Technical Homemade brew for soaking oil caked parts?

So, I need to get 30 years of never changing the oil ,off of the inside of my valve covers and oil pan for the Caddy.

I would like to get this stuff chromed, but it is pretty rank. I guess I could take it to a machine shop and throw it in the jet washer, but this look like it may require soaking.

What can I put in a 5 gallon bucket that would eat this stuff while it soaks?

Thanks
Root

 

I cleaned a crankshaft with Castrol Super Clean. Took the brown cooked oil off, it was sparkly gray when done. I used it straight.

 

Lye. Will remove the paint too...

 

IS that the purple stuff?

 

Yes, it is. Purple Power may be the knock-off, I'm not sure. I sprayed it on the forged parts, let it sit, worked it a bit, then rinsed.

 

Mine is 1/4" thick. It's gonna take a while.

 

I'd heat it up and pour out what you can, then blast with oven cleaner from the 99 cent store. It rinses off with water.

 

Well, I've used it in valve covers too. Just scraped as much as I could, then, chemistry time.

 

Oven cleaner and a pressure washer

 

That's my go to usually. This needs to soak unattended for a while.

 

If you going to use oven cleaner, get the EZ Off brand, the cheap shit don't cut it...

 

Easy Off oven cleaner damn near kills everything...... OR aircraft stripper.... Just soak for a day or two, and the hose should take care of it.....Then the blast cab..........

 

EZ off removes One Shot stripping paint too. But not under clear coat. Has never hurt any of my paint either

 

4000 psi pressure washer will take it to bare metal! I tried everything on an old vehile( tractor) couldn’t get anything to eat it off. My friend came by with his 4000 psi pressure washer took it to bare metal with just water!
If you have time most any of the recommendations will work, if you let them soak long enough. I used to use Dynamic 100, produce right here in Muskogee, it worked perfect! Parts were ready to paint after 24/48 hours! But they went out of business! Camando Clean took its place.










Bones

 

I stripped a 49 331 and couldn’t believe the amount of sludge caked hard around the rockers, valve covers and valley. Something to be said for PCVs and breathers.

 

I have quite a few parts that I would like to soak while they are waiting to go to the machine shop. Small bits and pieces.

 

Coca-cola might work if you're soaking... that shit cleans anything.

 

Put them in the oven, turn on full blast, leave for many hours, be prepared to get divorced.


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I actually did think about buying a junk oven for powder coating and stuff like this.

 

Propane BBQ, metal pot, degreaser solution

 

I have a turkey frier that might work.

 

Perfect

 

I use WD40 first. I spray the parts down with WD40 and try to keep them wet for a couple of days before I start the removal. The WD40 penetrants the crud real well. Its easy to get the WD40 of with a degreaser then I follow with a pressure washer.

 

A bucket of diesel fuel would most likely work it loose and leaving it unattended for a long soak won't hurt anything. I also have used Simple Green at 100% strength to soak stuff. Smells a bit better than diesel to some folks. And after soaking gunk in either one disposal can be an issue depending on where you live.

 

Simple Green in my parts washer also. 50/50 is what i use.
Not as good as petroleum based but does not stink up the house/garage.
Could be a day or two for heavy crud.
Easier disposal.

I also use a bucket heater in the washer.
110 volts. Heats 15-20 gallons up in less than 15 minutes.
Don't let it get too hot or it may loosen up the plastic gear/gear shaft interference in your washer pump.
Ask how I know .
Maybe 120 degrees max.
I just bought my second heater. The first one lasted 15+ years with occasional use.
Model # is 2150SS. Google that and several options come up.

 

Kinda OT, not that you wanna build something to do 1 pair of valve covers.

Saw a hot water heater used as a parts washer. Guy said it was on the road for scrap, had a small leak which he welded up, sawed the top off, welded on a hinge, left the heating element in it.
It was a fat tank, looked residential but pretty big diameter compared to most.
I was at his shop to buy some parts, didnt get much more detail than that.

 

Well, I wish you good luck, but as you probably know aluminum is very porous. I had a job to TIG weld a stock aluminum '32 oil pan for a friend. He had it media blasted, but every time I struck an arc I could see oil bubble to the surface. He then took it to a place that specializes in airplane parts that has something called a hi-temp vapor degreaser. Even after that process, I still could see oil when I welded it.

 

If there's a transmission shop in your area , get a barrel of used atf , a plastic tub big enough to submerge what you want to clean , it'll eat carbon off of pistons ....