Cleaning Equipment and Methods

© 2012 Delmar, Cengage Learning

Cleaning Equipment and Methods

Chapter 10


Objectives• Use cleaning tools and equipment safely and

properly• Describe the best cleaning method to use for a

particular application


Introduction• Different types of materials require different

cleaning methods– One-third of a shop's expenses attributed to

cleaning the engine• Internal combustion engines

– Produce many bi-products• Blowby gases• Sludge• Carbon build-up


General Shop Housekeeping Practices

• Essential when cleaning automotive parts– Clean shop is vital – Slippery floors are dangerous

• Spills often occur when an engine block is turned upside down


Cleaning Methods• Cleaning methods

– Wet, abrasive, and thermal cleaning• Chemical cleaning

– Main types: alkaline, acid, and solvents– Soaps and chemicals

• For a chemical to be able to clean soils, it must be able to wet them first

• Soap is a wetting agent– Organic soils include petroleum by-products, gasket

sealers, paints, carbon, etc.• Cannot be effectively cleaned with water


Cleaning Methods (cont'd.)• Cleaning with bases

– Alkaline materials cut grease very well and work best when heated

• Cleaning with acids– Acids are useful in removing rust and scale– Acid will not cut grease

• Cleaning with solvents– Types: water-based, mineral spirits, and

chlorinated hydrocarbons


Cleaning the Outside of the Engine

• Engine or transmission cleaned prior to removal– Sewer drain must capture hazardous

contaminants– Manual cleaning methods are labor intensive

• Air blowguns – Can be used to blow off parts– Types: safety and rubber-tipped– Always blow down and away from yourself


Environmental Concerns with Engine Cleaning

• Inside of a dirty engine – Can harbor hazardous waste– Disposal of toxic waste is costly– Many methods of disposal have been developed– Biodegradable materials become hazardous

when they pick up materials during use


Cleaning Internal Parts• Many methods for cleaning parts

– Chemical cleaning– Abrasive cleaning– Thermal cleaning

• Cleaning methods– Must all keep contaminants contained for proper

toxic waste handling


Chemical Cleaning• Chemical cleaning includes:

– Hot and cold solvent tanks – Chemical soak tanks– Spray washers and jet washers– Ultrasonic cleaners– Salt baths

• Solvents include mineral spirits, Stoddard solvent, carburetor cleaner, and water-based solvent– Hazardous once used


Chemical Cleaning (cont'd.)• Solvent tank

– Used to clean grease off smaller parts• Solvents clean better when hot

• Caustic cleaning– Water and lye heated to 190°F cleans ferrous

materials• Lubricate iron and steel immediately after cleaning

• Hot tanks– Clean parts in a hot tank by soaking for one to

eight hours


Chemical Cleaning (cont'd.)• Spray washers

– Operate like a dishwasher• Cleaning solution heated to 180°F sprayed from

heads mounted in a long pipe• Cleaning tanks and hazardous waste

– Engine bearings must be removed before block is put into caustic

• Scale removal– Chemical cooling system cleanser removes scale


Chemical Cleaning (cont'd.)• Manual cleaning methods

– Wire wheel removes carbon• Abrasive cleaning

– Materials must be free of grease


Chemical Cleaning (cont'd.)• Glass bead blasting

– Very effective in removing carbon

• Soda blasting – Similar to bead

blasting but uses baking soda

• Airless blasters– Scatter steel shot

at a part


Thermal Cleaning• Pyrolytic oven cooks oil and grease and turns it

to ash• Types of thermal ovens

– Convection and open flame• Advantages of thermal cleaning

– Lower cost– Lower volume of hazardous waste– Oil galleries thoroughly cleaned– Turns rust and scale to powder


Vibratory Parts Cleaners• Vibrating tube that uses large beads

– Ceramic, aluminum, or plastic• Beads combined with a cleaning solvent• Does not require a machine operator• Should be installed in a soundproof room


Other Cleaning Methods and Marking Clean Parts

• Other cleaning methods – Used in larger and nonautomotive applications

• Salt bath• Ultrasonic cleaning

• Marking clean parts– Clean parts can be marked

• Number or letter stamps• Colored paint marker

Cleaning Equipment and Methods

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