From: emory!syl.nj.nec.com!behanna (Chris BeHanna)
X-Source: The Hotrod Mailing list
Date: Oct 1993
Subject: Miracle un-gasket spooge?
X-Sequence: 6729

	A month or two ago, I posted here about rebuilding my little
motorcycle that had the holed piston.  The rebuild is proceeding apace, and
I removed a small mountain of slag from the cases.  The bottom end is in
perfect shape (crankshaft turns so smooooothly), and all the clearances are
within manufacturing tolerances, so I went ahead.

	At any rate, the bottom end is back together and sitting in the frame,
and I'm trying to clean up the cylinder and head for new gaskets.  Scotchbrite
and elbow grease just isn't doing the job.

	What do you folks use to soften up remnant head and base gasket crap
that is sticking to parts so that you can remove it quickly?  This is really
holding me up right now, and I want to get this thing together before the
snow flies!

	Another question:  I bought a two-smoke recently that's been locked
up tight for over a decade.  I want to fill the cylinders and crankcase with
penetrating oil.  Would you recommend Liquid Wrench, Marvel Mystery Oil, or
ATF?  The bike is locked up from sitting for so long--it was running when it
was parked (so I'm told).

	Please forgive me for asking these here, but the S/N on the more
relevant groups is pitiful, and I actually get the feeling that you guys
know what you're talking about instead of just guessing.

Later,
--
Chris BeHanna  DoD# 114  KotSTA   Ed Green         1975 CB360T - Baby Bike
behanna@syl.nj.nec.com	          Fan Club #004    1991 ZX-11 - needs a name
ennishi no opinion dewa arimasen.                  1973 RD350A
I still need a racebike.              I was raised by a pack of wild corn dogs.

[The most wonderful stuff I've ever seen for busting rust is called
"Rust Buster MO-44" made by Sealed Unit Parts Company.  This is a
water-thin, non-oily, foul smelling liquid that literally melts rust.
I've never seen it in car parts stores.  Sealed Unit makes refrigeration
parts.  The stuff was developed to aid refrigeration repair when the
tech has to remove a rusty fan from a rusty motor shaft.  I buy mine by
the 12 bottle case from my local refrigeration supply company.  They
usually also sell individual bottles off a display.  Inexpensive to boot.

For cleaning metal down to the shine, hard to beat the cresyllic
acid-based carburator cleaner such as is sold in dip buckets by
Berryman.  You'll know you have the right stuff because it reeks of
creosote.  Burns skin(slowly), swells rubber but cleans EVERYTHING off
metal including the baked-on carbon on piston crowns.  Soak your head
(!) in that stuff overnight and everything including the stuck gaskets
will wash off with a hose.  One caution: Make sure any light alloy is
fully immersed.  I've had the stuff etch aluminum at the liquid line if
partially exposed.  Another caution: If you get it on your skin, you
WILL smell like a telephone pole for a week!  One of the few things in
my shop I actually wear neoprene gloves for, just to avoid the odor.  JGD]

From: Dave Baker
Subject: Re: engine clean
Date: 06 Jul 1998
Newsgroups: rec.autos.makers.vw.aircooled

>Subject: engine clean
>From: "Sam James" <sam.james@infomax.demon.co.uk>
>Date: 05/07/98  19:20  BST
>Message-id: <899662785.14454.0.nnrp-07.c2decce4@news.demon.co.uk>
>
>hi
>
>I a doing a engine rebuild and am having problems cleaning the engine. some
>one has told me to dump the bits in to sulphuric acid. but he cant remember
>what concentration to use. any else heard of this and if so how do I do it.

-----------------------------------------

ROFL - the guy who told you to use sulphuric acid either doesn't like you at
all or talks through the an orifice not usually associated with coherent
speech. It brightened up my evening though - thanks for the laugh.

What we use for professional engine part cleaning is chemical cocktails tailor
made for the job. Over here several chemical companies make their own versions
and they usually cost about 80 ukp per 25 litres so it's not cheap to do. The
main active ingredient though is methylene chloride (dichloromethane) which is
also the main ingredient in paint strippers and paint brush cleaners. Nowadays
I don't buy the pukka mixture anymore, I keep the solvent tanks topped up with
neat methylene chloride and this seems to do just as good a job on its own. Get
it from any chemical company in yellow pages at about 25 ukp per 25 litres.

 It will remove all carbon and grease deposits except for the hard baked on
kind on exhaust valves and exhaust ports. It also strips off all old paint. Use
it in steel tanks with a 4 inch covering of water to prevent evaporation. Don't
put anything plastic or rubber in it but it's fine with aluminium and
magnesium. Being a carbon solvent it's also handy for getting rid of
girlfriends who outlast their welcome. Engine parts will need soaking for
anything from a few minutes to overnight depending on how clagged up they are.
You may need up to 2 weeks to dissolve an entire body though :) -  Hope this
helps.


Dave Baker at Puma Race Engines (London - England)  - specialist flow
development and engine work.