Crockpot Antifreeze

[Bill Morell]

For those of us using this method of cleaning our engines how often do you change the brew? I've been filtering the Antifreeze back into the jug when I'm finished. I run it through multiple paper towels through the funnel. Seems like it's just fine to use over and over.

[Dave Harmon]

I have been using the same green antifreeze for at least the past 15 years and potted 10 engines.....In fact there is a locked up tight B40 cooking right now.
I checked it after cooking for 24 hours and it is still stuck.
So far....I have not changed or filtered the antifreeze although I don't shake the stuff up....I let what ever contaminates stay at the bottom of the jug.
It still works great!

[Dan McEntee]

   I just changed my CP antifreeze, which had been in it for who knows how long, mainly because the CP quit working!! I went to Goodwill , got another, and decided to start out with some fresh stuff since I had a jug of green antifreeze that I couldn't use in my newer cars. It was the original fluid I put in there at least 20 years ago or maybe more and was still working the last time the pot heated up.
  Type at you later,
   Dan McEntee

[Andre Ming]

Cooking engines in a crock pot filled with antifreeze:

BEWARE!

If the engine is a vintage lap fit engine that ran on castor oil, and if it had good compression when the disuse began, boiling the entire engine in antifreeze to loosen/clean it will BREAK DOWN and REMOVE the much needed castor varnish on the steel cylinder liner and meehanite piston. When finished you will have noticeably less compression! Don't ask me how I learned this!


IF the engine is glued stuck:

Put a prop on it and BAKE it at 185-195 degrees for 20-30 minutes. Pull it from the oven, and using thick leather gloves, use the prop to work the gummed castor loose and soon it will be turning over acceptably free. This is because you have heated the castor oil (which softens it) allowing you to get the engine to turn over freely.

That done, disassemble the engine, pulling the piston and cylinder sleeve from the case, THEN do your boiling thing sans piston and liner.

IF you follow the above advice, you will be very glad for this bit of experiential info. IF you don't follow this advice: I told you so!

Andre

[Brett Buck]

Cooking engines in a crock pot filled with antifreeze:

BEWARE!

If the engine is a vintage lap fit engine that ran on castor oil, and if it had good compression when the disuse began, boiling the entire engine in antifreeze to loosen/clean it will BREAK DOWN and REMOVE the much needed castor varnish on the steel cylinder liner and meehanite piston. When finished you will have noticeably less compression! Don't ask me how I learned this!


IF the engine is glued stuck:

Put a prop on it and BAKE it at 185-195 degrees for 20-30 minutes. Pull it from the oven, and using thick leather gloves, use the prop to work the gummed castor loose and soon it will be turning over acceptably free. This is because you have heated the castor oil (which softens it) allowing you to get the engine to turn over freely.

That done, disassemble the engine, pulling the piston and cylinder sleeve from the case, THEN do your boiling thing sans piston and liner.

IF you follow the above advice, you will be very glad for this bit of experiential info. IF you don't follow this advice: I told you so!

Andre

    Randy's fuel post (pinned at the top) mentions the same effect, worn-out engines might be usable if they have lots of castor. And some ancient engines use sintered metal pistons that are porous to begin with.

      For the most part, however, no conventional engines (AAC/ABC) are helped by varnish, it just gums them up and ruins the fits, so cleaning it is frequently a great improvement. Better not to build it up in the first place, of course, so running excess castor is generally not a good idea.

     Brett

 

[James C. Johnson]

I typically do about 60 to 70 engines before changing my green antifreeze out .. I take the used stuff to a local hazmat recycler... I try not to put anodized or painted engine parts into the solution .. this past week I wanted to get the blue paint off an estate OS 46 .. it was pretty baked .. the crock pot didn't work.. acetone didn't work .. lacquer thinner kinda worked but used my wire brush to get it off ... wondering if paint remover will work .. I don't like putting plastic parts in the crock pot either .. Perry carbs, Irvine and OS BPs.. but they don't seem to med short periods of time .. I have cleaned and fixed about a 100 engines this yr.  Dawn or Lemon Joy Dish soap and LA Awesome de-greaser are all I use after the crock pot .. I blow the parts off with a compressor right away and oil the crankshaft and  bearings right away because they will get rust on them in lass than an hour..