© 2012 Delmar, Cengage Learning Cleaning Equipment and Methods Chapter 10

© 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


Documents

© 2012 Delmar, Cengage Learning Cleaning Equipment and Methods Chapter 10