Author Topic: Crock Pot/Anti-Freeze Engine Cleaning. (Read 12463 times)

Dick Pacini · « **on:** January 19, 2012, 06:55:32 AM »

I have read a little about this process and am curious as to who tried it the first time, or how was it discovered? What is the principle behind it? What ingredient in the anti-freeze acts as a solvent? What type of anti-freeze? How hot does it have to be?

I am on my way out the door to buy a larger crock pot for the kitchen and may retire the 2 quart unit to my workshop. It is just the right size for an engine. I have a couple of old OS Max 35's in need of hygiene.

Paul Wood · « **Reply #1 on:** January 19, 2012, 07:42:46 AM »

Dick,

I can't answer all of your questions, but I have used this process in the past. Use the green antifreeze, if you can still find it. I've not tried the pink or yellow blends. Low temp on the crock pot is hot enough, but it will take about 24 hours to be effective. Remove the glow plug; the antifreeze will damage the element. Remove the engine using tongs or pliers. It will be very hot! Flush engine well; long term antifreeze may damage the insides of the engine. FYI, I now use Dawn Power Dissolver, found in any big box store (i.e. Wal-Mart). Plug all ports and fittings and use as directed. Takes about 5 minutes and you will not believe the results. I've cleaned the most gunked engines you can imagine, and they all now look like new. Good luck.

Paul

Gene O'Keefe · « **Reply #2 on:** January 19, 2012, 07:51:35 AM »

Yes, it really does work well....advice: remove any plastic parts (venturi / needle valve) as the hot antifreeze will distort or melt them. I've let it cook (always use lowest setting) for several days and the engines come out looking like new....really baked on stuff can usually be scrubbed off with an old tooth brush.

Mike Griffin · « **Reply #3 on:** January 19, 2012, 08:05:30 AM »

Exactly what Paul said Dick. The power dissolver works really well if you can find it. Crock pot works great too.

Mike

john e. holliday · « **Reply #4 on:** January 19, 2012, 08:56:00 AM »

I use the Crock Pot for cleaning engines. Sometimes it takes a little longer on some and less time on others. I also went to the housewares department of Wally World and bought one of those metal basket stainers to put the parts in. Use the antifreeze made for the new aluminum engines. Also have some good air tool oil for lubricating the parts.

Dennis Adamisin · « **Reply #5 on:** January 19, 2012, 09:40:33 AM »

Like Doc sez, get the stuff for aluminum engines, and sacrifice an old toothbrush.

Old gunked up engines I have cleaned usually loosen up with heat, the crock pot heats up everyting. I usually remove all the parts I can first to get total exposure of all the innards. Of course, DON'T FORCE anything. Pulling the head and back cover exposes the insides, after a couple hours you can usually slip out the P&C and crank, a couple more hours and scrub with the toothbrush, a couple more hours then scrub again, clean, and reassemble with after-run oil.

I HAVE had some trouble with stains in the aluminum - cosmetic/non-functional. Gonna try the Dawn Power dissolver - or maybe Oil of Olay...

Jim Kraft · « **Reply #6 on:** January 19, 2012, 09:53:03 AM »

I keep a roll of mechanics wire by the crock pot, and use it for tying parts to so that I have something to pull them out with when they are hot. I leave the wire hanging over the edge with the lid on, and then when the parts are clean I can pull them out with the wire and hang them to cool a bit before washing them in water. Like Doc says, a parts basket works well for small parts.

RandySmith · « **Reply #7 on:** January 19, 2012, 09:59:52 AM »

Quote from: Mike Griffin on January 19, 2012, 08:05:30 AM

Exactly what Paul said Dick. The power dissolver works really well if you can find it. Crock pot works great too.

Mike

A word of caution Dawn Power Dissovle will corrode and rust bearings and other engine parts very very very badly, I have seen this with several motors that people have cleaned with power dissovle, so if you use it make sure to rinse extremely well and oil everything inside.

Randy

scott matthews · « **Reply #8 on:** January 19, 2012, 10:06:30 AM »

Does Demon Clean from Brodak clean the outside of engines very well?

Dan McEntee · « **Reply #9 on:** January 19, 2012, 10:39:22 AM »

Crock potting works very well. Most antifreese these days is formulated for aluminum so I just buy the cheapest stuff I can find, or if I'm draining a radiator I save the old stuff for this use. ALWAYS KEEP THE CROCK POT IN A WELL VENTILATED AREA!!!!!!! THE FUMES ARE DANGEROUS AND DOWN RIGHT OBJECTIONABLE!!!!! You won't make any brownie points with the spouse if you let the smell work it's way into the house. I have mine on a shelf in my small shed. I have even used the method on old gunked up carburetors from vintage dirt bikes. The process is similar to the old hot tank magnus dip tanks that auto mechanics used to use back in the day. The heat expands all the parts, loosens the gunk, and you just brush it away. Not sure who discovered it or why they used anitfreeze other than it's something most of us have around the house and it's readily available. I imagine there are probably a number of suitable chemicals or products that you could use that would work also if you wanted to take the time to experiment, just be careful of flash points!!!!! I would venture top say the best of both worlds would be to use automatic transmission fluid. It has a high degree of detergent action in it, and you wouldn't have to oil the parts when you are finished. The next time you have some really greasy, dirty hands from working on a car or lawn mower engine, try washing your hands with a little ATF first and you'll see what I mean.
Type at you later,
Dan McEntee

Bill Little · « **Reply #10 on:** January 19, 2012, 11:05:24 AM »

I have used the crock pot and Dish washer (not dish washing!) soap. There is no hazard with the soap, it is a full day quicker (I boil the engine, yes boil) in a pot with the soap about 30 minutes. The worst effect I have is that it removes paint from the engine. Clean up and reassembly with air tool oil. (After run oil and air tool oil-same=same) If you want to use the pretty red stuff get Marvel Air Tool Oil (not "Mystery Oil")

BIG Bear
RNMM/AMM

Andrew Hathaway · « **Reply #11 on:** January 19, 2012, 12:33:08 PM »

I've used the crock pot on several engines. It works well for removing burned on castor, but sometimes the aluminum darkens, or the part comes out covered in mottled dark gray patches. From what I've experienced, some engines are more sensitive to the treatment than others. For example, Fox engines usually tend to come out fine, but OS engines frequently come out discolored. It doesn't occur over short periods of time (a few hours), but if left overnight the finish can turn dark. I wouldn't recommend leaving any engine in the mix for 24 hours unless you don't care what it looks like as long as it's clean. If you go in expecting an engine to come out of the crock pot looking new, you'll probably be disappointed.

Andrew Tinsley · « **Reply #12 on:** January 19, 2012, 01:45:54 PM »

Just what Andrew says......I have been crockpotting for years with spectacular results. But lately I have had 3 or 4 engines come out looking like Andrew's description.
I don't know if it is the anti freeze or the alloy that is different, just be careful and keep an eye on it!

Andrew.

Bill Mohrbacher · « **Reply #13 on:** January 19, 2012, 07:26:11 PM »

Back around 2000, I found out about antifreeze from George Aldrich. He said he got if from someone in Virginia. I've been using it since then.

Chris Wilson · « **Reply #14 on:** January 19, 2012, 08:21:48 PM »

Quote from: Dick Pacini on January 19, 2012, 06:55:32 AM

What type of anti-freeze?

Prestones.
http://www.prestone.com/products/antifreeze_coolant/product_list

(Top product shown.)

George · « **Reply #15 on:** January 19, 2012, 08:41:07 PM »

For those new to crock-potting, you must dedicate the crock pot to this purpose and NEVER again use it for food. As someone mentioned on another thread, when you finally discard the crock pot, break the pot so no one can use it for food.

George

john e. holliday · « **Reply #16 on:** January 20, 2012, 08:09:22 AM »

Also remember to keep it away from animals and kids. For some reason the dogs like antifreeze even tho it is poison to them.

Gerald Arana · « **Reply #17 on:** January 20, 2012, 10:30:43 AM »

All you have to do is go to your local second hand store and buy the cheapest used crock pot they have. Mine is a ONE speed (slow) and it works wonders with Prestone. I take the engines out and plunge them in a container of acetone or lacquer thinner, and use an acid brush with the bristles cut to about 3/8". That makes them stiff

WHATEVER YOU DO, DON'T USE ANYTHING WITH AMONIA IN IT. It will turn your engine dark..........Don't ask me how I know

To loosen that stuck wrist pin (and most used engines are) I take an allen wrench and rest it against the crank with the short end up under the con rod and gently apply pressure to the rod. It helps if it's hot out of the croch pot. Use a rag to hold the "hot" engine. Once it is against the side of the piston it can be disassembled and further cleaning/disassembly can be made. I also use a carbon fiber push rod (the cut off part) the same size as the writh pin to drive out the stubborn ones. Then clean, reassemble with air tool oil and run.......

Works for me! Jerry

Brett Buck · « **Reply #18 on:** January 20, 2012, 11:30:40 AM »

Quote from: George Bain on January 19, 2012, 08:41:07 PM

For those new to crock-potting, you must dedicate the crock pot to this purpose and NEVER again use it for food. As someone mentioned on another thread, when you finally discard the crock pot, break the pot so no one can use it for food.

I agree that you don't want to use it for food, and anti-freeze is not generally a good way to satisfy your thirst, but it's not cyanide and it's not plutonium. Plenty of people have intentionally taken drinks of it (to try to get drunk) and they aren't dead or significantly impaired (aside from the pre-existing condition - stupidity). It's also imminently water-soluble so will wash out of a non-porous container with plain water to any desired degree.

I am essentially certain that if you washed it well, rinsed it well, you could turn around an make beef stew in it with absolutely no ill effects - in fact the chemicals/hormones/antibiotics fed to the cow is likely to be more toxic than whatever 10 molecules of ethylene glycol might be left. I would be more worried about the soap residue from cleaning the crock-pot than the residue of anti-freeze and every one of us gets that every single day. It's toxic to some degree but it's certainly not a deadly poison compared to many other common products that you also use.

Again, it's not a good idea and certainly don't re-use your crock pot. Don't pour it out where the cat can lap it up. But I think everybody should have some realistic assessment of the risks, and anti-freeze is not way up on the list. Dope fumes and skin contact with glow fuel are far more toxic than anything you are likely to get with exposure to anti-freeze with any more than the most minimal common-sense precautions.

Brett

Bill Little · « **Reply #19 on:** January 20, 2012, 11:47:21 AM »

I have grandkids and puppies so I have gone to the boiling in dish washer soap. Totally non toxic (you wash dishes in a dish washer) and it works quicker! No bad effects from the treatment except don't put McCoy red painted heads in it (or K&B Green Heads!). LOL!!!

I can take an engine, have it totally cleaned and running with in an hour to an hour and a half.

BIG Bear
RNMM/AMM

Bill Heher · « **Reply #20 on:** January 20, 2012, 01:21:58 PM »

1trick to minimize the amount of anti-.freeze is to find a tying can that the engine will fit in completely submerged. Then put the can /reengineer / anti- freeze in the crock pot. If cover won't fit put a pie tinny / metal plate on top of can.

Bill Mohrbacher · « **Reply #21 on:** January 20, 2012, 03:35:10 PM »

Anti freeze is very sweet tasting, that's the allure. And you know, you can get brand new crock pots for $10-15. I guess if you are already at yard sales or second hand stores fine, but don't go searching, just go to Walmart.

Chris Wilson · « **Reply #22 on:** January 22, 2012, 02:45:47 PM »

Quote from: Bill Heher on January 20, 2012, 01:21:58 PM

1trick to minimize the amount of anti-.freeze is to find a tying can that the engine will fit in completely submerged. Then put the can /reengineer / anti- freeze in the crock pot. If cover won't fit put a pie tinny / metal plate on top of can.

Use a tin can to minimize the volume?

Totally agree and I have used it outside on the family BBQ - get it to a rolling boil for 15 minutes and your done.

No need for hours at a slow heat and at the and of it all you have is a clean engine and a disposable can that was deemed garbage anyway.

The small amount of liquid used is thrown out also.

Clayton Berry · « **Reply #23 on:** January 24, 2012, 02:18:06 PM »

I left a Wasp 60 in a coffee can of antifreeze for about 5 years. Put it on a shelf and forgot about it. My friend Hal Howard said it came apart and went back together again just fine. Don't know if there were plastic parts involved, just a venturi large enough to slip my little finger in and wiggle around. I'm sure I'll use it for something one of these days. An anchor for a small boat or maybe as ballast for the mini van. And yes, the mini van has a glove box. It's where I keep my balls while I'm driving it.

BillP · « **Reply #24 on:** January 29, 2012, 08:37:45 AM »

I learned (on ISKY's forum) about the cockpot yrs ago and done a pile of engines that way...from stuck blankened castor ones to slightly browned. It works great and I use a tooth pick or old tooth brush after cooking a few hours to help it along. If the heads (redheads and greenheads) are painted I take them off so they don't lose paint. Otherwise I take the backplate and head off and let them cook along with the case. Overnight on low heat with the cheapeast full strength antifreeze has always worked. Case color blotches has never happened to me on the popular offshore brands (yet?) so I don't know about it. This method has never failed to free an engine stuck from castor but one badly rusted engine (with big rust pits in the liner) took a couple of cooking sessions to finally break it loose

I did some experimenting early on and found the antifreeze won't do a thing without heat. Also, I left an engine (Fox 40BB) sitting on the bench for several months after pulling from the crock pot without rinsing to see if it rusted or harmed anything. No problem, the bearnings and case stayed perfect and I assume the antifreeze protected them. Early on I would remove an engine from the crockpot, flush with fuel and immediately run on the test stand to fully dry, thinking this prevented corrosion...sounded logical but is totally un-necessary. Now I pull them from the crock pot, assemble and don't worry about flushing or rinsing.

bp

Dan McEntee · « **Reply #25 on:** January 29, 2012, 09:22:34 AM »

Most anti-freeze/coolants today have rust inhibitors in them and used full strength would prevent rust I would think. Also, most products of this type today are formulated for aluminum also, as most engines have aluminum heads and radiators. If they could just make the stuff smell better!
Type at you later,
Dan McEntee