Degreasing threads

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Originally Posted By: VeeDubb
I will probably just stick with Isopropyl alcohol on both bolt and thread unless someone tells me it's a bad idea.


Alcohol is great stuff, but it won't cut through petroleum grease.

Excellent for cutting through finger fat (finger prints) though.
 
Originally Posted By: Merkava_4
Originally Posted By: ArcticDriver
Can someone please tell me how these various degreasers destroy aluminum bolts or threading? Do they cause oxidation? Do they cause brittleness?


They have acids in them; either citric acid or a caustic acid like Simple Green has.

Petroleum solvent based degreasers have no acids, but they will leave a slight oily film behind.


Thanks.

I knew I didn't like Simple Green but its only now I understand why.
grin.gif
 
Originally Posted By: Merkava_4

They have acids in them; either citric acid or a caustic acid like Simple Green has.


Simple Green is alkaline, not acidic. Alkaline cleaners make excellent degreasers because they saponify fatty elements in the grease turning them to soap. That's why strong alkaline cleaners feel slippery on your fingers. They are saponifying fatty elements in your skin.

Alkaline cleaners are also excellent at reacting with Aluminium oxides on the surface of Aluminium. It's the Aluminium oxide that protects the aluminium, either naturally or in the form of a deliberate Anodized coating. It's best to avoid alkaline cleaners on any Aluminium you care about because no matter how quickly you rinse it off, each application damages the oxide layer just that little bit.
 
Originally Posted By: Brad_C
Simple Green is alkaline, not acidic.


Whatever it is, it and its buddy Purple Power will cause severe corrosion if not rinsed off with clean water very soon. I'd give the stuff a 5 minute window before it should be rinsed off. Simple Green is so powerful that it will remove black oxide coating from tools. I found that out by accident when I came back the next day and found my prized Crescent locking pliers submerged in a spilled puddle of the treacherous stuff.
 
I hit my bolts with brake cleaner or Loctite Klean and Prep if they need threadlock on them. With a toothbrush or wire brush to bust up any RTV or sealant on them.

I'm not a fan of using Simple Green or the like on aluminum. It's not so much the butyl ethers, but the alkaline components in most degreasers that will do a number on Al. I don't know what regular Simple Green uses for its alkali, Purple Power uses sodium metasilicate, Super Clean uses lye.

Simple Green HD is "metal-safe", better yet would be a MIL-spec/Boeing/Airbus approved water-based degreaser.
 
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