Ultrasonic cleaners? What can I clean

[Huskygasaxe]

Hello I got an ultrasonic cleaner on a deal, I was wondering if I can clean chrome plated cylinders? Some reading I have done contradicts that? Not sure what I can and can’t clean with it. I know people say they are good for carburetor parts but what else?


Thanks .... Kyle

 

[huskihl]

Hello I got an ultrasonic cleaner on a deal, I was wondering if I can clean chrome plated cylinders? Some reading I have done contradicts that? Not sure what I can and can’t clean with it. I know people say they are good for carburetor parts but what else?


Thanks .... Kyle

Depends what cleaner you use in it. I’ve only tried Dollar store Mean Green. At 1:4 with water, it will make aluminum shiny, cleans up cylinders a little, cleans but dulls plastic, cleans steel and screws really well. The baked on brown cylinders won’t come completely clean even after 8 hours. But it will remove paint off crankcases .


So I could use some alternatives too

 

[I Know Something]

I use dawn dish soap. About 2 tablespoons per 2.5 liters. Sometimes a bit more. And it cleans whatever I throw in it. Ive done a butt load of carbs over the years with it, as well as our wedding rings and all sorts of things. It turns the aluminum in the carb an odd color. But it dont harm it.

 

[ucm931]

Depends what cleaner you use in it. I’ve only tried Dollar store Mean Green. At 1:4 with water, it will make aluminum shiny, cleans up cylinders a little, cleans but dulls plastic, cleans steel and screws really well. The baked on brown cylinders won’t come completely clean even after 8 hours. But it will remove paint off crankcases .


So I could use some alternatives too

Simple Green Pro HD....the purple stuff. Anywhere from 50/50 with water to full strength. If you use heat in your U/S with the full strength, it may turn your brass bits a bit pink. Doesn't hurt the brass at all and doesn't pit the carb body.
I've ended up with pink .223 brass from it as well. Pink is just a surface issue, it's gone after a tumble and the brass hasn't shown any strength issues.
Degreased a lot with it and never had issues with it eating paint or dulling plastics, but as always.......YMMV.

 

[drf256]

You have to experiment. If you see a fine sudsy later on top of the solution, get your stuff out of there ASAP.

It’s a NO NO for plastics. I’ve had plastics lose there sheen from an overnight soak in water with Dawn at room temp.

Some other no go’s are Dawgs and the bar mounting plate that covers the bar adjuster assembly on Stihl’s. The solution will remove the Cadmium plating and leave an ugly finish.

I find “purple power HD” brand purple to be the best. It won’t hurt aluminum or Mag. I leave jugs sitting for a week in the solution with no issue. Simple Green and ZEP purple both discolor aluminum and etch it for me-I have what was leftover of the solution to my wife for house cleaning. Mean green is hard to find by me, but it works well.

Like Kevin the sausage-meister said above, be careful with cases. They can take an hour dip, but if you leave them too long, you can come back to a messy surprise of a case with peeling paint inside and out.

 

[drf256]

One more no go,

If you’re a stickler about a NOS looking Stihl saw, the yellow coating on the flywheel magnets will be erased by an USC. Use soap, water and a brush if you want the yellow membrane to survive.

It’s one trick I use to see if a saw has been cleaned up or is a real survivor. I’m sure I am not alone.

And forget about Stihl metal badges. Instant erase.

“Tales from the tank”.

 

[breese]

I have been using a few drops of dawn dish soap and a 9mm casing full of lemi shine for cleaning brass in my 2.5 liter sonic cleaner for an hr.
It gets everything clean and the casings are bright and clean

 

[Bilge Rat]

A Ph neutral cleaner works well with no tarnish on aluminum or zinc based metals.
On carbs i use a medical grade cleaner called Luninox. Cleans good with no tarnish/etching.
Parts come out squeaky clean, no soap residue.
This stuff is expensive but with no tarnish and no rinse it produces a clean shiny part.

 

[av8or3]

I use mineral spirits in mine for carbs, works great.

 

[dustinwilt68]

I can tell you DNT use anything cirtrus based! I use mean green 2:1

 

[Philbert]

Be careful with jewelry - I thought I would impress my wife, but glad that I read the directions first: it will damage some things like opals.

https://touchofpurple.com/blogs/top-tips/dos-donts-of-ultrasonic-cleaning
https://www.omegasonics.com/how-to/ultrasonic-cleaners-dos-and-donts/
https://www.jewelry-secrets.com/Blog/what-you-can-not-put-in-ultrasonic-cleaners/

Philbert

 

[beaglebriar]

Straight Mean Green here. If you have something that you want to clean in a flammable solvent you can put it in a bag or jar with the solvent and throw that in whatever liquid happens to be in your USC at the time. Straight mineral spirits etc. is not recommended in these because they're heated...solvents have flash points.

 

[Stevetheboatguy]

I can tell you DNT use anything cirtrus based! I use mean green 2:1

Just out of curiosity what's the deal with the citrus based cleaners?

I have a 30L and all I have used thus far is a half gallon of oil eater to a fill. Has cleaned everything I have thrown in. Only issues has been plastics get dulled bad. Live and learn.


Steven

 

[dustinwilt68]

The citrus leaves starts to corrode the alluminum parts such as cylinders, it leaves a white residue behind that takes blasting to get rid of

 

[Basher]

Cause citrus= acid.

Also purple usually = lye.

 

[Philbert]

Also purple usually = lye.

That's what I originally thought, but found that you have to read the labels closely.

Philbert

 

[Bilge Rat]

Cleaning solutions fall into 3 groups, acids, bases, and surfactants.
Acids and bases are chemical cleaners. Surfactants get under/between the crud and the part then float the crud off.
Acids and bases can attack the part being cleaned
Surfactants tend to be Ph neutral.

The USC uses mechanical action to vibrate the crud off. The liquid in the tank is there to float off the crud as it is loosened and it transfers the vibration of the machine to the part. Vibration/mechanical action helps the liquid to float the crud off.
Any soap, acid, base or surfactant in the water just helps the USC but the USC is the main cleaner of the part.

Think of a washing machine. You can put lots of chemicals into the water but it will not clean very well without the mechanical action of the machine.
Wash the car. Soap and water will not get the dirt off, only the action of the sponge, rag or brush gets the dirt unstuck. The soap and water floats it then carries it away during the rinse.

In a USC you have a very good mechanical action cleaner. You only need a good surfactant in there to float the crud away.
Acids and bases are not necessary in the USC.

Try to use a Ph neutral solution to protect the part cleaned.

 

[Philbert]

I need an ultrasonic bathtub!

Philbert

 

[ucm931]

Need some kind of USC to clean all the dirty minds around this place.

 

[Bilge Rat]

I need an ultrasonic bathtub!

Philbert

You will tingle all over.