so you guys will have to tell me if this seems like a god or a bad idea. i have a few gallons of kerosiene and i am soaking parts in it. well arter i let them soak for a while could u use my pressure washer to blast the crap off? im taking about a 3800 psi pressure washer here not like one on a parts washer. so would this work? or would it be way overkill??

 

I read on nopistons.com that Mazdaspeed7 uses kerosene as well. I think he said he soaks rotors in it for like a couple days, then takes them out and uses a wire brush to clean the leftover off.

 

Yeah, I soaked my stuff in kerosene also. It is A Lot cheaper than parts cleaner.

The only funny part is since I live so far south they don't sell it at the pumps like they do up north. The only place to get kerosene here is the .... the airport Jet A

As far as the pressure washer.... I do not see how it could hurt.

Unless, some how that great pressure got water between the rotor bearing and the rotor.

James

 

Kerosene is fine.
STAY AWAY FROM THE PRESSURE WASHER.

At 3,800psi, we're talking possible damage to the bearings.
Even at lower pressures with some of the "consumer" grade pressure washers at 1,200 to 1,700psi, that's still too much.
You're taking a chance of shooting water where it's not supposed to be.
Getting water in the wrong place can lead to corrosion starting in the wrong place.
Skip the pressure washing part and just soak.
All the crud is on the outside of the rotor, so just use some old fashion elbow grease and a brass brush.


-Ted

 

ok no pressuer washer then on the rotors then. how schould i go about cleaning off the old gaskets and the gunk they left behind? just use a rasor blade?

 

Yep, razor blade is just fine....just be very carful not to gouge the surfaces.

Also, try a brass wire wheel on the end of a drill....those things work great.

James

 

Ok, I was assuming juts engine parts, but it sounds like you're soaking everything?

Um, at 3,800psi, you'll erode even aluminum parts!
I would not want to blast mating surfaces on aluminum parts with that kinda pressures.

Also, I wouldn't try and touch the water jacket channels on the steel side housings at that kinda pressures.

Bottom line, the pressure washer you can get access to is probably more hassles than it's worth.


-Ted

 

Actually Ted, I routinely use a consumer grade pressurewasher to clean the external surfaces of irons and rotorhousings, and have done so for about 2 years now. It's quicker and cheaper than a jet cabinet, and does a great job. Plus I can be sure to shoot a stream into the coolant jackets, to remove any buildup in those.

My process is to tear down an engine, and take a quick visual inspection. Then I put all the parts except the rotors into a solvent tank. After a while, I take the rotorhousings out, and clean the mating surfaces back down to bare metal, while looking for any excess pitting, and also chase the plug threads with a tap. I also clean the front cover gasket surface, with a wire brush mounted on a drill or die grinder.

Then I pull out the irons and clean all the old coolant seals out of their grooves, and also clean off the intake manifold gasket mating surfaces and front cover/waterpump gasket surfaces.

The solvent has removed some of the gunk on the outside, and penetrated the rest to loosen it. The washer just shoots it off. I lay all the parts down and spray the external sides thoroughly, and quickly shoot down into the coolant passages and other places.

I use a 7hp 2500psi setup. It is HIGHLY important, however, that immedately after the washing is done, that each part be thoroughly blown off and out with compressed air...each passage and groove, to prevent rust and also prevent contamination on startup. This is a good thing, anyway, it ensures that nothing that isn't supposed to be inside is still there hiding.

Never try to use a pressurewasher on rotors...theyre too small and will slide around under the pressure, and they are EASY to dent or distort.

 

well i have everything soaking in kerosene right now and i was going to use a brass wheel on my drill and a brass brush to do all the cleaning plus carb cleaner. i have mannaged to get all the junk out of the coolent passages and off of the housings aside of where a gasket was (ex. exaust gasket, coolent gaskets) but if use a combo of a rasorblade and brass wheel on this stuff will that be sufficent? and just how clean does this stuff have to be?

 

Oh, someone who has brains I don't doubt it's fine.
I can just imagine some newbie shooting at the aluminum housings for a good 10 minutes cause they wanted to get every speck of crud off the housings and ruin them!


-Ted

 

i used heavy duty oven cleaner foam spray and 3m scuff pads to clean carbon off the rotor faces