Anyone using ultrasonic cleaners?

[JC220]

Hi all,

I have been thinking about buying a fleabay ultrasonic cleaner for DIY part cleaning and perhaps diesel injector tips etc. There is quite a disparity in pricing in terms of the tank sizing. I want to avoid buying one and finding it to be too small – but also not so big that cleaning small parts requires a 45 minute wait for the fluid to warm up……

Are any members using an ultrasonic cleaners – if so what size is good? And what to use inside as a cleaner?

 

[Hakie]

JC, i have a small cleaner. To be honest, i only used it once or twice. When i buy stuff it has to be good quality but here i can say for me it was a waste of money..
The size is good for injectors or other small parts. Works perfect but the proces of getting it from the shelf, filling, waiting on the right temperature and cleaning the cleaner afterwards is time consuming.
Water and a good degreaser gives a satisfying result also..

 

[LWB250]

I looked at one of these a few years ago, with the intent to use it for small stuff like injectors. Reality set in and I realized that the expense versus the use wouldn’t make good fiscal sense.

Dan

 

[alabbasi]

Yeah I have a couple of them and use them to clean injectors and the odd watch. They work really well. Here's a video that I did doing the injectors for an old Jaguar XJS that I bought. The injectors were completely gummed up beforehand.

 

[LWB250]

Yeah, I need an injector test bench, too....maybe that's how I can justify an ultrasonic cleaner.



Dan

 

[gerryvz]

Yeah, I need an injector test bench, too....maybe that's how I can justify an ultrasonic cleaner.



Dan

Did you order one of Uncle Kent's injector testers, D?

 

[JC220]

Did you order one of Uncle Kent's injector testers, D?

I am tempted to buy such a tester! Note that uncle Kent has brake pipe fittings that attach to it and help free stuck caliper pistons. I recently could not budge a caliper piston with 150psi so his tester would have worked!

Thanks for the feedback so far. Unbeknown to me I mentioned this to one of my brothers (a fellow petrolhead) and he has a 30L ultrasonic cleaner already! So I am going to borrow it for a bit and test it out. He uses De-ionised water and a cleaning additive in his. But says that it's almost too big for small parts waiting on it to warm up.

 

[samiam44]

If I remember right, there are different frequencies of USC's. 20, 40,60 and 80khz. A good one can be amazing. For watches, many just use sudsy ammonia and water. I own a 80 khz which was custom made by an engineer whom use to work for one of the big companies. It is used only for cleaning vinyl records in ala library of congress chemical recipe. Small one for watch and clocks (1 quart 40 khz). Haven't used it on car parts yet.

 

[LWB250]

I am tempted to buy such a tester! Note that uncle Kent has brake pipe fittings that attach to it and help free stuck caliper pistons. I recently could not budge a caliper piston with 150psi so his tester would have worked!

You can buy the inexpensive pop testers all over eBay last time I looked. Everyone and their brother were selling them.

Dan

 

[albdentist]

Ultrasonic cleaners are handy and quickly clean intricate small parts. Useful for other hobbies also like cleaning brass when reloading.
I have never waited fro the liquid to warm up, just throw the part into the basket turn it on.

 

[LWB250]

Useful for other hobbies also like cleaning brass when reloading.

This was one of the uses I was using in considering an ultrasonic cleaner, probably more important than cleaning car parts. A good application for one, for sure.

Dan

 

[jhodg5ck]

We have two, a little cheap one from Chinese Freight that I treat horribly but it refuses to die... I'm most impressed.

Alt, I have a dual tank ex NASA ultrasonic cleaner that's big enough for an M119 cylinder head with room to spare...computer controlled, vibrates @ 3X a normal frequency of a standard unit....it's bad ass..

I for one LOVE em....if it's a gross part a splash of spray nine cleaner and it'll be awesome.

jono

 

[LWB250]

Must be Fate....

I wander through the local Facebook Marketplace for a nearby area that's pretty upscale. After all, the rich folk's castoffs can be pretty good....

Someone had an ultrasonic cleaner for $25, brand new in the box. It had been posted for about two weeks, which is a long time on the Marketplace, so I PM'ed them and offered $20. they went for it and I picked it up that day.

This weekend while I was replacing the rubber bits on the rear axle of my Finnie, I filled the cleaner up with Jono's favorite degreaser and dropped some bolts and other hardware in it and turned it on. Amazing! Most came out nearly as clean as the day they were made. I had a spring for the parking brake that was totally covered with undercarriage crud I dropped into it, set the timer for maximum time (380 seconds) and let it rip. Came out almost perfect.

I've never had one of these, but for $20 I"m quite pleased and would definitely consider a larger one for bigger parts. I knew they did a good job, but this really sealed the deal for me.

Dan

 

[gsxr]

Dan, what size/capacity is the unit you purchased?

And, Jono's favorite degreaser is...?

 

[LWB250]

The cleaner I scored on FB Marketplace new in the box was a Haier, apparently an NLA model:

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Haier-Ultrasonic-Jewelry-Cleaner/8130170

I can't imagine it was more than $40-$50 new. There appears to be a lot of these in this price range.

Jono's favorite cleaner/degreaser is Spray Nine, I believe. Wicked awesome stuff.

https://www.spraynine.com

Dan

 

[gerryvz]

This weekend while I was replacing the rubber bits on the rear axle of my Finnie, I filled the cleaner up with Jono's favorite degreaser and dropped some bolts and other hardware in it and turned it on. Amazing! Most came out nearly as clean as the day they were made. I had a spring for the parking brake that was totally covered with undercarriage crud I dropped into it, set the timer for maximum time (380 seconds) and let it rip. Came out almost perfect.

In the now infamous words of nofcn, "Pics or it didn't happen !"

 

[LWB250]

In the now infamous words of nofcn, "Pics or it didn't happen !"

I've got a "before" of the spring but not an "after". The spring is on the floor in the upper left corner of the picture right next to the wooden ramp. It's covered with grease, oil and the orange dust from Tucson that permeates every darned corner of this vehicle.

I'll snag a shot of it later today and post it.

 

[JC220]

I did buy a 3L one myself and it is running as we speak - more details soon! It has a 30 min timer but I will say that for grubby bolts that ain't no where near enough so I'll leave it on for 3 or 4 hours now this evening and see the results



I will say these buggers are quite loud! Much louder than I expected and a very irritating noise at that so its placed in a utility room away from people. This one was £70GBP on fleabay or just under 100USD I guess

 

[jhodg5ck]

I did buy a 3L one myself and it is running as we speak - more details soon! It has a 30 min timer but I will say that for grubby bolts that ain't no where near enough so I'll leave it on for 3 or 4 hours now this evening and see the results
View attachment 82473
View attachment 82474

I will say these buggers are quite loud! Much louder than I expected and a very irritating noise at that so its placed in a utility room away from people. This one was £70GBP on fleabay or just under 100USD I guess

what are you adding for detergent? Diff/grubby bits like that are going to require something More. I'd recommend Spray Nine. A splash or two makes a Big difference!

jono

 

[JC220]

what are you adding for detergent? Diff/grubby bits like that are going to require something More. I'd recommend Spray Nine. A splash or two makes a Big difference!

jono

I dont think we have Spray Nine this side of the pond Jono but I am using a detergent designed for use with oily bits / carbon deposits in ultrasonic cleaners and I have added nearly 50% concentrate for these diff bits (from my 1997 S320 w140 which had one blown CV boot and weaping oil seals on the diff)



It says in the destructions to use de-ionised water if in a hard water area. My water provider map shows my home being in a medium to hard water area but we never have limescale deposits in any appliances or the kettle for example. So I'm trying without de-ionised water initially but if I do see signs of deposits on cleaned parts I will use what's advised.

 

[JC220]

OK here are the results after approx 3 hours run time at full heat and power:



Pretty good! No oil residue left at all. The colouring seen on bolts is either paint or rust but no oil / grease. It's a noisy bugger though! My German shepherd was not happy (even though he's an outside dog I could tell he didn't care for it) so I turned it off for tonight. For his sake I'll locate it even further away so he cant hear it in use

Here is a short video of it in use:

Is 3L big enough? Perhaps not I wish I had got at least a 6L one but then again I can use my brothers 30L one anytime I need to. I will use this one for injectors, brake parts, wheel bearings and bolts that sort of thing.

 

[jhodg5ck]

Ah, yes...sorry forgot your locale!

Something Like spray nine would have likely dug into the corrosion a bit more so...You can also play with the concentration of that stuff, see if that will help/hinder any...

Nice little unit though...it is fun to watch the dirt just magically lift off when you fire these things up.

jono

 

[JC220]

Yes I will try more solutions in it now too. I see there are ones available to remove rust that would be good to try (I also have a DIY electrolysis rust removal tank I detailed on here recently. I will also be making a "riddler" type bolt cleaner soon repurposing an old sander)

Would you mind sharing before and after pics the next time you dunk a full M119 head or similar Jono? It would be cool to see how well they can clean up

 

[jhodg5ck]

Sure, next set of heads we run or something similarly Gross I'll see about grabbing some shots..

 

[JC220]

This is something I would like to try to make next and the video is entertaining even if you dont have an interest in making one

He is having a laugh there but the concept should work - less the kitty litter me thinks incase the neighbor's cats got to go potty....

If it doesn't work out I will buy a proper off the shelf one

 

[LWB250]

Uh-oh. I just poured straight spray nine right into mine, no dilution. Maybe that's why it worked so well...

Dan

 

[LWB250]

This is something I would like to try to make next and the video is entertaining even if you dont have an interest in making one

He is having a laugh there but the concept should work - less the kitty litter me thinks incase the neighbor's cats got to go potty....

If it doesn't work out I will buy a proper off the shelf one

That guy needs some proper tools. He is enterprising, that's for sure. Gotta give him props for that...

Dan

 

[JC220]

This is the thread where I made a electrolysis tank and it has been superb and in semi regular use since. Crusty brake calipers going for a dunk this week before I rebuild them with new seal kits. The caliper pistons will see the ultrasonic bath also

https://www.500eboard.co/forums/ind...ectrolysis-battery-charger.12895/#post-178907

 

[JC220]

Borrowed my brothers 30L cleaner to dunk some m119 bits. Valve covers in there now