As a retired certified CAT&CUMMINGS knuckle buster I have to say a tap or die is made for cutting new threads not for chasing threads. The industry does actually have internal and external thread chasers; which straighten and clean old threads.
@@squatch253 Fact is when you retain a existing bore it will minutely remove metal and loosen the fit. Any machinist knows that. That's why you don't reuse head bolts, there stretched!
Squatch, ever since I started watching your channel, you have always taken pride in your work, and you take the time to do it right. That is very much appreciated! We need more Squatches in this world, especially when it comes to rescuing and restoring our vintage machinery history. Thank you, buddy! 🚜👍
Having been a heavy equip. mechanic since 1976, I can tell you that you are asking for expensive trouble if your parts are not clean. I've seen guys that were fast and got equipment out the door but that all goes down the drain when a dozer or excavator needs to have someone go out on a field service call for a leak or bearing roll due to fast but not clean. My personal motto has always been "Do it right once the first time" and that has never let me down.
I've always enjoyed the parts cleaning process - it can be kind of a zen sort of thing. I agree with the final rinse with HOT water (I'll wash with Dawn dish detergent to get that final bit of oil/grease) and then letting the parts dry in the sun; when the sun isn't an option, putting the parts in front of a space heater or even under a incandescent bulb will help dry them faster and reduce the amount of flash rust. One tip about using old toothbrushes is you can heat up the handle and bend them to suit for getting into awkward spaces and tight corners.
All I know is god bless you sir! You have the patience of a saint, I know that my A.D.D. (humor) gets the better of me plus I couldn't spend that much time in my shop without the wife wanting something done. That's another reason why being single is a wonderful thing although money is spent it is still cheaper than a woman.....Lol.
The results are freaking incredible. Takes a bit of work but the results speak for themselves. I have always been amazed at the quality of your cleaned parts. I have learned alot from you!!!
Takes a lot of work. That’s why his stuff looks so great. I don’t think there’s a lot of people out there that are going to put that much effort into it. A few but not many.
Came here from Diesel Creek. Not disappointed. Love the shop, well organized and cleaned. Thank you for sharing your knowledge and saving old stuff. Much appreciated. Great production quality, too.
It amazes me how your old parts looks like you just ordered them from the parts store enjoy watching you wrench heads get this old stuff up and running keep up the good work
Knowing your cleaning process is like adding another tool to a tool box, you can choose to use it or not. Having that tool available when you need it is the key. Thanks again for showing all you do and the details as needed.
Well that was disappointing, at least for those that thought you had some kind of mystery solution that made the job easy. Nope, just good old fashioned elbow grease and a desire to do it right. Well done, cheers, Stuart 🇦🇺
Squatch, I stand in awe, sir, of your cleaning practices. I love a Steam Jenny too, directed at every possible angle to the object. Point well taken on the sand blasting of moving parts too. Thanks for sharing some of your extensive knowledge...I soak it up like a sponge.
You have hit on the solution to longevity in most machinery. It is amazing how much crud comes to light just running a tap down threaded holes. Elbow grease pays dividends. Using 409 with lint free rags in finished cylinder bores floats out an astounding amount of honing grit. Rub a dub dub.
A comment as to the importance of chasing out those threads. The wire wheel process inevitably deposits debris into holes and that, along with the fact that threaded holes inevitably have residue that attracts and holds debris makes it all the more important to get those holes thoroughly cleaned out. The process also has a side benefit of reminding the restorer/mechanic that some holes are blind and others, through-and-through. Knowing the difference between those threaded holes can save a lot of time when it comes to sealing things up when through-and-through holes lead to areas where there are liquids. Naturally, using bottom taps on blind holes also makes a huge difference in how much debris is removed (rather than allowing the final 2 or 3 turns of thread to remain dirty). A hole that is completely cleaned out is a happy hole.
Good stuff, thanks for sharing. I have also found that a stiff putty knife has a thousand uses in scraping gunk, especially gaskets and old sealing goop.
Hotsy or the likes make for a great clean for that exact reason from my experience. Dries way quicker, and way less flash- you hit that one on the head
Excellent! Those who seek quick and easy home shop cleaning procedures for machined parts are doomed to poor results. There is no replacing hard work with simple tools and materials if your goal is non-injurious cleaning precision components to bare metal. Your points about thorough hand cleaning as a fine opportunity for close visual inspection for cracks, defects, hidden deterioration, porosity, etc should be emblazoned on every home shop wall. Gliding files or non-frangible slip stones over machined sufaces to reveal and dress raised metal is excellent procedure I've taught all my apprentices early in their training. I'm all for short cuts and economies. If you can find better simpler, quicker, solutions to on-going problems, by all means experiment and prove them. But in the meantime, never sacrifice part cleanliness for expediency. I can't count the number of times I've opened engines, transmission, pumps, valves, etc to discover damage caused by grit, dirt, debris attributable to the previous repair shop.
Too much good to say. File, toothbrush Yessss! and then us humans. 1st grade, watched a girl cutting with a scissors, her mouth moved at every cut. I saw your left hand. We all do it in some way. Heck, I've watched a fellow straighten rad fins! Very good content.
Your comment on not sandblasting whole tractors, totally agree- I have an 8N Ford inherrited from dad, he bought it from a local tractor flipper (cheap paint over no bodywork etc) and I'm fighting silica sand in the gas tank.
I was just shown your number one secret to cleaning parts for reassembly your attention to detail is amazing instead of becoming bored with the cleaning process you overcome this feeling with pride and the ability to trust the part you are working on will perform its task without failure. I will put your methods to work in my shop. Thank You for sharing your knowledge and pride in workmanship.
I work at a company that builds and overhauls helicopter engines. When they come back in for overhaul they are completely disassembled and cleaned using different methods. After cleaning, parts are rinsed in hot water then the remaining moisture is removed by spraying isopropyl alcohol on the part then blown dry with compressed air. Isopropyl alcohol displaces the water. Since most water is removed this prevents flash rust.
It’s gives us average viewers who just enjoy the content, a new perspective to how much work really goes into each part and machine. Mechanics used to sandblast spark plugs to freshen them up. Then they realized they weren’t getting all the sand out and we’re killing engines. 😮.
On electronic parts covered in oil or Grease, I Iet them soak in goop hand cleaner. Sometimes for several hours covered in a plastic bag. Afterwards I rinse with warm water & blow off with compressed air.
great video. you have mentioned in several videos about proper gasket material. Any chance of a video describing how you select the material, and how you make the gaskets.
Well! Cleaning, however tedious is essential when rebuilding old machinery, so many times we encounter folk who skip or shorten this step and wind up with ill fitting caskets and seals. Even when rebuilding new engines and parts it is still essential. Thanks for showing your way of doing this it shows a passion for doing it right the first time.
Fantastic video Squatch! Nothing wrong with taking your time and giving it a good deep cleaning. And like you said it gives you the opportunity to inspect for cracks and other imperfections. It could make the difference in keeping it plowing for a long long time. Cheers
For the sealing surfaces, you might give stoning a go. Get a couple aluminum oxide stones, 3 if you want to be more finicky. rub them together, add the 3rd in to a rotation of stones you rubbed together(look up 3 plate lapping method) and get them flat. Then use them on the sealing surface, quick touch up stone on stone lap occasionally if there's lots to do. This will knock down the burrs and raised areas around bolt holes or whatever without the possible larger scratches a file might impart that can cause weeping leaks..
I appreciate your attention to detail, patience, and workmanship. I also appreciate anyone that can stick with the jobs like these through to the end. Especially because I seem to suffer from A.D.D., and find it takes 3 times as long to do anything because I have to constantly force myself to go back, and finish things. Keep up the excellent work.
I work in aviation, and you've done a fantastic job of showing the parts processing and inspection portion of maintenance. As the saying goes, "a clean aircraft isn't always well maintained, but a well maintained aircraft is always clean" Well done bud
When I buy a used car, I always give it a hand wash from top to bottom. Amazing the imperfections that you can't see when you have the buyers "big eyes" that appear while washing. Found a lot of repairs covered up that way. Good video.
I also was taught to use paint thinner and a brush. I've never found it to fail. In the days before brush grinders ( or when I had no money for one) the wire brush was your friend, and old clothes to wear. The rest of the work is time.
I build Homes and the whole “2 birds 1 rock” as it is, make sure to clean and keep clean the home being built. By cleaning just as you mentioned, you can find any imperfections. By keeping it clean, you will notice any damage soon after it happens. I love your process, Thanks for sharing.
Squatch, thank you for showing us your cleaning process. I was one of the viewers asking how you cleaned your parts. Your right about being able to inspect the parts while cleaning. With all the work you are putting into the H, I'm almost surprised you don't want to Glyptal the inside of the case.
When I was a teenager(long time ago), I started working on tractors and a local mechanic always told me that the most important part of any engine overhaul is meticulous cleaning of all the parts and I have always practiced that. When it comes to sandblasting, I have a large compressor and sandblaster, but I have certain rules for what I sandblast. I never sandblast any part that I am not certain that I can get all the sand residue out of. I also never sandblast any assembly but only individual parts. I also never sandblast the engine block, any hydraulic parts, or any parts that sand residue would cause issues. Also, after I sandblast the large rear end castings, I always pressure wash the inside and inspect the whole inside for any sand residue. Great video on cleaning parts.
I like to use spray oven cleaner and hot water for my final cleaning before painting. I chase all my bolt holes and wire brush and inspect all my bolts. And while I do not file every gasket surface, I do check them for flatness. A lot of times you will find bolt holes will be slightly raised around the edge of them. Good job on the transmission case.
Your new nickname is "Manny" for Manual... as in Manual Labor. Does me a lot of good to see there are other people with this kind of energy and dedication to doing things right and proper. So many "rebuild" projects, or even repairs, fail because people don't take the time to do proper cleaning. Anyone watching no longer has an "excuse." I wish I could give this ten thumbs up! Being an ex Ford Tech, maybe you remember the reman trans failures due to improper cleaning (both in the reman and by people not flushing cooler lines properly) that necessitated the inline magnetic filters being installed into the cooler lines. The problem extended into the manufacture of transmission as well, since the solenoid controlled units are so much more sensitive to ferrous contaminants. But I digressed. Great video!
Car wash are refusing to have you wash grease parts. But if you go when the attendant is gone home. Enjoy it. That's what I do. I've taken my greasy axle housings and blassed them. I like the pressure washer at the diesel stops the best. They pump out the pressure.
As an apprentice working in an overhaul shop I spent many days and weeks cleaning engine and gear box parts for the process. We had used a glass bead for use a s a sand blaster medium and it was primarily for the hot parts and cases of the gas turbines we were overhauling. The glass bead dust would get into every crack, crevasse and bolt hole so chasing and blowing out all of those areas was critical. We would never do and of the oil galleries or lubrication passages with the bead blaster those would go into the hot tank, water blaster tank then the solvent tank with an inhibitor to prevent rust. I always found that doing this was not really boring because when the parts were all shiny and clean it was very satisfying to see the results.
Nail brushes are also good for the first stage. The whole variety pack (tho if one can't find the smaller ones, cutting a normal one in half for small spaces is also good). I like to get the natural fiber ones, because they don't fling as much crud all over the place and they don't melt with extended use, plastic ones do. Also on toothbrushes, pig/boar hair ones are even better than regular ones, usually larger, but they can be cut shorter. The hair tho, is what makes the difference, really gets in there and agitates whatever dirt is stuck in with the oil.
Pretty much how I clean my parts. I also filter and re-use the solvents by decanting it into a tall container and leaving it overnight for the dirt to settle down then next day pouring the cleaner fluid out. I've had people tell me that I spend a lot of time on cleaning, well if you love engineering and mechanics you will understand the need to have clean parts in order for everything to fit and work properly. Even in aviation maintenance, every part has to be clean.🎇✳
Loved your idea for desludging your mineral spirits tray which is also my preferred solvent. I've been a mechanic for over thirty five years and always searching for a better way for the mundane tasks. Enjoyed watching this.
I pressure wash first, followed immediately with compressed air, then with WD-40 (the WD part stands for Water Displacement.) I learned the file trick working on my leaky old Triumph motorcycle. Pro tip- check the file for flat, as a couple thousands out can ruin your day. I always use a file on my blocks as a way to deck them. The bolt holes do usually have mounds around them.
Enjoyed this and your methodical process.! Reminded me when my dad showed me the importance of handwashing a car and noticing any imperfections between washings that weren't apparent when dirty and touching up if needed.
Totally agree! Cleaning is where you're going to find issues because you're going over every square inch. I used to do maintenance on forklifts. Most techs would only blow out the radiator and just kinda blow loose dirt off the rest of the lift. I would blast the whole lift with compressed air. That's where I caught most all of the mechanical problems because it forces you to look at everything.
I remember being told that the result will equal the investment in whatever you do. As for the sandblasting I have known a couple of guys that made a living from that and they always said that when you think you are done cleaning then you need to clean it again. A very interesting and informative episode thank you Sir.
Thank you Squatch, for taking the time to show us "non-professional" restorers how somethings are done. I've always been of the opinion that more information is good information, and it's up to the individual what works best for them. Keep up the great work 👍
Something I've found to help clean those small nooks and impossible places to reach & clean....use a piece of copper wire ( I used 8ga) fray the end a bit to separate the wire strands. Works like a scrubby brush on the end of a stick.
I am a big fan from north of the 49th. What an excellent, timely post. You have given me a lot of pointers as I sit down to rebuild the transmission from my '70 Lotus Europa. Keep up the excellent work. Thank You.
Great video...yes it's tedious but that's what perfection demands. Another tip..I put mineral spirits in a spray bottle then spray scrub...spray scrub etc. I catch the remnants in a pan and use 3 translucent jugs to recover it. 1st jug is raw recovery, let it settle for a few days then slowly pour into 2nd jug leaving sediment in the bottom then same process to 3rd jug. After that pour through a funnel and a couple coffee filters back into spray bottle. I use clean solvent for the final spray down. Saves a few bucks.
Thank you for creating this video. I've never been a full time mechanic and enjoyed learning all of the hard work behind the scenes. I grew up on a farm but grandpa always let the dealers do the mechanical work. As I have aged now I can appreciate everything the dealers did to fix our equipment. Thanks again!
Thanks Squatch for this video I have cleaned parts all my life but you gave a glimpse of the extra inch to look for when cleaning parts. I enjoy your videos as they are up front and informative. Direct and motivational !
Harbor freight weed burner and a bbq tank works to burn oil off then hose off. try not to burn a hole in the propane line. You can pre heat and post heat a weldment also. I got one for searing Meat a while back. A little over kill for me. I went back to building up a bark. That is were the flavor is.
Very nice video. A kitchen sink brush is often as stiff as the parts cleaning brush, but can sometimes reach in places the straight brush can't. When cleaning parts, in the back of my mind, I wonder how the pro's do it. Nice confirmation that elbow grease is still used!
For electoplated and hot dipped galvanized hardware I use the "pool acid trick". Just soake them in pool acaid (muriatic acid) from the big box store. Quickly disloves the zinc and etches the metal. Standard disclaimers for working with acid.
My guess is the way you clean is therapeutic for you.... I had a friend years ago who detailed his motor cycle on Saturday mornings. It was his way of winding down from the work week. If the weather was nice he would go out for a long ride too. If weather was bad he still detailed his bike in the garage before sitting back in a lounge chair while tossing back a few beers when admiring his handy work making his Harley shine like new..
I love using Dico nyalox drill brushes when I work on my old Briggs engines. They come in 3 grits that are suspended into the nylon bristles, super flexible & can work tough or be gentle if need be. Grey for paint/casting, orange for intermediate finishing & blue for fine burnishing & carbs/brass or intricate aluminum motorcycle blocks & stuff. I Used them to entirely strip down a vintage reel mower once. When I started It was a total barnacle crustacean!!! when I was done, I mocked it all back up & almost wanted to just clear coat it all😁
That's a lot of work. I just use oven cleaner, on heavily soiled parts, scrape the worst off, then oven cleaner two or three cycles hosing off between cycles, removes everything including paint.
The patience you have is amazing! It was nice to see the process you have. On a side note, I think the 10x would look nice with no paint just a clear coat but I know you’re doing a full resto so it’ll look great too. Enjoy todays rain.
Thanks for the file tip on gaskets surfaces. Never ever gave that a thought. The surface "should" be flat - right? Excellent point about the tiny lip at the bolt holes. Great video.
That's another one of those juicy little tips that you pick up when you do component-rebuild kind of work for a living. Transmissions, engines, pumps, cases... those little fit-and-file issues can cause massive headaches before you learn about them.
Having a wonderful five eights or thicker piece glass in a person life is another great tool . Three foot round or square . Some spray glue or even self adhesive sandpaper attached to the glass can make simple fast flat work of a lot metal surfaces . I have done an exhaust manifolds . Just make sure that a good circulator action and even pressure .
It's called not being lazy and having enough pride in your work to take the time to do it right!
As a retired certified CAT&CUMMINGS knuckle buster I have to say a tap or die is made for cutting new threads not for chasing threads. The industry does actually have internal and external thread chasers; which straighten and clean old threads.
@@squatch253 Fact is when you retain a existing bore it will minutely remove metal and loosen the fit. Any machinist knows that. That's why you don't reuse head bolts, there stretched!
Squatch, ever since I started watching your channel, you have always taken pride in your work, and you take the time to do it right. That is very much appreciated! We need more Squatches in this world, especially when it comes to rescuing and restoring our vintage machinery history. Thank you, buddy! 🚜👍
If something is worth doing, it's worth doing right...
Having been a heavy equip. mechanic since 1976, I can tell you that you are asking for expensive trouble if your parts are not clean. I've seen guys that were fast and got equipment out the door but that all goes down the drain when a dozer or excavator needs to have someone go out on a field service call for a leak or bearing roll due to fast but not clean.
My personal motto has always been "Do it right once the first time" and that has never let me down.
My garage boss always said, "Cleanliness is next to godliness!" Your attention to details legendary! Kudos!!!
I've always enjoyed the parts cleaning process - it can be kind of a zen sort of thing. I agree with the final rinse with HOT water (I'll wash with Dawn dish detergent to get that final bit of oil/grease) and then letting the parts dry in the sun; when the sun isn't an option, putting the parts in front of a space heater or even under a incandescent bulb will help dry them faster and reduce the amount of flash rust. One tip about using old toothbrushes is you can heat up the handle and bend them to suit for getting into awkward spaces and tight corners.
Finally someone who takes great care with all the small details of a project. Doing it right makes all the difference.
All great paint jobs have to have the price of labor in the prep. Its 99% cleaning and prepping and 1% spray. Glad you shared this.
Time in preparation is key to a "complete" job . There really is no substitute .
Boy I gl ad Iam not the only guy that cleans his old tractor parts this way. It slow and time com-summing but worth it. 💪💪💪💪👍👍👍👍
All I know is god bless you sir! You have the patience of a saint, I know that my A.D.D. (humor) gets the better of me plus I couldn't spend that much time in my shop without the wife wanting something done. That's another reason why being single is a wonderful thing although money is spent it is still cheaper than a woman.....Lol.
The results are freaking incredible. Takes a bit of work but the results speak for themselves. I have always been amazed at the quality of your cleaned parts. I have learned alot from you!!!
Takes a lot of work. That’s why his stuff looks so great. I don’t think there’s a lot of people out there that are going to put that much effort into it. A few but not many.
@@snydedon9636 Totally Agree, his attention to detail is freaking incredible. Honestly his work is incredible. I bet he is a hell of a mechanic.
Ten out of ten for your attention to detail and ability.
Your cleaning method is exactly as mine ,I always thought I was the Dummy!!
Came here from Diesel Creek. Not disappointed. Love the shop, well organized and cleaned. Thank you for sharing your knowledge and saving old stuff. Much appreciated. Great production quality, too.
@squatch253 Thank you.
The man takes cleaning to a whole northern level
It amazes me how your old parts looks like you just ordered them from the parts store enjoy watching you wrench heads get this old stuff up and running keep up the good work
Knowing your cleaning process is like adding another tool to a tool box, you can choose to use it or not. Having that tool available when you need it is the key. Thanks again for showing all you do and the details as needed.
Well that was disappointing, at least for those that thought you had some kind of mystery solution that made the job easy. Nope, just good old fashioned elbow grease and a desire to do it right. Well done, cheers, Stuart 🇦🇺
Squatch, I stand in awe, sir, of your cleaning practices. I love a Steam Jenny too, directed at every possible angle to the object. Point well taken on the sand blasting of moving parts too. Thanks for sharing some of your extensive knowledge...I soak it up like a sponge.
Having done it right pays off when you go back together. Thank you for showing us the right way.
You have hit on the solution to longevity in most machinery. It is amazing how much crud comes to light just running a tap down threaded holes. Elbow grease pays dividends. Using 409 with lint free rags in finished cylinder bores floats out an astounding amount of honing grit. Rub a dub dub.
A comment as to the importance of chasing out those threads. The wire wheel process inevitably deposits debris into holes and that, along with the fact that threaded holes inevitably have residue that attracts and holds debris makes it all the more important to get those holes thoroughly cleaned out.
The process also has a side benefit of reminding the restorer/mechanic that some holes are blind and others, through-and-through. Knowing the difference between those threaded holes can save a lot of time when it comes to sealing things up when through-and-through holes lead to areas where there are liquids. Naturally, using bottom taps on blind holes also makes a huge difference in how much debris is removed (rather than allowing the final 2 or 3 turns of thread to remain dirty). A hole that is completely cleaned out is a happy hole.
Thank you for showing and taken the time I sure I speak for all that it is much appreciated
It's nice to see other people that take pride in their work.
Good stuff, thanks for sharing. I have also found that a stiff putty knife has a thousand uses in scraping gunk, especially gaskets and old sealing goop.
I like to use hot water for the rinse. It gets the part good and hot. Speeds up the drying process and cuts down on the flash rust..😉
Hotsy or the likes make for a great clean for that exact reason from my experience. Dries way quicker, and way less flash- you hit that one on the head
Excellent! Those who seek quick and easy home shop cleaning procedures for machined parts are doomed to poor results. There is no replacing hard work with simple tools and materials if your goal is non-injurious cleaning precision components to bare metal.
Your points about thorough hand cleaning as a fine opportunity for close visual inspection for cracks, defects, hidden deterioration, porosity, etc should be emblazoned on every home shop wall. Gliding files or non-frangible slip stones over machined sufaces to reveal and dress raised metal is excellent procedure I've taught all my apprentices early in their training.
I'm all for short cuts and economies. If you can find better simpler, quicker, solutions to on-going problems, by all means experiment and prove them. But in the meantime, never sacrifice part cleanliness for expediency. I can't count the number of times I've opened engines, transmission, pumps, valves, etc to discover damage caused by grit, dirt, debris attributable to the previous repair shop.
Too much good to say.
File, toothbrush Yessss! and then us humans.
1st grade, watched a girl cutting with a scissors, her mouth moved at every cut. I saw your left hand. We all do it in some way.
Heck, I've watched a fellow straighten rad fins! Very good content.
gid Day from Australia. Thanks for that it is so important to know these methods. Please keep them coming.
I use a heated parts washer and then a vapor blasting cabinet. People are amazed when they see it!
Your comment on not sandblasting whole tractors, totally agree- I have an 8N Ford inherrited from dad, he bought it from a local tractor flipper (cheap paint over no bodywork etc) and I'm fighting silica sand in the gas tank.
I was just shown your number one secret to cleaning parts for reassembly your attention to detail is amazing instead of becoming bored with the cleaning process you overcome this feeling with pride and the ability to trust the part you are working on will perform its task without failure. I will put your methods to work in my shop. Thank You for sharing your knowledge and pride in workmanship.
I work at a company that builds and overhauls helicopter engines. When they come back in for overhaul they are completely disassembled and cleaned using different methods. After cleaning, parts are rinsed in hot water then the remaining moisture is removed by spraying isopropyl alcohol on the part then blown dry with compressed air. Isopropyl alcohol displaces the water. Since most water is removed this prevents flash rust.
Great video. You have a lot of excellent tips for cleaning in there. Pay attention people. 🙂
It’s gives us average viewers who just enjoy the content, a new perspective to how much work really goes into each part and machine. Mechanics used to sandblast spark plugs to freshen them up. Then they realized they weren’t getting all the sand out and we’re killing engines. 😮.
I agree about sandblasting. It really requires a great deal of flushing to ensure no grit is left behind.
Used to be my style, worked 30 yrs at a wastewater plant, Cleaning old pump housings, gearboxes and gears. Take you time it all comes clean.
On electronic parts covered in oil or Grease, I Iet them soak in goop hand cleaner. Sometimes for several hours covered in a plastic bag. Afterwards I rinse with warm water & blow off with compressed air.
great video. you have mentioned in several videos about proper gasket material. Any chance of a video describing how you select the material, and how you make the gaskets.
Well! Cleaning, however tedious is essential when rebuilding old machinery, so many times we encounter folk who skip or shorten this step and wind up with ill fitting caskets and seals. Even when rebuilding new engines and parts it is still essential. Thanks for showing your way of doing this it shows a passion for doing it right the first time.
Fantastic video Squatch! Nothing wrong with taking your time and giving it a good deep cleaning. And like you said it gives you the opportunity to inspect for cracks and other imperfections. It could make the difference in keeping it plowing for a long long time. Cheers
For the sealing surfaces, you might give stoning a go. Get a couple aluminum oxide stones, 3 if you want to be more finicky. rub them together, add the 3rd in to a rotation of stones you rubbed together(look up 3 plate lapping method) and get them flat. Then use them on the sealing surface, quick touch up stone on stone lap occasionally if there's lots to do. This will knock down the burrs and raised areas around bolt holes or whatever without the possible larger scratches a file might impart that can cause weeping leaks..
Fantastic job!!! Thanks for your time!
Grandpa always said it's called "Elbow Grease!"
Nice work. Your shop looks nice and clean. Mine too. Thanks.
I appreciate your attention to detail, patience, and workmanship. I also appreciate anyone that can stick with the jobs like these through to the end. Especially because I seem to suffer from A.D.D., and find it takes 3 times as long to do anything because I have to constantly force myself to go back, and finish things. Keep up the excellent work.
I work in aviation, and you've done a fantastic job of showing the parts processing and inspection portion of maintenance.
As the saying goes, "a clean aircraft isn't always well maintained, but a well maintained aircraft is always clean"
Well done bud
When I buy a used car, I always give it a hand wash from top to bottom. Amazing the imperfections that you can't see when you have the buyers "big eyes" that appear while washing. Found a lot of repairs covered up that way. Good video.
I also was taught to use paint thinner and a brush. I've never found it to fail. In the days before brush grinders ( or when I had no money for one) the wire brush was your friend, and old clothes to wear. The rest of the work is time.
Kinda like watching a fold over lock get folded over. You know. Mesmerizing. 🤣
I build Homes and the whole “2 birds 1 rock” as it is, make sure to clean and keep clean the home being built. By cleaning just as you mentioned, you can find any imperfections. By keeping it clean, you will notice any damage soon after it happens. I love your process, Thanks for sharing.
Totally agree with you about thoroughly cleaning parts. Gives you confidence the component is fit for further service.
Your time is well spent cleaning things up.
Very good video. All the older guys and gals who have experience working on equipment know all to well the parts have to be CLEAN before reassembly. 😋
Squatch, thank you for showing us your cleaning process. I was one of the viewers asking how you cleaned your parts. Your right about being able to inspect the parts while cleaning. With all the work you are putting into the H, I'm almost surprised you don't want to Glyptal the inside of the case.
When I was a teenager(long time ago), I started working on tractors and a local mechanic always told me that the most important part of any engine overhaul is meticulous cleaning of all the parts and I have always practiced that. When it comes to sandblasting, I have a large compressor and sandblaster, but I have certain rules for what I sandblast. I never sandblast any part that I am not certain that I can get all the sand residue out of. I also never sandblast any assembly but only individual parts. I also never sandblast the engine block, any hydraulic parts, or any parts that sand residue would cause issues. Also, after I sandblast the large rear end castings, I always pressure wash the inside and inspect the whole inside for any sand residue. Great video on cleaning parts.
I like to use spray oven cleaner and hot water for my final cleaning before painting. I chase all my bolt holes and wire brush and inspect all my bolts. And while I do not file every gasket surface, I do check them for flatness. A lot of times you will find bolt holes will be slightly raised around the edge of them. Good job on the transmission case.
Oven cleaner does an great job on ferrous metals . The cheap stuff works just as good or better than the name brand stuff .
Your new nickname is "Manny" for Manual... as in Manual Labor. Does me a lot of good to see there are other people with this kind of energy and dedication to doing things right and proper. So many "rebuild" projects, or even repairs, fail because people don't take the time to do proper cleaning. Anyone watching no longer has an "excuse." I wish I could give this ten thumbs up! Being an ex Ford Tech, maybe you remember the reman trans failures due to improper cleaning (both in the reman and by people not flushing cooler lines properly) that necessitated the inline magnetic filters being installed into the cooler lines. The problem extended into the manufacture of transmission as well, since the solenoid controlled units are so much more sensitive to ferrous contaminants. But I digressed. Great video!
I agree, Power wash in the end. If no power washer, go to the manual Car Wash and blast your parts for a few bucks. 👍
Car wash are refusing to have you wash grease parts. But if you go when the attendant is gone home. Enjoy it. That's what I do.
I've taken my greasy axle housings and blassed them.
I like the pressure washer at the diesel stops the best. They pump out the pressure.
Used wire cups with a drill without great results. Recently started using a cup on side grinder. My new best friend for cleaning old rusty stuff. 👍
As an apprentice working in an overhaul shop I spent many days and weeks cleaning engine and gear box parts for the process. We had used a glass bead for use a s a sand blaster medium and it was primarily for the hot parts and cases of the gas turbines we were overhauling. The glass bead dust would get into every crack, crevasse and bolt hole so chasing and blowing out all of those areas was critical. We would never do and of the oil galleries or lubrication passages with the bead blaster those would go into the hot tank, water blaster tank then the solvent tank with an inhibitor to prevent rust. I always found that doing this was not really boring because when the parts were all shiny and clean it was very satisfying to see the results.
Nail brushes are also good for the first stage. The whole variety pack (tho if one can't find the smaller ones, cutting a normal one in half for small spaces is also good). I like to get the natural fiber ones, because they don't fling as much crud all over the place and they don't melt with extended use, plastic ones do.
Also on toothbrushes, pig/boar hair ones are even better than regular ones, usually larger, but they can be cut shorter. The hair tho, is what makes the difference, really gets in there and agitates whatever dirt is stuck in with the oil.
Pretty much how I clean my parts. I also filter and re-use the solvents by decanting it into a tall container and leaving it overnight for the dirt to settle down then next day pouring the cleaner fluid out. I've had people tell me that I spend a lot of time on cleaning, well if you love engineering and mechanics you will understand the need to have clean parts in order for everything to fit and work properly. Even in aviation maintenance, every part has to be clean.🎇✳
I’m about to paint a Ford 8n, so I appreciate this video.
Loved your idea for desludging your mineral spirits tray which is also my preferred solvent. I've been a mechanic for over thirty five years and always searching for a better way for the mundane tasks. Enjoyed watching this.
Old coffee filter holder and coffee filters makes straining solvents easier and save$.
As always, your attention to detail and quality of workmanship is excellent. And just like a Farmall, never more complex than necessary.
I pressure wash first, followed immediately with compressed air, then with WD-40 (the WD part stands for Water Displacement.) I learned the file trick working on my leaky old Triumph motorcycle. Pro tip- check the file for flat, as a couple thousands out can ruin your day. I always use a file on my blocks as a way to deck them. The bolt holes do usually have mounds around them.
Evaporust and stripping discs completely changed how I clean parts. I barely use a wire brush anymore. Thanks for sharing your process.
Enjoyed this and your methodical process.! Reminded me when my dad showed me the importance of handwashing a car and noticing any imperfections between washings that weren't apparent when dirty and touching up if needed.
Totally agree! Cleaning is where you're going to find issues because you're going over every square inch. I used to do maintenance on forklifts. Most techs would only blow out the radiator and just kinda blow loose dirt off the rest of the lift. I would blast the whole lift with compressed air. That's where I caught most all of the mechanical problems because it forces you to look at everything.
Great video. Good tip about running a file over the mating surfaces to clean up any bumps and nicks.
I remember being told that the result will equal the investment in whatever you do. As for the sandblasting I have known a couple of guys that made a living from that and they always said that when you think you are done cleaning then you need to clean it again. A very interesting and informative episode thank you Sir.
That much labor it should be pristine. And it is, well done
Thank you Squatch, for taking the time to show us "non-professional" restorers how somethings are done. I've always been of the opinion that more information is good information, and it's up to the individual what works best for them. Keep up the great work 👍
Something I've found to help clean those small nooks and impossible places to reach & clean....use a piece of copper wire ( I used 8ga) fray the end a bit to separate the wire strands. Works like a scrubby brush on the end of a stick.
Lacquer thinner is the best cleaner I have found for removing old grease and carbon laden sludge in diesel engines. Nothing else cuts as good.
I am a big fan from north of the 49th. What an excellent, timely post. You have given me a lot of pointers as I sit down to rebuild the transmission from my '70 Lotus Europa. Keep up the excellent work. Thank You.
In a machine shop (heavy industrial), we use WD40 and scotchbrite.
Loved seeing how you c!ean the parts and the attention to details
Great video...yes it's tedious but that's what perfection demands. Another tip..I put mineral spirits in a spray bottle then spray scrub...spray scrub etc. I catch the remnants in a pan and use 3 translucent jugs to recover it. 1st jug is raw recovery, let it settle for a few days then slowly pour into 2nd jug leaving sediment in the bottom then same process to 3rd jug. After that pour through a funnel and a couple coffee filters back into spray bottle. I use clean solvent for the final spray down. Saves a few bucks.
Thank you for creating this video. I've never been a full time mechanic and enjoyed learning all of the hard work behind the scenes. I grew up on a farm but grandpa always let the dealers do the mechanical work. As I have aged now I can appreciate everything the dealers did to fix our equipment. Thanks again!
Thanks Squatch for this video I have cleaned parts all my life but you gave a glimpse of the extra inch to look for when cleaning parts. I enjoy your videos as they are up front and informative. Direct and motivational !
Thank you for sharing with us
I have a brush set that I’ll even do the threaded holes and then run a bolt in and out- I suck at getting things done quickly
It’s good to see how the sausage is made
Harbor freight weed burner and a bbq tank works to burn oil off then hose off. try not to burn a hole in the propane line. You can pre heat and post heat a weldment also. I got one for searing Meat a while back. A little over kill for me. I went back to building up a bark. That is were the flavor is.
Always interesting to see how other people go about various tasks involved in the restoration of a piece of equipment great video 💪👍
Very nice video. A kitchen sink brush is often as stiff as the parts cleaning brush, but can sometimes reach in places the straight brush can't. When cleaning parts, in the back of my mind, I wonder how the pro's do it. Nice confirmation that elbow grease is still used!
Prep is everything. Bad or subpar prep will amplify in the final product. Thanks for the how to video.
For electoplated and hot dipped galvanized hardware I use the "pool acid trick". Just soake them in pool acaid (muriatic acid) from the big box store. Quickly disloves the zinc and etches the metal. Standard disclaimers for working with acid.
If you're OK with a slower process, phosphoric acid will also strip galv, rust, etc, but does not touch the base iron/steel
My guess is the way you clean is therapeutic for you.... I had a friend years ago who detailed his motor cycle on Saturday mornings. It was his way of winding down from the work week. If the weather was nice he would go out for a long ride too. If weather was bad he still detailed his bike in the garage before sitting back in a lounge chair while tossing back a few beers when admiring his handy work making his Harley shine like new..
I love using Dico nyalox drill brushes when I work on my old Briggs engines. They come in 3 grits that are suspended into the nylon bristles, super flexible & can work tough or be gentle if need be. Grey for paint/casting, orange for intermediate finishing & blue for fine burnishing & carbs/brass or intricate aluminum motorcycle blocks & stuff. I Used them to entirely strip down a vintage reel mower once. When I started It was a total barnacle crustacean!!! when I was done, I mocked it all back up & almost wanted to just clear coat it all😁
That's a lot of work. I just use oven cleaner, on heavily soiled parts, scrape the worst off, then oven cleaner two or three cycles hosing off between cycles, removes everything including paint.
Great video, a one time deep dive into parts cleaning for anyone interested.
The patience you have is amazing! It was nice to see the process you have. On a side note, I think the 10x would look nice with no paint just a clear coat but I know you’re doing a full resto so it’ll look great too. Enjoy todays rain.
Nice video. Always nice to see someone else spending so much time cleaning parts. Feels some much better when putting things back together.
Thanks for the file tip on gaskets surfaces. Never ever gave that a thought. The surface "should" be flat - right? Excellent point about the tiny lip at the bolt holes. Great video.
That's another one of those juicy little tips that you pick up when you do component-rebuild kind of work for a living. Transmissions, engines, pumps, cases... those little fit-and-file issues can cause massive headaches before you learn about them.
Having a wonderful five eights or thicker piece glass in a person life is another great tool . Three foot round or square .
Some spray glue or even self adhesive sandpaper attached to the glass can make simple fast flat work of a lot metal surfaces .
I have done an exhaust manifolds .
Just make sure that a good circulator action and even pressure .