Best Budget PARTS WASHER | Assembly, upgrades and use of the Harbor Freight 20 Gallon parts washer

In this video I show you the culmination of the research I did to assemble the best parts washer on a budget. I went with the Harbor Freight 20 Gallon parts washer using PSC-1000 fluid from Tractor Supply. After weeding through other suggestions on upgrades, I came up with the best of the bunch and added a new one of my own.
Harbor Freight Parts Washer: www.harborfreight.com/20-gall...
PSC-1000 Parts Cleaner (5-gallon): www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/pro...
Oil Drain Valve: amzn.to/2ZLwV4b
Flow-thru brush: amzn.to/3bqIy2G
Dolly (30"x18"): amzn.to/3ErhhJW
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I am a Do It Yourself, also known as DIY, mechanic. I am NOT a professional mechanic. I do not have any formal training in the automotive field.
Help Me DIY assumes no liability for anything you choose to do to your car, before, or after watching one of my videos or utilizing the content from this web site.
All DIY repairs or modifications you perform to your car are made at your own risk. Sometimes, even if you've done everything the right way, you can destroy or damage one or more things on your car. You must understand this, but by leveraging knowledge and patience, the probability of encountering one or more problems can be reduced.
Also, if for some unfortunate reason, I do give incorrect instructions and something breaks because you followed my instructions, I will NOT reimburse or pay in any way for whatever cost that may be incurred due to following my wrong instructions.
Lastly, please don't do anything to your car unless you yourself feel comfortable and confident in doing so.

[@TheRemshoff]

Very good ideas here. I’ll be doing the same thing soon. Thanks for the great video sir!

[@HelpMeDIY]

+robbie Emshoff you’re welcome 🍻

[@kermitbearden7142]

In defense of the oil filter after the pump, if you are cleaning parts that are ready for assembly but need a final cleaning you will have clean fluid. Washing a crankshaft after machining, washing a new camshaft before assembly, cleaning ball or roller bearings before reinstalling. Any clean part that needs a final rinse before assembly.

[@gotheatsauce]

The filter before the pump is good enough with clean fluid coming out for washing and everything needs to be rinsed with water after cleaning in a solution regardless so nothing gets assembled directly from the wash tub.

[@jeremyking5684]

​​@@gotheatsaucefilter before pump does nothing for fine dirt, washing parts for engine and transmission a external filter is a must,using water and soap causes flash rust.

[@yhird]

Excellent video. Thank you for sharing.

[@HelpMeDIY]

+YH thanks! 🍻

[@yazming1720]

Thanks for the informative video for I'm looking to install a parts washer in my shop also. When I seen you zip tying the blue scrub filter I was saying to myself ""it's backwards"" 😆 👍💯👍💯🏁🏁🏁 Keep Up The Great Work 👍

[@HelpMeDIY]

Haha yeah I usually figure it out eventually ;) Thanks for watching!

[@randyfreeman3102]

FYI..... Having a filter system built into the system is very helpful.

[@TriStarGearhead]

I picked up a sack of 10 lawnmower fuel filters with magnets for about $10. I added one in-line on the hose brush.

[@HelpMeDIY]

+Grease Guns & Gear Chains nice!

[@brucewayne2773]

I use Simple Green concentrate in mine. Works great for parts cleaning. Good upgrades👍

[@HelpMeDIY]

+bruce wayne thanks!

[@gotheatsauce]

I use the same but simple green purple HD concentrate 1:3 ratio and find it much cheaper than the 5 gallon drums of chemicals

[@brucewayne2773]

I have not seen the purple stuff, may have to see if Home Depot sells that stuff .👍@@gotheatsauce

[@rogers906]

I agree. You do need a filter before the cleaner hits the part because there could be metal granules fine enough to get logged in narrow orifices.

[@abesebag1085]

very cool

[@HelpMeDIY]

+Abe Sebag 😎

[@nacorpiccardo8743]

Nice video , I have a small paint shop and im looking to buy something like this to clean my spray guns , in the description of the washer it says non corrosive solutions so I won’t be able to use regular lacquer thinner, do you think that cleaner will work with oil based paint ? Thank you .

[@HelpMeDIY]

+Nacor Piccardo thanks! Great question but I’d have to Google. 🤷‍♂️ sorry

[@bobfognozzle]

Sweeeeet. 👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍🤓

[@HelpMeDIY]

I almost feel like a real mechanic now hahaha

[@the229project4]

Does the TSC 1000 leave any residue?

[@HelpMeDIY]

+@the229project4 not that I’ve noticed

[@TheManic.5-OH]

Put magnets on the outside of the bottom of the washer bin. Youre welcome

[@HelpMeDIY]

+@TheManic.5-OH nice! Thanks 🍻

[@keithm966]

You posted this video a year ago. The harbor freight states aqua-based degreaser and you’re using PSC 1000 which is a solvent petroleum based. Have you had any problems with the pump been over a year old?

[@HelpMeDIY]

+Keith M I don’t use it often, but it’s still working.

[@n9wox]

I wonder if HF says water based solvent only for legal reasons.

[@mtrower025]

@@n9wox Almost certainly, I think. Looking at the manual, it says water/household detergent only, then says "never use highly volatile flammable solvents...", "do not use or store near open flames...", "Solvents are highly flammable. Use in well-ventilated area. Do not smoke during use." ... and so forth.

[@JimLambier]

I'm thinking about buying a parts washer but started checking out what is available in online used ads. It seems like 3/4 of the ads are for units that have missing or broken pumps. I suspect that a lot of people have not liked the performance of the water based solvents and have tried something more aggressive and then destroyed their pumps. It seems odd that these things have a linkage on the lid that is designed to close in case of fire but only use water based solvent.

[@ProteusDIY]

How is that pump holding up with the PSC1000? I heard the newer ones just fail as the o-ring/seals just swell up with petroleum based solvents.

[@HelpMeDIY]

+Proteus no problems so far

[@thomassisco5515]

How did the pcs 1000 solvent work for you

[@HelpMeDIY]

+@thomassisco5515 still working great

[@n9wox]

Did brush start out black and solvent turned it white? 17:12

[@HelpMeDIY]

+@n9wox ha! It looked like that there but it was just the light reflecting. It’s still black 😉🍻

[@trashpandaexpress6136]

Hey, any idea on part number?been looking for a week online now and looks like HF has discontinued this??

[@HelpMeDIY]

+trashpanda express there is a link to it in the description. Looks like the link contains a part number.

[@gotheatsauce]

Curious Why you're using a parts cleaner which is intended for steel ?

[@HelpMeDIY]

What makes it intended for steel? Just a tub to hold solvent and the extra ability to direct it with a little pump 🤷‍♂️

[@gotheatsauce]

@@HelpMeDIY I'm talking about the solvent not the tub itself. The solvent solution is specifically made for steel and I don't think it's water based which the pump is designed for.

[@HelpMeDIY]

@@gotheatsauce Ohh.... gotcha. It has worked well on everything I've used it on so far.

[@nismoracer15]

How’s that HF pump holding up with PSC1000? Doomed I’m sure.

[@HelpMeDIY]

+nismoracer15 I don’t use it often but still working like new.

[@jonsamaha455]

Don't Do It!. It's cheap for a reason. I bought one. It has a defective pump. I called Horrible Freight Product Support. They told me to watch a video (not this one). Turns out I did everything right! I called back to have them send me a replacement pump. They won't. I gotta drain it and disassemble the damn thing. I ordered it on the internet and they are fighting me about returning it. I ride a motorcycle, I can't drag it to the store. Scratch this off your list, Santa ain't gonna take it back!

[@HelpMeDIY]

+jon samaha sorry to hear that man! I’d buy a new one, swap the pumps out, and return the new one leaving the old one assembled 😉

[@jonsamaha455]

@@HelpMeDIY I ride a motorcycle, the reason I ordered on line.

[@oliverroedel1111]

this kind is stupid. my diy parts cleaner has all the fluid in a container under the cleaner, and the pump bring it up and gravity back down. no smell, you can clean the cleaner and you need much less fluid

[@HelpMeDIY]

+@oliverroedel1111 sounds like you can’t soak parts in yours then

[@oliverroedel1111]

@@HelpMeDIY if needed put it in a bin or something with the right size. bolts, nuts p.e. bigger parte never needed. for hardcore stuff have a big container with heavy chimicals and a pump for circulation. but didn´t use it much.

[@oliverroedel1111]

your cleaner has a drain and you have the barrels, only need to adapt a pump to one barrel and ready to go. you will see it´s much more comfortable and practible to use than this swiming pool hahaha