Good cleaner for engine cases

[Allen Eshleman]

What can be used to clean the outside of an engine?  No stuck piston here or castor build up inside.  It's just the case of a natural colored LA-46.

[Clint Ormosen]

Dawn power wash and a toothbrush work ok if it’s not too cruddy. Other than that I’d say drop it in the crock pot antifreeze.

[BYU]

Often cheap lacquer thinner and a toothbrush will get you a long way. Wear a mask though, and do it outside.

If using a crock pot take the LA 46 apart, it's piston pin has plastic ends and the venturi has an O ring, both will possibly get damaged in the crock pot.

Also on LA 46's the piston pin has a tendency to get locked in place on the rod and begins to rotate in the piston causing poor performance and increased wear on the piston.


Just my 10 cents

[John Carrodus]

Hi Allen
I was told a few years ago - to NOT pull an engine to pieces unless as an absolute last resort. I would figure low heat on a crock pot setting would be no more than an LA running at it's normal operating temperature, My general motor philosophy is, the least invasive surgery to get the problem sorted the better. Generally I have found a bit of gentle heat ( hair drier ) and a few drops of fresh fuel should sort the problem. If not, I have been told gently simmered in a crock pot in antifreeze overnight, washed in kero/diesel, then well oiled with AT fluid (or after run ) would almost always work. Keep an eye on your engines as they can rust or stick real real quick in some climates. If you crock pot I'd strongly suggest you re oil again in a few weeks -to be sure to be. They tell me that antifreeze in the crock pot buggers up the paint on Blue LAs. 

[BYU]

“ low heat on a crock pot setting would be no more than an LA running at it's normal operating temperature”

Heat is not the issue with the crock pot on the piston pin ends, it is the deleterious effect of the chemical on the plastics and rubber.

[Dave Hull]

The common non-metallics in engines include nylon and modified nylons and teflon (PTFE). These are both rated as excellent for resistance to ethylene glycol. I suspect that the usual venturi O-ring is Buna, which is also highly rated. EPM is also fine. Just don't expect a silicone O-ring (orange color) to hold up. It won't.

https://www.usplastic.com/catalog/files/charts/LG%20CC.pdf

If you pull the glow plug and position the piston at BDC you can do a reasonable cleaning job without disassembly. You will have to thoroughly flush the engine after the glycol bath to displace the fluid. I would not use an EGW (ethylene glycol/water) mix for this whole-engine cleaning method, just because I don't want any water at all in the engine.

 I haven't seen an issue yet with any of the many engines I have worked on. Maybe some aftermarket parts are made from something else and have given trouble?

Dave

[John Carrodus]

Hold on BYU
Aren't most car cooling systems are made of plastic and rubber bits and pieces?

[BYU]

The common non-metallics in engines include nylon and modified nylons and teflon (PTFE). These are both rated as excellent for resistance to ethylene glycol. I suspect that the usual venturi O-ring is Buna, which is also highly rated. EPM is also fine. Just don't expect a silicone O-ring (orange color) to hold up. It won't.

https://www.usplastic.com/catalog/files/charts/LG%20CC.pdf

If you pull the glow plug and position the piston at BDC you can do a reasonable cleaning job without disassembly. You will have to thoroughly flush the engine after the glycol bath to displace the fluid. I would not use an EGW (ethylene glycol/water) mix for this whole-engine cleaning method, just because I don't want any water at all in the engine.

 I haven't seen an issue yet with any of the many engines I have worked on. Maybe some aftermarket parts are made from something else and have given trouble?

Dave

This is good to know, thanks for the info