19 replies to this topic

[nicky 65]

What is the best solvent to use to clean a motor after breaking it down? especially the plastic endbell that is black from all the brush dust.

Motor spray just doesn't cut it.

[havlicek]

The end bell plastic itself can become stained by the mixture of brush dust and oil.  Even with a thorough cleaning in solvents and water/detergent, it will often never come back to it's original color, at least in places.  From a functional standpoint, that really doesn't matter of course.  Lighter "white" or "natural" and other colors will show much more of this, but many/most/all (?) end bell plastics can be dyed a darker color to hide a lot of the staining.

[Kim Lander]

Lighter fluid will do a fair job, just evaporates fast, also if you have a ultra sonic cleaner you can get some ammoniated cleaner , just dont put the arm in it,

[Pablo]

PdL recommends mineral spirits for arms.

[NY Nick]

Dish Soap and water, with an old tooth brush, than blow it out.

[Jesse Gonzales]

In the old days the guys in Tucson used Energine spot cleaner, worked pretty good too. I used it to de-glue all my slot car stuff and occasionally my race clothes. It was discontinued in 2006 due to the manufacturer being concerned of suits over neurological damage. It was pretty much 100% Naptha anyway. today I'd use lighter fluid for glue removal and paint stripper for epoxy removal.

 

Good Luck with the cleaning.

 

Jesse Gonzales

[proptop]

I use Q tips dipped in lacquer thinner...and tooth picks to get the nooks and crannies...

[mreibman]

Go get a can of Brakleen. I just cleaned a bunch of stuff with it. It's higher pressure than contact cleaner, and it is made to clean brake dust, which is certainly similar to brush dust.

Spray it over a trash can, be careful, and hold whatever you're spraying with something other than your bare hand. Don't get it on bodies.

It's not perfect, mind you, but you can't beat it for the couple of bucks you'll spend.

Suggest you then blow any excess off with compressed air, but it does dry quickly.

[mark1]

Try Dawn Power Dissolver. It's made for baking pans, cookie sheets, etc. Guys are using it to clean off baked on exhaust residue for RC motors and mufflers. Works great! Soak parts overnight. Rinse off with water. Scrub with a toothbrush. Amazed me how good it works. 

[John Streisguth]

And if you are using one of the aerosol spray cleaners, do yourself a favor and wear some protective eyewear.  If you get one of those solvents in your eye, you'll wish you had done so

[MSwiss]

It's hard for me to believe Pure doesn't do an adequate enough job for you.
 
Unless you need to make it look like new.
 
I know what you don't want to use, is the item, pictured below.
 
A customer brought it in for me to try.
 
It worked as good, or a bit better, than Pure, but it melted a hole in my plastic garbage can. LOL

[jimht]

Brake Cleaners:

 

Chlorinated: contain perchloroethylene "Perc" which I used to buy from a dry cleaner in my shopping center back in the Seventies and use for track cleaning. The fumes give a moderate high and it is toxic death in a can.

Non-chlorinated: contain Acetone and Heptane. Neither real happy with plastic or some of the materials used in commutators and other slot car components.

 

I used to really enjoy cleaning the tracks with Perc; long term effects of brain cell reduction may have enabled me to tolerate slot racing ever since...

[SlowBeas]

Seeing that I have a can of that Lectra-motive on my desk, maybe I'll stop using it!

 

Melted a hole in your trash can? Really?

 

I don't think my wife would be very happy. Back to Pure for me!

[Bill from NH]

Or get a metal trash can.

[nicky 65]

Brake Kleen works good...………………….Dawn dish detergent ….Ill try.

Thanx guys for the replys

[NSwanberg]

Brake Cleaners:

 

Chlorinated: contain perchloroethylene "Perc" which I used to buy from a dry cleaner in my shopping center back in the Seventies and use for track cleaning. The fumes give a moderate high and it is toxic death in a can.

Non-chlorinated: contain Acetone and Heptane. Neither real happy with plastic or some of the materials used in commutators and other slot car components.

 

I used to really enjoy cleaning the tracks with Perc; long term effects of brain cell reduction may have enabled me to tolerate slot racing ever since...

This could explain some things!

[Slot-Racer]

OMG DO NOT USE Electra Motive, that's a pure de-greaser! You may as well use brake cleaner that melts plastic! It even says on the can "Do not use on Polycarbonate or Sensitive electronic equipment."

 

Go to Walmart. Find QD Electronic Cleaner. Cheapest place that sells them. Home Depo has them but total rip off. You can spray it on your whole motor (brushes installed) and it won't harm a thing and dries quick and fast.

 

 

 

Right off the can:

 

"Plastic safe"

"Quick drying"

"Leaves no residue"

"Cleans and protects sensitive equipment"

"Helps prevent contact failure"

"Harmless to most plastics and paper tapes" 

 

[Eddie Fleming]

I use the CRC QD but

 

It leaves no residue

 

 It cleans and protects

 

How can it protect if it leaves no residue?

[Slot-Racer]

I use the CRC QD but

 

It leaves no residue

 

 It cleans and protects

 

How can it protect if it leaves no residue?

 

Residue is a technical term, meaning "bad" not that there is a coating or something. Protects can mean it's now clean and protects from failures cause being clean there is now nothing to interfere to cause a failure. 

[Eddie Fleming]

Double talk horse crap marketing talk.

 

But like I said I use the stuff.