Engine Parts Soak Pine Sol Vs Purple Power Using Household Cleaners Rather than Harsh Chemicals

The internet and KZbin specifically are full of information on using pine-sol as a carburetor dip. These videos show the carburetors being soaked for 24-48 hours and cleaning up very well. I was also given a tip about using a cleaner called Purple Power as a way to soak engine parts and clean them. Not having used either of these techniques I figured I would do a shootout and see which one works better.

[@Fordfalcon263]

Last summer when I rebuilt my 260 out of my 60 year old 64 Falcon, I re- used the original pistons and just honed the cylinders and new rings, as there was only 66,500 miles on the motor, and very little wear. I'm positive this motor was never taken apart. I used mineral spirits and carb cleaner and a brush. They came out very clean, but it all but ate the skin off my hands, and smelled bad! If I had it to to over, I would go for the Pine Sol and heat. Thanks for the heads up. Happy New Year!

[@dazecars]

This was all new to me too. 6 months ago I would have used caustic chemicals as well. Even with the pine sol and purple power gloves are still a good idea.

[@JohnThawley]

WARNING - I was so excited by this video that I tried PineSol immediately on grimy parts for a lathe I'm restoring. I worked great. Slicker than greased whale snot. It worked so well I reckoned PineSol deserved a permanent home in my spiffy red, 2-gallon Justrite parts dip can. Enjoying the convenience, I cleaned a few more parts that day and the next. Parts were clean. The garage smelled wonderful. Life was good... HOWEVER, the next time I looked inside, about a week later, there was rust in the can and on the stainless steel parts basket! I emptied the can, wiped it out and scrubbed the lightly rusted ring around the inside. Then I noticed the problem - the PineSol had eaten away ALL of the galvanizing below the fluid level! Moral of the story - PineSol does not play nice with zinc! It's still great, and I'll continue to use it as needed. But I will not be using it for ZAMAK change gears or storing it in a galvanized can. [The spiffy red exterior remains unharmed and still looks great.] Thanks for the idea and all your great content. Looking forward to my first treadmill conversion.

[@dazecars]

That is excellent information to know!! I will do some testing as some carb bodies are made of zinc. Might be a short term V long term thing keeping in mind etching is a real possibility. Was this stored in some place warm or cold as heat can accelerate things. Just trying to get as much info as possible so I can conduct an experiment and do a follow up video.

[@JohnThawley]

Sorry I never saw this. It was stored in an unheated SoCal garage. Between 55-75°. The steel bucket never leaked, as you mentioned in your latest video. It just ate the zinc galvanizing and rusted the steel.

[@dazecars]

I rally appreciate your comments. You inspired my latest video

[@joell439]

thanks for experiment and detailed results 👍👍😎👍👍 Looking forward to throttle body soaking results. 2024 is going to be awesome.

[@dazecars]

Me too. The shootout between the ultrasonic and a good long soak should be an interesting one.

[@dazecars]

the throttle body are already cleaned and that video is already up kzbin.info/www/bejne/bpjLfYmme7OKptU There is also this one that brings up some concers about putting some materials in PineSol kzbin.info/www/bejne/b5-mco13a62Hnrc

[@patrickbeaumier8616]

I wonder how the two solutions would have worked in an ultrasonic cleaning tub. Thanks for the vid. 👍👍👍

[@dazecars]

Now you’re just stepping on my future video 😂😂😂 I have a carb sized ultrasonic cleaner and am going to put one throttle body in that and one in just a soak and compare how they work.

[@Glens1965]

Nice shoot-out! Looking forward to the ultrasonic stab at it. Please link your sonic clean down below.

[@dazecars]

Thanks! Will do!

[@JohnnieBravo1]

I have not used Pine Sol in my ultrasonic, but I have used Purple Power, Simple Green, and Super Clean. Cleaning aluminum carbs with heat for our ATV's, Purple Power and Super Clean turn them dark gray. However, the gray "feels" like an oily film, that does come off. I use my Dremel with a small non-aggressive wire brush, and that polishes them right back up to shiny aluminum. I'll be looking forward to your video on using your ultrasonic cleaner. Happy New Year Dazed!

[@dazecars]

Happy new year to you as well. I will be using the ultrasonic in the next week or so. In theory that means the video will be out some time in January.

[@nitesky001]

Walmart here carries Purple Power at a good price. I've been getting it from Walmart for many years. Also, I stopped soaking anything in Purple power years ago when I saw it eating aluminum. I don't find soaking necessary since it works really well with a brush followed by a good rinse. Since doing that, I haven't seen it damaging anything. The lye explains why it really stings a cut or scrape on a finger. Rinsing fixes that too. :)

[@dazecars]

Soaking may not be necessary but I like being able to work on other things while the solution is doing its thing. Im all about putting some good old elbow grease into what I'm doing but I have so many projects that if I can find a technique that "does the work for me" it allows me to get other things done.

[@paulshermet535]

Happy New year from Canada.

[@dazecars]

Same to you!

[@HotRodDave]

Pine Sol. I would never have thought to use that. I have heard of people using oven cleaner as a engine cleaner. I may try the Pine Sol. Good video

[@Fordfalcon263]

Oven cleaner works great on cast iron and steel, but it will eat aluminum. I will try pine sol in the future.

[@dazecars]

I too have used oven cleaner, but it also burns the skin and smells bad

[@dazecars]

Glad to help

[@FTADaddio]

If you’re looking for any additional content for your channel videos like this that actually test methods of getting small parts clean are invaluable to those of us that do a lot of small shop DIY projects and repair things ourselves.

[@dazecars]

Stay tuned more is coming. I just finished shooting a video where I compare a 24 hour soak in pine-sol to a short bath in a pine-sol filled ultrasonic cleaner. That video will drip in a couple weeks.

[@stanggangchannel]

I would’ve love to see do half Pine-Sol half purple power and see if that makes a difference in the etching

[@dazecars]

I would not mix them. they are totally different chemicals and could react adversely. Adding pine sol would do nothing to decrease the etching effect. Maybe cutting the purple power with water would reduce the etching but being that Purple Power is lye based it is never going to be a good option for aluminum.

[@stanggangchannel]

@@dazecars yeah after I sent the reply, I started thinking back to science class, and remembering teachers telling us never to mix chemicals but by then it was too late and I already sent it

[@dazecars]

It's all good. Its not a bad question and maybe you asking it will save someone else from making that mistake

[@dannykeller2427]

Fine Scotch Brite pad shines them right back up.

[@dazecars]

thanks for the tip. I still think if its aluminum I will be using Pine-sol and avoid the grey all together

[@jeffhildreth9244]

What about a 50/50 mix of the two ? Liked and subscribed.

[@dazecars]

I would not mix them. they are totally different chemicals and could react adversely.

[@jeffhildreth9244]

@@dazecars I thought about that but wanted you to be the "guinea pig" : )

[@dazecars]

I think I will stick to one or the other 😂

[@jeffhildreth9244]

@@dazecars Agree... but having read the post by JohnThawley...Pine Soll with caution.

[@dazecars]

That is exactly why I did this video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/b5-mco13a62Hnrc

[@ke6bnl]

Look forward to pinsol with ultrasound and heat

[@dazecars]

me too 😁

[@diyspeed]

Hey I have a set of LS pistons and rods I want to soak overnight in pine sol. Is this safe?

[@dazecars]

I can not say for sure as I do not know what LS pistons rod assemblies are made of. This however may help, I did a soaking test with various metals and the results may help you decide if it's something you want to try or not. Either way you do it at your own risk. kzbin.info/www/bejne/b5-mco13a62Hnrc