Parts Washer

J

jhowes

Well-known member
I wonder if any of you have a parts washer where the pump goes bad fairly often. Mine doesn't seem to last and I believe it is a fish tank pump. Is there a source of a good pump for our parts washers? Jack
 
Pump? No pump in my old parts washer, although it does have a coupla brushes and a pair of rubber gloves.
 
The Harbor Fright parts washer of my experience has "issues." Well, a LOT from HF has issues - also a lot has a lot to recommend. But the parts washers are not one of them.

The big issue I seem to have is the pump impeller "freezes." Sitting for more than a couple of months in the fluid causes the impeller to somehow 'rust' in place. I think some of the kerosene I use as cleaner has water contamination in it.

Disassembled, the pump can be made to work. Its an easy disassembly with only four screws. With the pump on and in the air, one can "twiddle" it with one's fingers and get it to move. Reassembly doesn't seem to affect it and the pump will work fine for the next cleaning session.

But sit a couple of months and it freezes up again. Cycle rinse & repeat.

A new pump would be nice. So far I'm tolerating it.

Joe K
 
Yes, my preference is for a reasonable priced pump that will endure petroleum solvents. Anyone know of one?
 
I bought my washer from Jegs. Has a decent looking filter. Have only had it about 6 months but used it white a bit. So far so good.
 
I had a Safety-Kleen large parts washer with a service contract in my foundry for 25 years. Every month they would come out with a 30 gallon drum of fresh fluid, pump out and clean the unit, replace the filters, leave new cleaning brushes, and replace the fluid. They were on 24hr call for problems. We beat the crap out of it and cleaned loads of gritty, sand encased, metal spattered and greasy parts. Never had a problem. You get what you pay for.
 
I use mineral spirits that I buy , by the gallon at Walmart as a cleaning solvent . So far I have had no problems with the pump .
 
MikeK said:
I had a Safety-Kleen large parts washer with a service contract in my foundry for 25 years. Every month they would come out with a 30 gallon drum of fresh fluid, pump out and clean the unit, replace the filters, leave new cleaning brushes, and replace the fluid. They were on 24hr call for problems. We beat the crap out of it and cleaned loads of gritty, sand encased, metal spattered and greasy parts Never had a problem. You get what you pay for.
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When I worked at the farm (repairing diesel tractors & etc.) we had a Safety-Kleen drum/contract which we shared with the heavy equipment repairman in the next stall. The owner of the farm DISCOURAGED our use since a processing/recycle was about a $400 bill. We averaged about 4 recycles per year the cost of which was split with the Heavy Equipmenter.

It was nice. Parts come out with a light coating of lanolin - and so did your hands. It didn't beat up your hands like mineral spirits or kero.

But kero is my choice for here and now.

Joe K
 
Russ/40 said:
Purdy, WHAT PUMP!!!!!!!!!!!!![/QUOT
e



Russ, I'm talking about my Harbor Freight parts washer . Off hand I don't know where the pump came from . It was on the parts washer when I bought it new . The pump was first used with kerosene . When it got difficult to find good kerosene , I changed to mineral spirits . I don't use the parts washer all that often but it has worked for me in my home shop for years with no problems .
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Purdy Swoft said:
Russ/40 said:
Purdy, WHAT PUMP!!!!!!!!!!!!![/QUOT
e



Russ, I'm talking about my Harbor Freight parts washer . Off hand I don't know where the pump came from . It was on the parts washer when I bought it new . The pump was first used with kerosene . When it got difficult to find good kerosene , I changed to mineral spirits . I don't use the parts washer all that often but it has worked for me in my home shop for years with no problems .
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Your fortunate! Mine lasted an hour with mineral spirits.
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I have always used stodard solvent in my HF parts washer going on 18 years with no problem with the pump. I do try and clean the filter once in a while.
 
Picked up a used System One Model 500 parts washer a few years ago. Holds 20 gals (?) stoddard solvent or mineral spirits. Recycles the dirty solvent by distilling it. Cleaned liquid comes out clean as new. Cleaning cycle is about 4 hours and the unit can be used during the cleaning cycle. No problems with it.
 
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