Solvent Recommendation?

N2520V · Post by **N2520V** » Wed Jan 16, 2008 7:52 pm

I'm attempting to clean the inside of my 48 under the floor to get almost 60 years of oil, dirt, grunge, etc. out of the plane prior to painting/reassembly. Does anyone have a solvent recommendation for this application? Access is extremely limited, but I just can't put her back together with all that crap in there. Ideas?

Thanks!

-Dustin

Post by **GAHorn** » Wed Jan 16, 2008 11:21 pm

WD40, and a stiff bristle-brush. Then warm water and a wet-shop vacuum. Finish with another light application of WD40.

Mark Harwood · Post by **Mark Harwood** » Thu Jan 17, 2008 2:40 am

I used a product called Purple Power that can be purchased at some national chain auto parts stores like Advance Auto. It worked well. Expect to use many paper towels. Mark

Post by **GAHorn** » Thu Jan 17, 2008 3:33 am

WARNING: Many solvents are actually very alkaline (as are many soaps.) Avoid alkaline cleaners/soaps. They will cause corrosion.

blueldr · Post by **blueldr** » Thu Jan 17, 2008 4:46 am

Beware purple liquid cleaners! Try it out first on the back side of an inspection cover. If it "de-glazes" shiny aluminum,STOP.

Stoddard Solvent or plain old mineral spirits paint thinner are good for cleaning up oily residue and they evaporate away.

bsdunek · Post by **bsdunek** » Thu Jan 17, 2008 2:53 pm

blueldr wrote:Beware purple liquid cleaners! Try it out first on the back side of an inspection cover. If it "de-glazes" shiny aluminum,STOP.

Stoddard Solvent or plain old mineral spirits paint thinner are good for cleaning up oily residue and they evaporate away.

Concur!!! Stoddard Solvent is great stuff. Doesn't evaporate too fast so it penetrates and disolves crud. Should be used outside as it is flammable, although not very volatile compared to gasoline.
After that, plain old Joy dish detergent and water to finish. To my knowledge, Joy is safe on aluminum, rubber, plastics, etc.

hilltop170 · Post by **hilltop170** » Thu Jan 17, 2008 11:22 pm

I've always used regular lamp or stove kerosene. It comes in quart, gallon, and 5 gallon cans. I used to be able to buy it at filling stations in bulk but not anymore.

It does not hurt anything, will cut oil and grease well, washes off with water without residue and is much cheaper than any of the other mentioned options. Not as volitile as gasoline.

Post by **GAHorn** » Fri Jan 18, 2008 2:19 am

hilltop170 wrote:I've always used regular lamp or stove kerosene. It comes in quart, gallon, and 5 gallon cans. I used to be able to buy it at filling stations in bulk but not anymore.

It does not hurt anything, will cut oil and grease well, washes off with water without residue and is much cheaper than any of the other mentioned options. Not as volitile as gasoline.

Jet fuel will do the same, but I'm scared of fuels for solvents, especially inside confined areas. (Of course, even WD40 is flammable.)

Indopilot · Post by **Indopilot** » Fri Jan 18, 2008 5:41 am

George, I can confirm that WD-40 is flammable. Place I used to work employed a Najaho fellow who used to love scaring the shops twitchy mechanic by making a flame thrower out of the WD-40 can with the long nozzle. Poor kid jumped every time the flames would shoot under the 210 and start melting his shoes.

Don't know if he was jumpy before he came or a result of working there.

Curtis Brown · Post by **Curtis Brown** » Sat Jan 26, 2008 3:49 pm

My problem is not the airplane's under belly...
This is what I have done: I left batteries in my handheld GPS too long and got a little battery corrosion on the terminals. How should I go about cleaning it. I know I'm a dummy...but it is hard wired and I just did not think about it.

Post by **Bruce Fenstermacher** » Sat Jan 26, 2008 4:55 pm

Curtis

I'll bet your handheld though hard wired into the airplane, actually has a plug into the GPS that can be unplugged.

Once the GPS is removed from the aircraft you have a better opportunity to get inside with something to clean the corrosion from the contacts.

Disassembly of these handhelds is generally difficult. I'm one to not let that stop me but I have not successfully opened up a Garmin 95XL,Garmin GPS90, Garmin GPS 92 or the Garmin Pilot III I now use. These units are just not made to be opened by the average untrained person.

So you are left cleaning through what ever opening you have which is usually not very big. I would use a piece of Scotch Brite how ever I could to remove the corrosion. A piece wrapped and attached around a pencil can be used to get into a dark place the size of a AA battery.

This stuff can be difficult to remove. I've trashed many a flash light not being able to remove the stuff. But flash lights are much cheaper than GPS's and so the effort to clean successfully would be proportional.

Curtis Brown · Post by **Curtis Brown** » Sat Jan 26, 2008 6:12 pm

Bruce,
It is a Garmin 195, the yoke mount is hard wired. I just popped it out and I have the GPS at home with me. The battery case just pops open and easy access to the battery compartment. I am just courious as to what I might use or not use to help clean off that crude.. Scotch Bite and a pencil might just work but without any solution to soften it up. What would George use? WD 40

Post by **Bruce Fenstermacher** » Sat Jan 26, 2008 7:39 pm

Curtis I'm sure there may be solution that will cut the corrosion but I'm sure it's not WD40.

Your lucky in that the 195 as I remember has a battery pack that is pretty open and easier to clean with a file, Xacto blade, screw driver, pocket knife, Scotch Brite or what ever you tool of choice is to scrape it clean.