[SEL] Radiator cleaning question.

[Elden DuRand]

Bill & Jerry:

I was about to suggest the oven cleaner.  It contains sodium hydroxide that will remove paint if concentrated enough.  Sodium Hydroxide (commonly known as "lye") is also the chemical that engine rebuilders use to dip engine parts in to clean them.  It removes the paint, grease and rust.

One thing though.  If you use either the oven cleaner (not very strong) or the lye (VERY strong and will eat the skin off of you!), be sure to thoroughly rinse the articles afterward then paint or oil all steel surfaces immediately.  Steel will rust very quickly after a lye bath.

Mild acid will remove lime or scale from the inside of the radiator but will not do much to paint or grease.

Good luck and be careful!

Take care - Elden
http://www.oldengine.org/members/durand 

> -----Original Message-----
> From: sel-bounces at lists.stationary-engine.com
> [mailto:sel-bounces at lists.stationary-engine.com]On
>  Behalf Of
> bill at antique-engines.com
> Sent: Friday, September 18, 2009 07:36 AM
> To: The SEL email discussion list
> Subject: Re: [SEL] Radiator cleaning question.
> 
> 
> OVEN CLEANER for the outside.
> Let it sit in the sun to get it warm, spray on 
> cleaner, follow directions
> on the can. I've cleaned some car engines and 
> other nasty parts I was
> prepping for rebuilds that way.
> 
> I don't like acids for cleaning grease and grime, 
> personally.