Cleaning New Old Stock Pistons

edhd58

edhd58

Well-known member
My new old stock pistons arrived today. They are NOS Ford piston and rings in what appears to be mid 40s packaging. The pistons are wrapped in paper that is coated in something that sure seems like some sort of wax/grease. Lacquer thinner isnt working real well but it is working. I have a couple pistons soaking now and will be all night. Any other ideas on what to use, the ring grooves are packed with this stuff.
 
my dishwasher is me at the sink,lol

Brake cleaner kinda softens it but still takes a lot of elbow grease
 

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you must have some military packed pistons, grease-cloth wrap-dip in cosmoline then dipped in wax for a water proof and just about anything else proof seal. I had a military WWII mechanics book and it said to soak this mess in gasoline to remove. I have had bearings packed with grease and then wrapped as above, I just about threw them overboard-except I doubt that would have affected them.
 
alanwoodieman said:
you must have some military packed pistons, grease-cloth wrap-dip in cosmoline then dipped in wax for a water proof and just about anything else proof seal. I had a military WWII mechanics book and it said to soak this mess in gasoline to remove. I have had bearings packed with grease and then wrapped as above, I just about threw them overboard-except I doubt that would have affected them.
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That's exactly the point - I was told that protective coating was so that parts could be recovered from a sunken vessel if need be.

I also seem to remember being told to heat the pistons in a pan of boiling water first to soften it all up. I also remember that cleaning them up was a royal p i t a.

Mart.
 
We use an ultrasonic cleaner for stuff like this. Basically a tank with very hot water, mixed 50/50 with Oileater soap, and an agitating action. Works wonders but the solution would have to be replaced after doing a whole set of pistons and rings.

You could probably achieve similar results with an automatic dishwasher but that would be the last time it could be used for household dish cleaning.
 
When I was in the military, we used P-D-680 for everything. There was always a big tank of the stuff in the hangar. We cleaned all the weapons in the stuff too. It's basically perchloroethylene or dry cleaning fluid. MEK works fairly well too. That cosmoline or par-al-keytone can be some tough stuff to get off but you just have to have patients and a good solvent.

The by product of cleaning it off is considered hazardous waste so be careful where you put it.
 
Mac VP said:
We use an ultrasonic cleaner for stuff like this. Basically a tank with very hot water, mixed 50/50 with Oileater soap, and an agitating action. Works wonders but the solution would have to be replaced after doing a whole set of pistons and rings.

You could probably achieve similar results with an automatic dishwasher but that would be the last time it could be used for household dish cleaning.
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Funny you should mention an ultrasonic cleaner. I have a 26 quart one. Never use it but have
Where can i find the Oileater
 
Jack E/NJ said:
edhd58 >>> I have a 26 quart one.>>>

Where'd you get one that big? Jack E/NJ
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I work on grandfather clocks and when I first got into it the fellow that was teaching me told me to get a large ultrasonic cleaner to do the grandfather movements. Not fully understanding how large this was I purchased this off of eBay. I used it some then because of how much cleaner it took I quit using it. And got another one smaller
 
6.5 gallons, wow, that's a big one. Depending on dimensions, a person could put some large stuff in that thing. I just use a smaller one for cleaning turbine engine oil screens. A person can get by with a quart for the little stuff like those oil screens.
 
26 quarts is a really nice size. A homemade cleaner using a liquid laundry detergent would probably work just fine. Jack E/NJ
 
Well guys I got them pretty clean AND saved the original wrappers on 3 of them. She didnt like my cooking anyway so the pan isnt a loss. just gently heated them and the wax, and i swear I think its just wax, melted and ran off.
 

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