Conference vmsnet::car$note:carbuffs

  I thought I remembered a discussion about using Drano as a parts cleaner. 
  Has anyone else tried it and in what proportions was it mixed?  I mixed
  up a mild batch (3-4 teaspoons to 1 gal water) and it seemed to do a
  decent job at removing some of the grease and oil from a few parts.  Does
  anyone have more experience trying it?
  
  Dave

>>anyone have more experience trying it?
    
    Yea...don't use it as an automotive parts cleaner.
    
    I'd rather waste a lot of time with soap and hot water than do
    something stupid like use drano.
    
    -john

Drano is "caustic" which means it's extremely basic (low pH). When mixed with
water in a high-strength mixture, it will devour and dissolve anything organic
like grease, oil, etc.  I can't think of any reason why a strong basic solution
would harm iron, steel, chrome, most plastics, brass, copper, zinc diecast
(potmetal), aluminum or glass.  This is all from memory, so please test it out
on a scrap piece before trying it on your irreplaceable Studebaker parts. 

Oh, another thing....all human body parts are organic, so you might want to
wear gloves. 

Jim 

    It'll chew the heck out of aluminum; soaking an aluminum panel in Drano
    gives a nice dull finish, commonly used for basement electronics
    projects.
    
    ...tom

  Yes, I used gloves and tried it out side in an (uh oh..) aluminum pan... 
  I just dropped a few valves and valve springs from the blown diesel
  engine I took apart in the solution to see how it would do.  I'll do some
  more testing over the weekend.
  
  Dave

re: .69

Actually, Drano (lye) and other "basic" solutions have a
very _high_ pH. Acids have a low pH.

    The big concern with using lye is that on some metals which are a bit
    porous (some kinds of cast iron, sintered bearings) you may not be able
    to get all of the lye out.  Another problem is when cleaning things
    like blocks and heads where there are lots of passages, you may not be
    able to rinse all of it out unless you are very careful.  Yet another
    is that if you are using a concentrated solution, when it comes time to
    rinse it off is there is a pocket of concentrated solution inside a
    part when it comes into contact with more water it can splatter or
    boil.
    
    And, as noted, it will attach some metals (aluminum, possibly some zinc
    alloys).
    
    But if used carefully, it will remove grease, oil, paint, and all sorts
    of other stuff.
    

    I used it (3-4 TBS) in water to clean a set of '63 license plates that I
    was restoring for the Rambler.  It did a great job.