Jean-Paul Lacroix wrote:
~EDITED FOR BREVITY~
> Recently I was
> using a typical parts cleaning solvent and extra fine emery cloth to cleanup
>the pistons/con rod assemblies.
When
> all were nice a clean, I lay them out neatly until I was ready to
> re-install.
When I went back approx. 3 weeks later, to install the rings,
> the pistons were seized tight on their pins. Apparently, the solvent which
> I had allowed to air dry, had reacted with the old oil on & around the
>con-rod small end and wrist pin, and crystalized it.
~GARRY MORROW RESPONDS (ALSO EDITED)~
Paul:
Unless the "parts cleaner" you used was more like a paint stripper with some
caustic dissolve in it (like stripeeze here in the states), its seems unlikely
that a typical parts cleaner, which is usually just a light petroleum-based
solvent, would "react" with motor oil of anykind, regardless of its additives.
Jean-Paul,
This raises the question, was this the same kind of parts-cleaner we have here
"Down South"? In the U.S., there is a kind of parts cleaner that could behave as
you describe. We commonly refer to it as carbeurator (sp?) cleaning solution.
It is
purchased in a 3 or 5 gallon (aprox. 12 or 20 ltr.) can with its own built-in
parts
tray. You put the parts on this tray, lower it in, come back hours later to
spot-
lessly clean parts. These parts are then rinsed off with water and dried. This
liq-
uid is yellow in color and opaque.
The other "parts cleaner" is usually supplied and maintained by an outside
comp-
any, such as "Safety Clean". This is the petroleum-based liquid Garry spoke of,
and
is a transparent liquid that is similar to mineral spirits or to parrifin.This
liq-
uid will air dry with no ill effects.
If the liquid you used is the latter, I'm stumped; if it is the former, good
luck. The only solution (forgive the pun) is to re-soak the parts, then upon re-
moval THIS time, use a non-residual cleaner like brake cleaner to remove the
err-
ant solution.
Good luck,
JOE IV
TR 250
WALLINGFORD,CT. USA
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