Mini Steam Cleaner?

[xd2200]

Working on the brakes on my M37 and so far have gone through 6 cans of brake cleaner. Was wondering if anyone has ever tried one of those hand-held mini steam cleaners (Wagner makes one for less than $100.) They advertise that it works on engines but how well does it work on "military" grease?

[sturmtyger380]

Before I get to the brake cleaner stage I use kerosene with a scrub brush to try and get off most of the bad gunk. I put a pan under the end of the axle right under the backing plate to catch the kerosene. Pour on some kerosene and scrub. Once I get some in the pan I just dip the brush in the pan and keep scrubbing. Once it is looking good I finish off with the brake cleaner.

Alan

[RMS]

A mini steam cleaner will be good for removing the oil stains from your coveralls, not 50+ years of oil grease and dirt. my 3600 psi presser washer with a roto tip will remove paint easier than the built up crud. however if I soften up the crud with mineral spirits(paint thinner) it comes off with a hose.

so far have gone through 6 cans of brake cleaner

mmm tetrachoroethlene ....I hope you were wearing a mask gloves and a face shield that sh*t is nasty MSD http://www.crcindustries.com/faxdocs/msds/5089.pdf

I like mineral spirits its cheep, non toxic, non flammable, safe on rubber glass steel and wood. plus it is easily recycled just add it to your waste oil and it will be refined. (check with your local oil recyclers)

safe wrenching

[w30bob]

Yeah, I can second what RMS said.......I've tried my 3600psi pressure washer on that gunk.........and the gunk just laughed. Things like Trichlor and MethylEthyl will remove it, but those will probably remove a few years of your life as well.

regards,
bob

[Master Yota]

They use steam to clean most industrial equipment. I'd go for the steam setup if its affordable and practical; The steam mop used to clean the kitchen floor, isn't really practical for this job. I'm unfamiliar with the Wagner unit, but if it'll generate pressurized steam, then there will be no issues with cleaning much of anything. The heat alone will loosen the crusted on grease and what not. It may still require some elbow grease, but it'll work, and leave nothing to be recycled later (other than what comes off). Just beware that heat, and painted surfaces don't get along well, unless you want to repaint said surface...

[Cal_Gary]

Timing is everything-I just ran my M37 down to the spray and wash stall last weekend after applying a can of Gunk degreaser to my engine compartment. The sprayer took off most of the crud on the block but the front crossmember had to have an inch of crud across it-a bear to remove, even with the Gunk and the sprayer....

TIP for you youngsters running civvy ignitions: use some aerosol hair spray on your distributor and coil before spraying with the blast wand-it will waterproof both, allowing you to start up and move on after blasting your engine compartment. Worked like a charm.
Gary

[Brett]

I too would go with the mineral spirits. its cheap, easy to find, and is the best solvent I've found for caked on oil and grease. I get every thing clean with mineral spirits and save the brake cleaner for the "final rinse".

Brett

[Carter]

xd; I have no experience using steam, have always done it manually using kerosene in a tub below the break backing plate and a good stiff parts cleaning brush but the army truck shop where I worked in 1965 used a big expensive Steam Jenny to do the job but to costly for the average truck owner. I think any thing smaller would not do the job on years of accumulated crud.

TIP for you youngsters running civvy ignitions: use some aerosol hair spray on your distributor and coil before spraying with the blast wand-it will waterproof both, allowing you to start up and move on after blasting your engine compartment. Worked like a charm.
Gary

That is a great tip Gary, the WC52 I drove years ago was stalled a couple of times at the car wash even though I took precautions by putting a plastic bag over the distributor and coil, really pissed off the guys waiting in line behind me.

[Cal_Gary]

Thanks Carter! I still had my fingers crossed when I hit the starter as I hadn't used that trick in many years. Of course, I ran out of gas on the way home but had the half-full jerry can with me so I had the back-up plan in place
Gary

[xd2200]

THANKS for the reminder on the nastiness of brake cleaner - the light bulb should have went on when my nitrile gloves started to disintegrate! At least I did not do what I used to do as a teenager (50 years ago) - blow the brake dust off with the air compressor. Used mineral spirits as suggested - worked fine.