What degreaser do you use on your diff?

[D-DUB]

What do you all use to completly clean the diffs? I tried some mean green degreaser, and it didnt even touch the stock oil in the center or front diff.

I tried soaking the metal gears in acetone for an hour, it softened up the grease, but still, really sticky.

Is there anything that I can use to wash away with little effort? I am getting some EXB diffs next week and I want to go through them before I install them.

 

[KevinC]

Brake parts cleaner for gears, let sit for a day in a cat food can....... not for plastic though.

 

[JvG]

If you mean the inside of the diff brake cleaner will not remove silicon oil, it’s good for grease and dirt though.
For silicon oil use electrical cleaner/ contact spray, just a few minutes in there and the gears will be shiny new!

 

[D-DUB]

If you mean the inside of the diff brake cleaner will not remove silicon oil, it’s good for grease and dirt though.
For silicon oil use electrical cleaner/ contact spray, just a few minutes in there and the gears will be shiny new!

Yes the inside. Thanks, ill run to the parts store tomorrow and grab some. I spent about 20 minutes trying to toothbrush all of it off onto a shop towel, I really don't want to do that x3 when my EXB diffs arrive.

 

[hobo]

What do you all use to completly clean the diffs? I tried some mean green degreaser, and it didnt even touch the stock oil in the center or front diff.

I tried soaking the metal gears in acetone for an hour, it softened up the grease, but still, really sticky.

Is there anything that I can use to wash away with little effort? I am getting some EXB diffs next week and I want to go through them before I install them.

I use paint thinners for metal gears wd40 everything else

 

[D-DUB]

I picked up some WD-40, non-chlorinated brake parts cleaner, and QD electronics cleaner.

Of all those, WD-40 was superior and cheaper, and I followed it up with some brake cleaner, since that works great against WD-40.

 

[olds97_lss]

A bit of naphtha in a jar works. Breaks the oil down.
https://www.lowes.com/pd/Jasco-32-fl-oz-Fast-to-Dissolve-Naphtha/1000147043

What a weird word... seems like it has too many consonants.

 

[D-DUB]

A bit of naphtha in a jar works. Breaks the oil down.
https://www.lowes.com/pd/Jasco-32-fl-oz-Fast-to-Dissolve-Naphtha/1000147043

What a weird word... seems like it has too many consonants.

Yea I will be picking some up to try as well, I have a feeling that will be the winner for metal parts.

I assume that is not safe to use on plastics?

 

[olds97_lss]

Yea I will be picking some up to try as well, I have a feeling that will be the winner for metal parts.

I assume that is not safe to use on plastics?

I don't know. I drop my plastic diff cups in it and it seems fine. I do remove the o-rings first though.

 

[Outcastblxnut]

Sd-20. The best stuff n the world. Used by race car teams
https://www.amazon.com/SD-20-All-Purpose-Degreaser-Pack/dp/B00GNJEG16

 

[olds97_lss]

Sd-20. The best stuff n the world. Used by race car teams
https://www.amazon.com/SD-20-All-Purpose-Degreaser-Pack/dp/B00GNJEG16

Cuts through silicone oil?

 

[Sargent_Horse]

The amain diff rebuild video uses Nitro cleaner and man does it clean up quickly. Or do some Naphtha in a container.

 

[Guy on a Moose]

FYI Coleman camp stove fuel is naptha fuel. Works great

 

[D-DUB]

FYI Coleman camp stove fuel is naptha fuel. Works great

Oh! I have some of that already. Thanks

 

[Lukas412]

FYI Coleman camp stove fuel is naptha fuel. Works great

So is any brand lighter fluid for a zippo style lighter.

 

[Monster Dork]

Put your solvent of choice and your parts in a glass jar, then place the jar in an ultrasonic parts cleaner. Zzzing!

Most of the solvents mentioned will attack plastics slowly, so no overnight soaking. Plastics will swell and soften eventually.

The QD cleaner and chlorinated brake cleaner is TCE, really great stuff. The non-chlorinated brake cleaner is just expensive canned acetone. Not entirely worthless, but overpriced.