Have lots of dirty, grimy, and stained parts sitting on the floor in my garage. Was wondering if there is anything I can soak them in to get all the crap off them. Can I paint these parts? What paint should I use? Whats the best way to get the gaskets off these parts, since I got many a gaskets in my kit?

Parts:

TB
Plenum
Intake
Bolts, bolts, and more bolts

Soon to be off is everything including the heads.

Can I replace the electrical connections to everything? All of them are brittle, and many of the connectors clips snap when I remove them, even though I am gentle? Can I get a kit that has replacements for all the engine connectors?

Thanks for any help.

 

Before I had a solvent tank, I used to take things to the carwask, soak them in mix of water and Tide, let'em sit, then spray them off. All the small stuff I'd put in a cage I used to have to keep from blowing them all over the bay.

Might be worthwhile to invest in a solvent tank a 5-10 gallons of solvent, and a few wire brushes.

As for the gaskets, there's several "gasket scrapers" as well as using a putty knife. Also some good pads for your electric drill that''ll clean'em all off. There's also some commercially available 'gasket removers" on the shelf at most of your AP stores, although I've not used it, so don't know how well it works.

Not sure if there's a kit of connectors available, might try the wrecking yards for ones in better shape, or look on the displays at the parts houses for new ones...might be "dealer only" items too, not sure.

 

Yea I also have a cheapo 5 gallon solevent tank to there nice to have but the solevent sucks hard, its not going to take gunky crap off. You could and should find a machine shop and have them hot tank the larger parts or you could go buy a 1 gallon bucket of carb cleaner $15 it looks like a paint bucket but has a nifty little tray in it so you dont have to touch any cleaner. That cleaner is nasty (as in good) stuff too, if you have delicate skin it will turn your hand red for a couple days. Or you could just get a few gallons of gas and soak the nuts and bolts in that.
SSC

 

Yeah the carb cleaner is the real deal!! At least for stuff that's small enough to fit in there. Bolts, small parts of all sorts, and even (gasp) carbs. Like SSC says it will eat your skin like it eats the gunk on the parts; use some industrial rubber gloves, and diesel fuel and/or gasoline and/or lacquer thinner afterwards. It will make you smell like itself for days after you use it if you get it on you.

For larger things, I usually use Gunk Engine-Bright or some similar brand of diesel fuel in a spray can; or for really nasty stuff, Permatex 4MA Gasket Remover. I us both of them at the quarter car wash, with many quarters afterwards.

I don't know of any kits of connectors, I've wished for that too. NAPA has a fairly decent selection of Weatherpack connectors. Other than that, a trip to the junkyard, and raid some newer cars.

 

Autoparts stores usually sell the electrical connectors with a few inches of wiring, or you can get the shells and the crimp contacts and weather paks at the dealer and just cut off the old one and install a new one... will look cleaner then soldering a different connector on.

 

I too soak the bolts in carb cleaner works great. Larger parts I use Castrol Super Clean. Buy it in a gallon and put it in a spray bottle. Dissolves most stuff easy. Even though its supposedly biodegradable etc it's still real harsh on your hands though. You'll want to wear gloves and use a parts brush to scrub on the thicker areas a little.

 

SafetyKleen (with a little "additive" on the sly..ssh). My favorite.