Good engine degreaser?

[NH_Wood]

Hi everyone - I've been buying a lot of older saws lately and end up spending a lot of time cleaning them up real well - lots of grease, grime, etc. I've been just using straight gas, but I'm getting tired of working with it all the time. Any recommendations for a good decreaser? I've seen some by Gunk, WD-40, etc. - I'm assuming the are all pretty much the same, but thought I'd ask. I assume it would be okay on the plastics as well? Thanks! Cheers!

 

[Nixon]

If I get something that's really greasy and nasty , simple green works very well for me .

 

[mikefrommaine]

If you want to remove the grime quick try some oven cleaner. Safe for plastics and paints. If you spray it on and put the part in a plastic bag for 20-30 minutes it will loosen up most everything.

I've also had good luck with magic erasers for stains in plastic.

 

[NH_Wood]

If you want to remove the grime quick try some oven cleaner. Safe for plastics and paints. If you spray it on and put the part in a plastic bag for 20-30 minutes it will loosen up most everything.

I've also had good luck with magic erasers for stains in plastic.

Mike - great, I'll try that. What is a magic eraser? Cheers!

 

[mikefrommaine]

Here is a saw I've been cleaning up a few minutes here and there. Don't have any good before pics. But it was the dirtiest saw you can imagine. The entire recoil cover was black with at least 1/8" of black goop. Every fin was coated and the front concave part was extremely bad

Here is some pics after the oven cleaner treatment on the covers.

I also did a little work on the air filter cover with a magic eraser and wet dry sand paper. I used liquid wrench and so far up to 440grit to wet sand it. Not perfect but the sheen is coming back.

 

[mikefrommaine]

Mike - great, I'll try that. What is a magic eraser? Cheers!

(broken link removed to http://www.mrclean.com/en_US/magic-eraser.do)

 

[NH_Wood]

Lookin' good! I just picked up a Husky 268 which is in the same condition you describe - good runner, but dirty as hell - I'll give it a shot! Thanks for the link! Cheers!

 

[JustWood]

I use super strength Greased Lightning. It's about $8/gal at Home Depot. Works good for the price.

 

[Jack Fate]

there's a cleaner called S-100 it was sold at Harley shops ,ain't cheap

Best thing about it is it won't hurt anything

Haven't had any for quite a while but I use to swear by it.

Was about $15 a Qt but lasted very well

 

[MasterMech]

Citrus based degreaser. Stihl dealers sometimes carry Stihl brand degreaser in a spray bottle. Stuff works great and is cheap depending on your dealer. Goof Off or similar for adhesive residue or stubborn sap.

 

[HDRock]

SuperClean Tough Task Cleaner-Degreaser

 

[geoff1969]

oven cleaner is a good degreaser just go carefull on alloy or magnesium parts as if there polished etc the oven clean especialy if it is a caustic base will tarnish those very quick to the point where thay turn almost black ....

 

[NH_Wood]

Great info everyone - thanks! Cheers!

 

[Sean McGillicuddy]

Purple stuff from Walmart

 

[91LMS]

pink stuff works well too.

 

[backpack09]

Oven cleaner is also good for removing automotive paint...

 

[mikefrommaine]

Oven cleaner is also good for removing automotive paint...

I took an old husky clutch cover and covered it with oven cleaner, stuck it in a plastic bag for a couple days to see what would happen. Didn't take the paint off. But it did start to soften up the paint a little. And started to have slight fading of the paint.

 

[kopeck]

Oven cleaner is really good, but unlike Mike my experience has been it will remove paint. It also helps if you can warm it a bit after spaying on the oven cleaner, doesn't have to be much, just let it sit out in the sun for a while.

On the EZ-Auto I resurrected I used simple green and compressed air. Worked well.

K

 

[NH_Wood]

More good info - thanks - I think I'll avoid the oven cleaner at first if it might change the plastic or paint - most of this is for re-sale of the saws, so trying to keep them as nice as possible. Thanks again!

 

[Pallet Pete]

I use a tub of lard and a toothbrush on heavy grease on many things it comes right off. A little soap water afterwords and the object is good as new.

Pete

 

[nate379]

Stoddard solvent,

 

[seige101]

Believe it or not this product from home depot works awesome. It's marketed as a 100% citrus air freshener but it the best degreaser and adhesive remover i have used. One of the old timers at home depot told me about it and i was convinced.

 

[Jack Fate]

another cleaner came to mind ,Disolvit )(misspelled) a citrus based cleaner ,safe enough to use on open wounds.Was found in grocery stores ,Much like most citrus based degreasers work well without DAMAGE!

Greatest stain remover for clothes I ever found & AGAIN SAFE ON ANYTHING NO DAMAGE ON ANYTHING OF ANY KIND

 

[HittinSteel]

My clean up ritual for saws is simple green, magic eraser and then meguires tire shine.

Works well on 25 year old atvs too

 

[Bigg_Redd]

Diesel fuel is a great degreaser, but you'll need something else to degrease the diesel.