Does anyone know what it is called?? At my old work we used to get metal cleaned of rust this way. They put it in a tank and pulled it out a little while later, and it would be clean.

Before I do my axle swap, I would like to clean the housings, inside and out.

Any info would be greeat.

Thanks,
Steve

Hot tank?

I just called around to local machine shops and found one with a hot tank large enough to fit my housing in.

Prolly a large hot-tank like Brian said. Some shops don't use the old 'hot-tanks' any more because of enviromental issues. What I have seen is a sealed box that looks like a big ass dishwasher. It has racks that rotate and I guess are sprayed with some type of cleaner. I would guess they have them big enough for a housing but I haven't seen one.

i had mine vatted <sp> at a local rad shop. (buddy owns it) the vat was not big enough for the whole thing so we diped on e side at a time (not to safe with all the acid) but it worked. if not try oven cleaner works awsome but is REAL toxic so be careful it will burn your skin.

Chris G.

Originally posted by Chrisjeep7
(not to safe with all the acid) .

But it's not acid! They use Caustic Soda in hot tanks. Sodium Hydroxide (Naoh) has a Ph of 13-14, Acid has a Ph of 1-2 ! The Ph scale is from 0 to 14, so there opposite ends on the scale!

in rad shops they use acid. for dipping gas tanks and old rads.

EDIT: i dont know what kind of acid it is but it is acid...i can call them and find out but i know you dont want ot put your hand in there!:eek:

Your right Acid is the correct thing to use on a radiator to remove scale and on a gas tank to remove rust, but is the wrong thing to use to clean grease and oil from a diff housing. The acid in a radiator shop is usually a Inhibited (Metal safe) Hydrochloric (HCL) solution. It makes a lousy degresser.

your right. i used a super powerfull degreaser (will eat through plastic bottle that we put it :eek: ) in for the grease and the vat for the other stuff. it looked nice when i got done...now it has a pinion leak and it back to greasy...:(

i used a sandblaster:flipoff2:

I'm gunna let you in on a little secret. OVEN CLEANER baby! 99 cents per can @ your local 99 cent store. Works miracles, waaaay better than the degreaser crap. It strips everything off. I used it on my trans. and t-cases and it cleaned it all off down to the bare metal! Works in minutes and is super cheap! Just my .02.

I would assume over cleaner would be bad for rubber, plastics, seals, and gaskets right?

MJ

How's this for redneck.
I used an old metal washtub full of water and dishliquid. Set it up on firebricks and lit a fire under it and boiled it out for a few hours.
Ladled off the grease floating at the top and pulled it out.
I was bored one Sunday afternoon. :D
Really cleaned up nice though.
I cant believe I told you guys this. :emb4:

YES! will turn it into slush...:eek:

EDIT: anser to MJ's post

Originally posted by ECF
I'm gunna let you in on a little secret. OVEN CLEANER baby! 99 cents per can @ your local 99 cent store. Works miracles, waaaay better than the degreaser crap. It strips everything off. I used it on my trans. and t-cases and it cleaned it all off down to the bare metal! Works in minutes and is super cheap! Just my .02.

Gee I wonder what's in over cleaner.......... Perhaps Sodium Hydroxide! It's no secret :flipoff2:

Call your local drive line /tranny shops; they should have a vertical hot solution cabinet. Very cool, Shop my wife worked for had 2. 1 Big enough to fit a Rockwell dif…… other one was a little taller and used mostly for drive lines. The solution is a detergent; multi head sprayers surround the part and spin while spraying the hot solution on to the part. Very effective. A stripped steel part will flash rust almost before your eyes after coming out of the washer.

How long are you leaving the oven cleaner on for?? I just tried it on an intake, and left it on for 20-25 minutes, and it idn't effect it at all. Am I mising something??

Thanks,
Steve

What kind of Over cleaner are you using? Most of the stuff from the grocery store is worthless. Look on the label it should read :

Danger: product contains Sodium Hydroxide-Lye

A restaurant supply house will handle the good stuff under commerical oven cleaner or Smoke House cleaner or fryer boil out.

Its says Sodium Hydroxide.

$3.50 a can from the local Meijer

The key is the code word
Conatins Soduim Hydroxide means 1-2%
Catution Sodium Hydroxide means 4-5%
Danger Soduim Hydroxide means 5-20%

Let the parts sit in the sun and get warm. apply the clenaer and rub in with a wire brush. apply a second coat and let sit over night is ok. Do not allow to come in contact with soft metals.