Ultrasonic Cleaners??

OVERLORD wrote:Mauricio, I have an ultrasonic cleaner from a dentist. I use it for carburettor parts. It will clean anything basically from big castings to the finest part without doing any damage or being abrasive as there is no mechanical action or contact as with a brush or other cleaning tools.

I have a picture ready but it doesn't seem to upload. It'll be for later.

Thank you very much for your time!.
It is clear that I can heat a fluid and put it in the ultrasonic cleaner, since the article I show does not heat the fluid and works at room temperature, so I bother you to ask: is it necessary to heat the fluid or can it work perfectly at room temperature for our engine parts?
What fluid do you use?
I am thinking of using the fluid that I always use, (it is the automotive coolant that contains ethylene glycol)....

As a matter of interest, at what frequency do they operate please ?

Do they operate at a fixed frequency, or does it alter/cycle during use ?

Any reports of cracked brass overflow stand pipes in some bike float chamber bowls ?

Thanks

The dentist ultrasonic cleaner heats up by itself, but it is not boiling hot. When I turn the timer, it starts to vibrate but remains constant. Heat is not necessary. You can use water with detergent, diesel, chemicals. I remember that my optician used water only. Antifreeze is too expensive. By the way, it is the alcohol in the antifreeze that does the job so use methanol or household alcohol instead.

there is a thread here about ultrasonic
https://www.coxengineforum.com/t15813-cleaning-w-ultrasonic?highlight=ultrasonic

cstatman wrote:
there is a thread here about ultrasonic
https://www.coxengineforum.com/t15813-cleaning-w-ultrasonic?highlight=ultrasonic

Thanks for the link!
so after cleaning up that thread I understand that:
It is not advisable to place anodized parts.
It is not healthy to place bearings.
It is not advisable to place assembled parts such as the needle and the spraybar.

Yes, you can place non-anodized aluminum parts.
Yes, you can place loose parts and engine parts.
Yes, you can place plastic parts.

So a glow plug, can you place it there to clean it completely?, that is, inside and out?, is the sealing of the anode or cathode, whatever you want to call the body of the glow plug, at risk?
Also, if I am very rigorous, can I think that, in an ultrasonic cleaner, the surface of the connecting rod in the ball joint area, next to the attachment to the brass piston of Cox engines and other engines from other brands that use this system, could be damaged?

Tell me if I'm right?

Thanks!

You can get cosmetic surface damage like etching on soft metals like aluminum. Whether or not anodize color survives the ultrasonic will depend on the solution Ph, the dye, and sealing method used on the parts. It will not damage steel parts.

I've never tried cleaning a glow plug in the ultrasonic. The risk is the sonic action/vibration breaking the element. I've never tried cleaning assemblies. The same risk of parts rubbing together. A needle valve threading into a body simply won't get clean. To clean a ball socket, a few drops of solvent and moving the joint would be much easier. If there is really grit/dirt in the joint, chances are it's already worn out. Even putting a bunch of parts in together can leave marks where they touch, just depends if this matters or not. I've read arguments both ways about bearings, but always replace them or clean in solvents.

I never had great luck with burnt castor/varnish on parts like four stroke mufflers and heads with the ultrasonic. Maybe my unit is defective(cheap import), I was never very impressed with it. Heating definitely helps. I don't use it much anymore, especially since the heater died. I'll try a name brand unit if I find one cheap. I've been using isopropyl alcohol, mineral spirits, or xylol, when I have an engine to clean, which is not very often as of late.

So a glow plug, can you place it there to clean it completely?,

no, i tried 4 separate plugs, it shakes the filament to bits, and the plug is intermittent

As Gary wisely recommended, alcohol
as RSVBob recommends - Gun Cleaning Oil

q tips, work and gentle

This thread prompted me to shop and source one of these cleaners. It has a timer that can be set in min./seconds as high as 30 min. at which point it automatically turns off. It has a heater that can be adjusted as high as 85C (approx. 184F). All digital read-out.. with push-button -/+ controls. It has a Stainless steel tub of 2L capacity and a stainless steel basket to fit.. which has two bail-type wire-handles.

There's what's called a "transducer" involved in this design. I don't know exactly how it works.. but there's an audible "buzzing" when operating. Apparently frequency f (in Hz) is a spec. by which these are rated/measured by.

"Sound-waves".. however they're produced... probably induce an agitation in the tank-fluid. Treatment time will vary... with each item being treated. Having an adjustable timer would be a useful/important feature to a unit.. in my opinion.

I watched an ultrasonic cleaner video where the operator removed o-rings from some parts that he planned to clean.. and stated that the ultrasonic cleaner with his 50/50 solution of water/"Simple Green" liquid would destroy the o-rings. O-rings are pretty tough... so...

We know what we can normally submerge our parts needing cleaning in.... be it water, water + soap, solvent, fuel components.. and be confident they won't be damaged. It's up to the user to determine the suitability of the cleaner and the "cleaning-agent" to produce a SAFE and effective result.

A "Timer" should be utilized during the ultrasonic-cleaning process. If unsure "how long"/"what temperature"... better to inquire/consult with other users.. and start your cleaning-process in small controlled increments.

I will report here.. when I receive my cleaner. I should have it in a few days.

I tried my wifes ultrasonic jewerly cleaner once and was not impressed.  Perhaps because my Berrymans 20 minute soak followed by soapy and hot clean water rinses work so well.  A bit messy, but it's gentle on the product and I haven't found anything that works better for cleaning our model engines.  I have cleaned not one or two engines either but hundreds many nasty 5 dollar ebay buys.  I remove reusable gaskets for later, I never clean them.  I put some MMO on them to keep them from drying out when waiting for reassembly.

Except, I never use Berrymans on anodized engines.  It works just as well as a cleaner but like Simple Green and almost every other cleaning product except dish detergent it lightens the color.  Actually dish detergent and or alcohol works well if your engines have just been ran and are not all crusted up with burned castor.