoration. Just think positively and remember you are not the Lone Ranger - we've all been there and done that. Years ago when my son was helping clean the chassis of our '34 Chevy, he would yell, "Hey Dad, there goes the 1960's dirt, hey here's some '50s, and there's some '40s..." etc.

One last tip - Go to Harbor Freight or a medical supply and get a few boxes of latex gloves - they protect the skin and your significant other will appreciate the cleaner hands.

[Guest Albert]

For most part I have been using a mixture of varisol / diesel and gunk to get the heavy stuff off, just soaking everything that in incrusted,if it is too thick a putty knife and a wire bursh helps,. Then just hose off and the oily film left can be remove easly with the citrus cleaners. The paint thinners can remove the paint before you have time to figure out how things where painter before. For the big parts frame, control arms axle's, etc. the big sand blaster works the best..have gone through 1200 lbs of sand in a day! and made a sand box in the backyard in the process....

[Restorer32]

A word of caution about sandblasting. We've done a LOT of it in 23 years, everything from Motorcycle frames to Duesenberg Sheetmetal (yes it's possible to sb sheetmetal without damaging it). If you sandblast, let's say, a differential assembly, even if you try to protect the machined surfaces and axle ends you will ALWAYS get sand inside the thing. Plan on complete disassembly of any mechanical parts you sandblast. Unless of course the idea of sand wandering around inside things doesn't bother you. I've seen "restored" cars where the entire chassis was sandblasted and painted as a unit...BAD IDEA. One particular '32 Packard I became associated with had had this treatment...it always left a trail of sand behind when it was pushed around the shop...

[Guest Ken G]

Just a brief thanks to all the respondents. I knew I wasn't alone, but it helps to be reminded. I look forward to the day when my fore-arms are not bruised from working at arm's length through limited spaces. I don't expect to do any sand-blasting, but the awful warnings are certainly something to bear in mind.

Ken G, 1925 Rover 16/50

[Guest Albert]

I know what you mean about the sand... it's like it a ghost, it passes through the smallest of holes and gets everywhere.. I took all the machined parts off before I blasted and cleaned then in the parts tank. The rear axle was blasted without the half axles, taken apart and washed out after to make sure. All it takes is one grain of sand to end up in a main bearing...