> Roland Dudley suggested:
>
> > What works even better is trisodium phosphate (TSP). Not only will it
> > remove every speck of grease but paint as well.
>
> I have used TSP for cleaning parts, with great success, as well. I think
> there is a warning on the label about not using it on aluminum parts.
> Better check the label before using it on that Lucas distributor and/or
> snake body.
Good point. Any alkaline substance can be a problem with aluminum
because it breaks down the protective oxide coating. TSP is fairly mild
so I suspect it would be okay for castings if the exposure time was
short. I've used alkaline paint strippers on the body of the snake
without noticeable damage. I believe carburetor cleaning solvents are
highly alkaline too. Still, it might be worth neutralizing a freshly
cleaned aluminum part with a weak acid solution afterwards.
A Drano solution works even better than TSP, but I would NEVER clean an
aluminum part in it.
Roland
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