[Porcupine]

Several places in the manual talk about cleaning things with "solvent." I'm new to engine maintenance. What kind of solvent are they talking about? (the more specific, the better, please.)



Also, regarding cleaning the chain with kerosene. I've never bought kerosene. Is there more than one kind? Where do you guys get it?



thanks

Mark

 

[chevyluver]

I've always went to my local AutoZone or Napa and bought a gallon of cleaning solvent. I dont remember what brand it is, but I think they're all basicly the same. As for kerosene I think there's only one kind, I go to my local Bi-mart and buy it in a 4 gallon bucket, I use it for cleaning parts and running my shop heater in the winter. I hope this helps.

 

[Woofhound]

No 2 diesel is basically the same as kerosene as far as cleaning. Kerosene and No 1 diesel are the same thing. Mixing a little ATF in with the diesel will also help for cleaning. ATF has a high detergent content

 

[Gerry]

I got a solvent tank a couple of Christmas's ago. When I asked about what to purchase, a couple of folks suggested 'Stoddard Solvent'. I went to a petroleum dealer and asked for Stoddard Solvent. They indicated it ran $8.00 a gallon. Since I asked Santa for a 15 gallon tank, I was shocked. I purchased 5 gallons and filled the tank with bricks to minimize the volumn. Gerry

 

[Fourcycle]

For removing oily grime and the sort, I like Citra Solv full strength. It's expensive but you don't need much. It rinses off with water and leaves you smelling like ...citrus. I've been using it for about 10 years now and all those petrol based cleaners are a thing of the past for me! I rebuilt a R60/2 BMW, a CX650C, the TW200 in my avatar, lots of other smaller projects and I've only used about a gallon in those ten years.

 

[Porcupine]

Thanks for all the great info, guys. Much appreciated.

 

[darnold87]

I agree w/ everyone about using specific cleaners rather than solvent. I'm a chemist and work with many of the solvents you can buy at hardware stores (MEK, Toluene, Xylene, Naphtha, Acetone, etc). You don't want to use those on your bike as they are overkill. I usually stick with Simple Green, Purple Power, and sometimes good old WD-40. Worst case scenario, sometimes those strong solvents can be helpful getting the really tough stuff off (like old chain lube grime on the swing arm).

As for parts cleaner tanks, the stronger (harsh) chemicals are so much more efficient than the eco-friendly ones. I use a 2:1 blend of Mineral Spirits and Butyl Acetate... that will pretty much dissolve grease and paint right off of your parts.

 

[Adam-n-nevada]

I agree w/ everyone about using specific cleaners rather than solvent. I'm a chemist and work with many of the solvents you can buy at hardware stores (MEK, Toluene, Xylene, Naphtha, Acetone, etc). You don't want to use those on your bike as they are overkill. I usually stick with Simple Green, Purple Power, and sometimes good old WD-40. Worst case scenario, sometimes those strong solvents can be helpful getting the really tough stuff off (like old chain lube grime on the swing arm).

As for parts cleaner tanks, the stronger (harsh) chemicals are so much more efficient than the eco-friendly ones. I use a 2:1 blend of Mineral Spirits and Butyl Acetate... that will pretty much dissolve grease and paint right off of your parts.

I've been using just straight kerosene, with an old toothbrush to clean my chain and parts. Works great! I've got 18,000 miles on my R6's (factory) chain from doing this for 5 years

 

[darnold87]

Kerosene is a pretty weak solvent, so yeah, that's another 'safe' one to use on the bikes... It's available at most hardward stores and is usually labelled "Kerosene K-1".

 

[dawgs]

I got a solvent tank a couple of Christmas's ago. When I asked about what to purchase, a couple of folks suggested 'Stoddard Solvent'. I went to a petroleum dealer and asked for Stoddard Solvent. They indicated it ran $8.00 a gallon. Since I asked Santa for a 15 gallon tank, I was shocked. I purchased 5 gallons and filled the tank with bricks to minimize the volumn. Gerry

Stoddard solvent, mineral spirits, white spirits, dry cleaning solvent and paint thinner are all the same solvent.



It was originally called Stoddard solvent by the dry cleaner that developed it W.J. Stoddard.



It is the main ingredient in WD-40.

 

[qwerty]

Stoddard solvent, mineral spirits, white spirits, dry cleaning solvent and paint thinner are all the same solvent.



It was originally called Stoddard solvent by the dry cleaner that developed it W.J. Stoddard.



It is the main ingredient in WD-40.

BULL SHIT. Extreme emphasis on the innaccuracy of this post due to the rather severe health hazards possible from exposure to some of the listed solvents.



WD-40 is Aliphatic Hydrocarbon, Petroleum Base Oil, LVP Aliphatic Hydrocarbon, Carbon Dioxide, Surfactant Proprietary, and Non-Hazardous Ingredients.



The Tekstyle Formula TS-3 dry cleaning fluid I use in the screenprinting shop is Dichloromethane, Tetrachloroethylene, Light Alphatic Hydrocarbon, and Proprietary Non-hazardous Components. It works much better for its intended purpose than Stoddard solvent, which is nothing more than Type 1 Mineral Spirits. Old man Stoddard didn't invent anything, he just slapped his name on a known product and called it better. He suckered a bunch of money out of a bunch of people that way.

Paint thinners vary in composition by brand, but can include such nasties as Acetone, Ethyl Acetate, Methanol, Light Aliphatic Solvent Naptha, Toluene (particularly nasty stuff), 2-Butoxyethanol, ..., ad nauseum.



You can google any product and find the MSDS, which lists all hazardous components.

 

[dawgs]

BULL SHIT. Extreme emphasis on the innaccuracy of this post due to the rather severe health hazards possible from exposure to some of the listed solvents.



WD-40 is Aliphatic Hydrocarbon, Petroleum Base Oil, LVP Aliphatic Hydrocarbon, Carbon Dioxide, Surfactant Proprietary, and Non-Hazardous Ingredients.



The Tekstyle Formula TS-3 dry cleaning fluid I use in the screenprinting shop is Dichloromethane, Tetrachloroethylene, Light Alphatic Hydrocarbon, and Proprietary Non-hazardous Components. It works much better for its intended purpose than Stoddard solvent, which is nothing more than Type 1 Mineral Spirits. Old man Stoddard didn't invent anything, he just slapped his name on a known product and called it better. He suckered a bunch of money out of a bunch of people that way.

Paint thinners vary in composition by brand, but can include such nasties as Acetone, Ethyl Acetate, Methanol, Light Aliphatic Solvent Naptha, Toluene (particularly nasty stuff), 2-Butoxyethanol, ..., ad nauseum.



You can google any product and find the MSDS, which lists all hazardous components.

Common paint thinner is in fact mineral spirits which is stoddard solvent. It is a fact. All those chemicals yopu listed are not paint thinner. They may be used to as a solvent in certain coatings such a lacquer.



Stoddard solvent was the original dry cleaning solvent. That is a fact and Mr. Stoddard had a hand in it's design.



What I would like to know is where you got the formula for WD-40? It is a secret formula. So how would you have have it?

Please read the information on the sites below and then call BS.



http://www.jtbaker.com/msds/englishhtml/s6588.htm



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_spirit



http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/tfacts79.html#bookmark02



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mineral_spirits



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paint_thinner



Go to any Home Depot, Lowe's or paint store and ask for paint thinner see what they hand you. Read the label it says mineral spirits right on it.



Now if you go to WD-40's site it will tell you it contains 50% mineral spirits.



Formulation



WD-40's formula is a trade secret. The product is not patented in order to avoid completely disclosing its ingredients.[2] WD-40's main ingredients, according to U.S. Material Safety Data Sheet information, are:



* 50%: Stoddard solvent (i.e., mineral spirits -- primarily hexane, somewhat similar to kerosene)

* 25%: Liquefied petroleum gas (presumably as a propellant; carbon dioxide is now used instead to reduce WD-40's considerable flammability)

* 15+%: Mineral oil (light lubricating oil)

* 10-%: Inert ingredients



The German version of the mandatory EU safety sheet lists the following safety-relevant ingredients:



* 60-80%: Heavy Naphtha (petroleum product), hydrogen treated

* 1-5%: Carbon dioxide



It further lists flammability and effects to the human skin when repeatedly exposed to WD-40 as risks when using WD-40. Nitrile rubber gloves and safety glasses should be used. Water is unsuitable for extinguishing burning WD-40.



There is a popular urban legend that the key ingredient in WD-40 is fish oil.[3] However, the WD-40 web site states that it is a petroleum based product [4]



Now before you start calling people liars have some facts to back it up. Here are just a few of facts that back my statement.

 

[qwerty]

Common paint thinner is in fact mineral spirits which is stoddard solvent. It is a fact. All those chemicals yopu listed are not paint thinner. They may be used to as a solvent in certain coatings such a lacquer.



Stoddard solvent was the original dry cleaning solvent. That is a fact and Mr. Stoddard had a hand in it's design.



What I would like to know is where you got the formula for WD-40? It is a secret formula. So how would you have have it?

Please read the information on the sites below and then call BS.



http://www.jtbaker.com/msds/englishhtml/s6588.htm



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_spirit



http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/tfacts79.html#bookmark02



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mineral_spirits



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paint_thinner



Go to any Home Depot, Lowe's or paint store and ask for paint thinner see what they hand you. Read the label it says mineral spirits right on it.



Now if you go to WD-40's site it will tell you it contains 50% mineral spirits.



Formulation



WD-40's formula is a trade secret. The product is not patented in order to avoid completely disclosing its ingredients.[2] WD-40's main ingredients, according to U.S. Material Safety Data Sheet information, are:



* 50%: Stoddard solvent (i.e., mineral spirits -- primarily hexane, somewhat similar to kerosene)

* 25%: Liquefied petroleum gas (presumably as a propellant; carbon dioxide is now used instead to reduce WD-40's considerable flammability)

* 15+%: Mineral oil (light lubricating oil)

* 10-%: Inert ingredients



The German version of the mandatory EU safety sheet lists the following safety-relevant ingredients:



* 60-80%: Heavy Naphtha (petroleum product), hydrogen treated

* 1-5%: Carbon dioxide



It further lists flammability and effects to the human skin when repeatedly exposed to WD-40 as risks when using WD-40. Nitrile rubber gloves and safety glasses should be used. Water is unsuitable for extinguishing burning WD-40.



There is a popular urban legend that the key ingredient in WD-40 is fish oil.[3] However, the WD-40 web site states that it is a petroleum based product [4]



Now before you start calling people liars have some facts to back it up. Here are just a few of facts that back my statement.

http://www.wd40.com/files/pdf/msds-wd494716385.pdf

Third chart down.

http://www.sunnysidecorp.com/msds.html

This company makes many paint thinners. They are not all the same ingredients.

http://www.jtbaker.com/msds/englishhtml/S6588.htm

Stoddard solvent, at least that sold by this company, is nothing but type 1 mineral spirits. Stoddard devised a cost-effective way of separating the oderless and relatively biologically benign type 1 mineral spirits from the somewhat more dangerous types. He was not the first to separate the various types of mineral spirits, but the first to apply it to a previously unknown usage, i. e., dry cleraning. It was sold at a premium price as a dry cleaning fluid, but it really isn't very good for that purpose due to its tendency to leave visible rings on some types and colors of fabric. The dry cleaning fluid I use is not Stoddard solvent (mineral spirits). The contents of which I listed in my previous post are hardly benign should one inhale or ingest the stuff, or if forced under the skin by the spot gun when using the stuff, or simply splash the stuff on oneself.



My objection is not that what you posted was totally wrong, but that the content was incomplete and could easily mislead someone into using a product that could do serious harm to their health and safety, or to their yet-to-be-concieved rugrats. For instance, you maintain that paint thinner and dry cleaning fluid make good solvents for our purposes. True, if you have paint thinner or dry cleaning fluid that is nothing but mineral spirits. Not so true if you are breathing paint thinner with Toluene, which destroys brain cells about as quickly as smoking crack, or you have your hands in dry cleaning fluid with dichloromethane, which causes genetic damage to gametes in both males and females, which leads to birth defects. I made that perfectly clear in the first paragraph. If you take offense to me caring about the welfare of other board members, and their future spawn, well, sorry about that.

 

[dawgs]

http://www.wd40.com/files/pdf/msds-wd494716385.pdf

Third chart down.

http://www.sunnysidecorp.com/msds.html

This company makes many paint thinners. They are not all the same ingredients.

http://www.jtbaker.com/msds/englishhtml/S6588.htm

Stoddard solvent, at least that sold by this company, is nothing but type 1 mineral spirits. Stoddard devised a cost-effective way of separating the oderless and relatively biologically benign type 1 mineral spirits from the somewhat more dangerous types. He was not the first to separate the various types of mineral spirits, but the first to apply it to a previously unknown usage, i. e., dry cleraning. It was sold at a premium price as a dry cleaning fluid, but it really isn't very good for that purpose due to its tendency to leave visible rings on some types and colors of fabric. The dry cleaning fluid I use is not Stoddard solvent (mineral spirits). The contents of which I listed in my previous post are hardly benign should one inhale or ingest the stuff, or if forced under the skin by the spot gun when using the stuff, or simply splash the stuff on oneself.



My objection is not that what you posted was totally wrong, but that the content was incomplete and could easily mislead someone into using a product that could do serious harm to their health and safety, or to their yet-to-be-concieved rugrats. For instance, you maintain that paint thinner and dry cleaning fluid make good solvents for our purposes. True, if you have paint thinner or dry cleaning fluid that is nothing but mineral spirits. Not so true if you are breathing paint thinner with Toluene, which destroys brain cells about as quickly as smoking crack, or you have your hands in dry cleaning fluid with dichloromethane, which causes genetic damage to gametes in both males and females, which leads to birth defects. I made that perfectly clear in the first paragraph. If you take offense to me caring about the welfare of other board members, and their future spawn, well, sorry about that.

In sufficient quantities pure water is toxic. Hell in sufficient quantities mothers milk is toxic.



Gasoline is toxic, motor oil, kerosene , coal oil, diesel, salt, and on and on. In sufficient quantities everything is toxic.

Now I have some faith in humans as having intelligence but for those that may not have any here is a WARNING! Don't take a bath in mineral spirits aka Stoddard solvent, white spirits, paint thinner ( W/O toulene as though it would come with it, if you want it you will need to add it) and I wouldn't drink it. That goes for WD-40 too.



As I see it if someones mental deficiency is below the ability to understand not to bath in petrochemicals, then their caretaker should supervise them when they are on the internet. Or I might see it a different way, as Darwin would and let nature take it's course for the morons, imbeciles, and idiots. We really don't want them breeding do we?

 

[frog13]

On the chain I use kerosene.

 

[jckosnow]

this solvent discussion can only be settled by racing your tw's through the canyon they raced through in Iron Eagle



video of the race in Iron Eagle! I'm rooting for the dirt bike!