reel degreaser

[I.rar]

got my parts in for my citica and im about ready to do my first service. ive been reading a ton all over and seen many suggestions and recommendations for many degreasers. from simple green , formula 88 and naptha to dawn dish soap. i also read that some will ruin drag disks and/or shouldnt be used on or around plastic parts. i only want to buy one that i can use on everything.

what do you guys suggest?

[BobP]

All of the cleaners you mentioned are OK and none will harm plastic parts or drag disks.  I throw small parts, gears, and the drag disks in a jar of naphtha as I remove them.  I wash the bare frame in dish soap with a toothbrush.  I soak bearings in starter fluid (ether).

[I.rar]

All of the cleaners you mentioned are OK and none will harm plastic parts or drag disks. I throw small parts, gears, and the drag disks in a jar of naphtha as I remove them. I wash the bare frame in dish soap with a toothbrush. I soak bearings in starter fluid (ether).

thanks. im thinking naptha is the way to go. dish detergent is at the sink.

doesnt home depot sell cans of the stuff? im not wanting to buy a giant can of it , just something i can use for a few reels.

[tennwalkinghorse]

Reel Scrubber great stuff  ;)

[Nitrofreak]

I use an automotive application on cleaning gears and such it's called mass air flow cleaner and wont harm the little rubber part's in the reel, But I do the same as bob stated and clean my reel body in soap and water.

[I.rar]

I use an automotive application on cleaning gears and such it's called mass air flow cleaner and wont harm the little rubber part's in the reel, But I do the same as bob stated and clean my reel body in soap and water.

ill look into that. i also seen people mention brake or carb cleaner...

[Adam Harbuck]

Brake parts cleaner, mass air-flow sensor cleaner, and thottle body cleaner all contain MEK, which will wreck plastic, peel paint, and etch anodized aluminum. I wouldn't use them. Either a simple parts wash solution (most likely naptha), spray lube like WD-40, Reel Scrubber, or good old soap and water all work well. Bearings can go into a bath of acetone, or naptha, but the acetone will get ALL the gunk out. Simple Green and Purple Power wil work too just like soap and water, just don't use it in the full concetration, as it will discolor aluminum at that strength.

[I.rar]

Brake parts cleaner, mass air-flow sensor cleaner, and thottle body cleaner all contain MEK, which will wreck plastic, peel paint, and etch anodized aluminum. I wouldn't use them. Either a simple parts wash solution (most likely naptha), spray lube like WD-40, Reel Scrubber, or good old soap and water all work well. Bearings can go into a bath of acetone, or naptha, but the acetone will get ALL the gunk out. Simple Green and Purple Power wil work too just like soap and water, just don't use it in the full concetration, as it will discolor aluminum at that strength.

wow , thanks.

i swung by home depot earlier. i saw the cans of naptha in the paint department but it contained detergents. would ronson lighter fluid work?

i saw the simple green there too , but in a spray bottle. the directions on the back say to dilute it to either a 1:10 or 1:30 ratio depending on how dirty the part/s are. is it really worth it , or would dish soap work just as well?

also , with the dish soap , i know i should stir it rather than shake to avoid all the bubbles , but how strong do i mix it and how long would i leave the parts in there?

[Nitrofreak]

Adam I should have been more specific I use a non toxic mass air flow cleaner that does not hurt the plastic parts of a mass air flow sensor but I do not recommend using it on the covers or on the plastic body of the reel, However I do use it on the gears and bearings and disassembled parts to get them really clean and it works very well for that.

But sqhertz DO NOT use carb cleaner nor brake cleaner as these do have properties that are or could be potentially harmful to softer metals and nylon and will most definitely damage your plastic covers.

As I suggested earlier I clean my body parts in soap and water.

And be careful of the simple green and purple power as they both contain acids, Mixed in small amount's can even damage your reels if left in the solution too long but do a fantastic job at cleaning when used with a soft brush.

Be sure to rinse under running water when finished.

[J Francho]

Acetone for bearings, Dawn for everything else.

[I.rar]

Acetone for bearings, Dawn for everything else.

how much dawn do you mix with the water and how long do you let them sit?

[Nitrofreak]

sqhertz,

I know your asking j francho and if I may I would like to tell you how I mix mine 1 table spoon per 1 cup of warm water with dawn (non detergent) and about 20 minutes then I use a soft brush to clean afterwards.

[I.rar]

great success!

just got done. didnt do a complete tare down , just a simple relube , upgraded the drag to carbontex and went with abec 5 bearings. i was following these videos

(1 through 3).

it really was not bad at all. the only thing is that i may have my drag nut not tight enough. first i snugged it , it was too loose. tighted it a bit more , too tight. now its somewhere in between lol.

[Crestliner2008]

WD-40. It's about all it's really good for.

After spray cleaning the gears with it, I flush the reel thoroughly with hot water from the tap and let it dry. (If I'm in a hurry, I'll use my wife's hair dryer!) Then re-lube with a quality reel grease and oil.

[BassThumb]

What's the best naptha product?  Lighter fluid?

[J Francho]

Acetone for bearings, Dawn for everything else.

how much dawn do you mix with the water and how long do you let them sit?

I put a small amount on a toothbrush, and scrub away.  occasionally, I run the part under a trickle of hot tap water.  Make sure you thoroughly rinse and dry the part.

[BobP]

I get naphtha at Home Depot and use it because a petroleum based cleaner is needed for cleaning many drag disks.  Since it also works fast on other parts and won't harm plastic....  I like the most volatile cleaner possible on sealed ball bearings - can't get much more volatile than ether.  In fact, you need to cover the glass you spray it into or it will evaporate in a few minutes.  Naphtha and ether aren't the most ecologically "green" solvents, but they do work better than just about anything else.

[I.rar]

I get naphtha at Home Depot and use it because a petroleum based cleaner is needed for cleaning many drag disks. Since it also works fast on other parts and won't harm plastic.... I like the most volatile cleaner possible on sealed ball bearings - can't get much more volatile than ether. In fact, you need to cover the glass you spray it into or it will evaporate in a few minutes. Naphtha and ether aren't the most ecologically "green" solvents, but they do work better than just about anything else.

the cans of naptha i saw at HD said something like 'NS Naptha V' or something like that. ive seen cans that just say 'naptha' and figured the ones they had in stock contained detergents. which do you use? and how do you guys dispose of the used stuff?