cleaning engine

You folks do realize, don't you, that if you don't snip the preceding message
that we just bypass any of your pearls of wisdom.

Jim



Jim Weir (A&P/IA, CFI, & other good alphabet soup)
VP Eng RST Pres. Cyberchapter EAA Tech. Counselor
http://www.rst-engr.com

"Jim Weir" wrote in message
news
You folks do realize, don't you, that if you don't snip the preceding
message
that we just bypass any of your pearls of wisdom.

Jim



Jim Weir (A&P/IA, CFI, & other good alphabet soup)
VP Eng RST Pres. Cyberchapter EAA Tech. Counselor
http://www.rst-engr.com

Seems to me that I snipped the message before the one I was replying to, and
most all of the one I left was relevant to what I was responding to.

Would you want me to snip every bit of the preceding message, Jim?

--
Jim in NC

"Bill Denton" wrote in message
...
Maybe I'm just getting confused by the global nature of the discussion,
but
I'm seeing a few things that are so obvious on their face that I felt I
should jump in...

Here in the US, paint thinner is not a product, it's a type of product.
It's
purpose is just as you would surmise from it's name: it is used to thin
paint to provide the proper viscosity for spraying or brushing. And it's
also used for cleaning brushes, spray nozzles, paint cups and similar
items
after use. It does a really dandy job of removing paint! And you use
different paint thinners for different paint types. So you can't really
make
too many generic comments about whether it will remove paint or it's
flammability.

Now, here is the obvious: here in the states we clean automobile engines
with a product called "Gunk Engine Cleaner" which comes in an aerosol can.
You spray it on, let it sit for a few minutes, then hose it off with a
moderate stream. I imagine this is the type of product your mechanic was
referring to. And if Gunk is not available worldwide, I'm sure your local
auto parts and supplies dealer carries something similar.

Sorry to but in, but when I saw a reference to paint thinner not removing
paint I just couldn't stay out of the chat...

"G.R. Patterson III" wrote in message
...

Bill, thanks for your input, I did say "will remove paint dependent on the
type of thinner used", but as we're talking aviation or automotive thinner,
as I thought due to the nature of our newsgroups interest, then I didn't
think we would be discussing any paint thinners that would be used in
household paint.
We also use paint thinner for thinning paint and cleaning brushes etc.



Scet wrote:

I don't think paint thinner is appropriate to use. It is highly
flammable
and will damage paint, obviously dependent on the type of thinner
used.

Paint thinner in the U.S. is also called "mineral spirits". It's no more
flamable than kerosene (which you call "white spirit"), is less oily,
and
will
definitely NOT harm any paint that's likely to be on an aircraft.

George Patterson
Some people think they hear a call to the priesthood when what they
really
hear is a tiny voice whispering "It's indoor work with no heavy
lifting".

"Bill Denton" wrote in message
...
Maybe I'm just getting confused by the global nature of the discussion,
but
I'm seeing a few things that are so obvious on their face that I felt I
should jump in...

Here in the US, paint thinner is not a product, it's a type of product.

Bunk! I defy you to purchase paint thinner that does not say it is mineral
spirits in small print. The other produces are not paint thinner. They are
reducers or other type thinners such as lacquer thinner.

It's
purpose is just as you would surmise from it's name: it is used to thin
paint to provide the proper viscosity for spraying or brushing. And it's
also used for cleaning brushes, spray nozzles, paint cups and similar
items
after use. It does a really dandy job of removing paint! And you use
different paint thinners for different paint types. So you can't really
make
too many generic comments about whether it will remove paint or it's
flammability.

Now, here is the obvious: here in the states we clean automobile engines
with a product called "Gunk Engine Cleaner" which comes in an aerosol can.
You spray it on, let it sit for a few minutes, then hose it off with a
moderate stream. I imagine this is the type of product your mechanic was
referring to. And if Gunk is not available worldwide, I'm sure your local
auto parts and supplies dealer carries something similar.

Sorry to but in, but when I saw a reference to paint thinner not removing
paint I just couldn't stay out of the chat...

"G.R. Patterson III" wrote in message
...


Scet wrote:

I don't think paint thinner is appropriate to use. It is highly
flammable
and will damage paint, obviously dependent on the type of thinner
used.

Paint thinner in the U.S. is also called "mineral spirits". It's no more
flamable than kerosene (which you call "white spirit"), is less oily,
and
will
definitely NOT harm any paint that's likely to be on an aircraft.

George Patterson
Some people think they hear a call to the priesthood when what they
really
hear is a tiny voice whispering "It's indoor work with no heavy
lifting".

Sorry if I put some folks off here; I was only trying to offer suggestions.

My thought was that someone who was not familiary with commercial engine
cleaning products might not be aware of the varying properties of what is
generically known as "paint thinner".

Over the years I have used the thinner for oil-based house paints, which I
believe was mineral spirits. I have also used enamel thinner and lacquer
thinner. And I have heard all of these referred to as "paint thinner" or
just plain "thinner".

And please remember that anyone who considers my advice to be worthless is
free to avoid using it.

"Scet" wrote in message
...

"Robert M. Gary" wrote in message
om...
Looks like I've got an oil leak in my 550 hr SFNEW IO-360-A3B6
Lycoming engine. My mechanic says I should clean the engine and see
where its coming from. I feel strange cleaning the engine. He said to
use an automotive engine cleaner and then wash it off right away. I
guess its not different than flying through a level 5 rain shower but
I can't see spraying my mags down with a hose. How do most of you do
it?

I don't think paint thinner is appropriate to use. It is highly flammable
and will damage paint, obviously dependent on the type of thinner used.

Paint thinner is mineral spirits and is nearly if not the same as Stoddard
solvent. It WILL NOT damage paint. Flammability is not an issue unless you
spray it into an open flame. It is a very good low cost solvent available
almost anywhere.


Dry cleaning solvent or white spirit is an approved Mil spec cleaner and
won't damage paint, and it's relatively cheap. Put it in an atomiser
bottle
on jet setting and have an old paint brush ready for stubborn areas, then
hose off.

Scet.

"Scet" wrote in message
...

"Robert M. Gary" wrote in message
om...
Looks like I've got an oil leak in my 550 hr SFNEW IO-360-A3B6
Lycoming engine. My mechanic says I should clean the engine and see
where its coming from. I feel strange cleaning the engine. He said to
use an automotive engine cleaner and then wash it off right away. I
guess its not different than flying through a level 5 rain shower but
I can't see spraying my mags down with a hose. How do most of you do
it?

I don't think paint thinner is appropriate to use. It is highly flammable
and will damage paint, obviously dependent on the type of thinner used.

Dry cleaning solvent or white spirit is an approved Mil spec cleaner and
won't damage paint, and it's relatively cheap. Put it in an atomiser
bottle
on jet setting and have an old paint brush ready for stubborn areas, then
hose off.

Scet.

Sorry guys, in Australia paint thinner WILL remove paint and this paint
thinner is funnily enough used to THIN paint which in turn REDUCES the
viscosity.
If you get some acylic lacquer thinner and tip it on your CURED paint it
WILL remove it.
So what I can gather is that your paint thinner is mineral spirits or what
we call mineral turps.
We use this for house and general painting jobs.

In general discussion, when we talk about thinners, then the thinners used
in that particular industry is the one being discussed.

So it seems there are differences in terminology, between the US and
Australia (funny that) that can lead to some confusion.

"Scet" wrote

In general discussion, when we talk about thinners, then the thinners used
in that particular industry is the one being discussed.

So it seems there are differences in terminology, between the US and
Australia (funny that) that can lead to some confusion.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Zactly. In the US, paint thinner is mineral spirits, no matter where you
get it. In an automotive type supplier, if you want to reduce the
viscosity, you ask for reducer, then specify the slow medium or fast
reducer. Ask for paint thinner at one of those places, and you will still
get mineral spirits, but they probably will not have it.

I did not realize that this was yet another example of terminology
differences.
--
Jim in NC