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Hints for removing Grease-crete from frame cross members?
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56D500boy
Posted 2019-03-09 9:15 PM (#579095)
Subject: Hints for removing Grease-crete from frame cross members?



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I bought a transmission cross member from John at Big M (thanks John) as part of my Powerflite to Torqueflite project. Naturally it has a bit of dirt and oil on it. In some cases the fine dust and oil mixed to dry out to "Greasecrete" (tm registered)

I've been using scrapers, old screw drivers and brake cleaner and I've made some progress. I want to take it to bare metal so I can paint it all pretty like with semi-gloss rust paint. There are some bits that don't want to come off. I am tempted to use a propane torch or heat gun but don't know if I should put the fire department number on speed dial before I start that.

Any been there, done that's??

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ttotired
Posted 2019-03-10 1:27 AM (#579101 - in reply to #579095)
Subject: Re: Hints for removing Grease-crete from frame cross members?



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No short cuts

Soaking it in petrol can help, but wire brushes ect and a "needle gun" will get it off with some elbo grease

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56D500boy
Posted 2019-03-10 8:52 PM (#579138 - in reply to #579101)
Subject: Re: Hints for removing Grease-crete from frame cross members?



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ttotired - 2019-03-09 10:27 PM

.... but wire brushes etc and a "needle gun" will get it off with some elbow grease


The needle gun idea made me chase needle guns. Don't have one but then I remembered that I have a new, never-used, air chisel with a wide flat blade, some thing like this:



So I found the box in the garage and set it up to use this afternoon. That is the good news. The bad news is the temperature in my unheated garage (8 C) was too cold for the compressor to work (the oil in the crankcase is too thick).

Oh well. It's supposed to warm up this week





Edited by 56D500boy 2019-03-11 1:09 PM
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wizard
Posted 2019-03-11 2:33 AM (#579155 - in reply to #579095)
Subject: Re: Hints for removing Grease-crete from frame cross members?



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Just take care with that chisel, it will make marks and cuts.
Soak up the worst dirt with gasoline or paint thinner, cover the dirt with soaked rags and keep them moist, then you can scrape the dirt off easily.
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mikes2nd
Posted 2019-03-11 3:19 AM (#579156 - in reply to #579095)
Subject: Re: Hints for removing Grease-crete from frame cross members?


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blow torch and paint scraper to start
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60 Imp
Posted 2019-03-11 6:57 AM (#579160 - in reply to #579101)
Subject: Re: Hints for removing Grease-crete from frame cross members?


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ttotired - 2019-03-10 3:27 PM

No short cuts

Soaking it in petrol can help, but wire brushes ect and a "needle gun" will get it off with some elbo grease



I was going to suggest the same, then I remember they dont have petrol in the USA!

Soak in a tub of gasoline and it will come off no worries.

Steve.
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57burb
Posted 2019-03-11 10:58 AM (#579166 - in reply to #579160)
Subject: Re: Hints for removing Grease-crete from frame cross members?



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Get a big tub and a few gallons of Simple Green (I prefer the industrial purple version, but the green stuff works too - it's not quite as concentrated). Do NOT get Zep or other industrial / purple cleaners. They are not the same thing!

Immerse the part in a bath of Simple Green and leave it for a week. Warm temperatures make it work better. Every day give it a quick wipe with a rag in the tub until it comes out perfectly clean.

The best thing about this stuff is, it's non-toxic and water soluble. It won't irritate your hands. Part cleanup involves rinsing it off with water. And you don't have a petroleum-based mess to clean up.

If for some reason you're in a rush (or broke! ) , use oven cleaner from the dollar store. It's spray lye, so it is highly caustic, be careful. But it is cheap and fast.



Edited by 57burb 2019-03-11 10:59 AM
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Powerflite
Posted 2019-03-11 11:48 AM (#579169 - in reply to #579095)
Subject: RE: Hints for removing Grease-crete from frame cross members?



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I've always used a wire wheel on a 4.5" grinder. If that doesn't work, put an abrasive paper pad on it to smooth it out. But if you want to get inside it, it is best to media-blast it, so you might as well start with that.



(grinder.jpg)



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Attachments grinder.jpg (19KB - 232 downloads)
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56D500boy
Posted 2019-03-11 1:09 PM (#579172 - in reply to #579169)
Subject: RE: Hints for removing Grease-crete from frame cross members?



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Thanks guys. All good hints. I will use some of them (based on what I have on hand at the moment).

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56D500boy
Posted 2019-03-11 6:19 PM (#579195 - in reply to #579172)
Subject: RE: Hints for removing Grease-crete from frame cross members?



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56D500boy - 2019-03-11 10:09 AM

Thanks guys. All good hints. I will use some of them (based on what I have on hand at the moment).
:)


Just spent 90 minutes with a 1200 Watt electric heat gun and a proper gasket scraper (that I forgot that I had) and made big-time progress. Probably just another hour to get to where I want to be.

Thanks for the hints and encouragement.

Like these:




Upwards and onwards!




Edited by 56D500boy 2019-03-11 6:20 PM
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56D500boy
Posted 2019-03-14 4:17 PM (#579322 - in reply to #579169)
Subject: RE: Hints for removing Grease-crete from frame cross members?



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Powerflite - 2019-03-11 8:48 AM

I've always used a wire wheel on a 4.5" grinder. If that doesn't work, put an abrasive paper pad on it to smooth it out.


I used some paint remover yesterday. Not satisfied with the results I put an abrasive wheel on my angle grinder and went at it. I had to watch that I didn't try to make it too perfect.

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56D500boy
Posted 2019-03-26 8:08 PM (#579951 - in reply to #579322)
Subject: RE: Hints for removing Grease-crete from frame cross members?



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56D500boy - 2019-03-14 1:17 PM
I used some paint remover yesterday. Not satisfied with the results I put an abrasive wheel on my angle grinder and went at it. I had to watch that I didn't try to make it too perfect.



Did that and then painted it with two (or three) coats of Tremclad (like Rustoleum) Semi-gloss black paint.





(56DodgeTransmissionCrossMemberAfterSomeAngleGrinderSanding_1.jpg)



(56DodgeTransmissionCrossMemberAfterSomeAngleGrinderSanding_2.jpg)



(56DodgeTransmissionCrossMemberAfterSomeAngleGrinderSanding_AndTwoCoatsOfTremcladSemiGlossBlack.jpg)



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Attachments 56DodgeTransmissionCrossMemberAfterSomeAngleGrinderSanding_1.jpg (247KB - 222 downloads)
Attachments 56DodgeTransmissionCrossMemberAfterSomeAngleGrinderSanding_2.jpg (249KB - 227 downloads)
Attachments 56DodgeTransmissionCrossMemberAfterSomeAngleGrinderSanding_AndTwoCoatsOfTremcladSemiGlossBlack.jpg (235KB - 226 downloads)
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Powerflite
Posted 2019-03-26 8:18 PM (#579952 - in reply to #579095)
Subject: Re: Hints for removing Grease-crete from frame cross members?



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Looks nice. I recommend that you take a piece of scrap steel and do the same thing to it, with the same paint method. Let it fully dry, and then set it under your lawn sprinklers in full weather for 1-2 years. Look at it periodically and decide what to do differently. I found that most spray paints were crap doing this test. But I found an epoxy primer that really sealed the metal well so that the humidity & weather didn't penetrate past it. I did this because I got tired of painting things to only have rust come through in a year or two afterward.
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56D500boy
Posted 2019-03-26 8:34 PM (#579954 - in reply to #579952)
Subject: Re: Hints for removing Grease-crete from frame cross members?



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I hear you Nathan but in reality my car is never going to see much, if any rain, and will be in the garage when I am not driving it on a nice sunny day.

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57burb
Posted 2019-03-27 11:56 AM (#579979 - in reply to #579954)
Subject: Re: Hints for removing Grease-crete from frame cross members?



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The issue with spray paint is that it's often uncatalyzed (hardened) and it will scratch off with a little effort. Especially on an unprepared metal surface.

I prefer to spray any raw metal with an etch primer first, and then use a catalyzed paint for the finish. I just use a canned etch primer, available at any auto parts or hardware store.

For my suspension parts, we used single stage gloss automotive paint. For a flatter finish, we just use basecoat + hardener and it will last just as long. Of course this all requires some way to lay down the paint.
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Powerflite
Posted 2019-03-27 12:24 PM (#579981 - in reply to #579095)
Subject: RE: Hints for removing Grease-crete from frame cross members?



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I like a sheen finish on suspension parts, so I can use a high quality basecoat, or an OK quality gloss spray can. The spray can gloss will dull over time so it comes out perfect! But I use a good primer under everything and I have found that this primer sticks really well to everything - including stainless and die cast parts - and seals really well. The excellent sealing properties of it is why I use it. It is the extra large size can and must say "Professional" on it. There are an annoyingly large number of similar looking paints by the same company, but they aren't the same formulation and don't work very well in comparison. I buy this stuff at Home Depot. The only issue with this primer is that sometimes it isn't compatible with higher quality automotive paints. It also takes more time to fully cure and it becomes more compatible if you have time to let it cure more. Generally, it needs a minimum of 1 or 2 full days before spraying over the top of it, but sometimes you can get away with less. Because of the compatibility issue, if I am spraying it on an outer body panel or something that will use high quality paint, I will spray a high-fill primer over the top of it first (and sand it afterward), which is compatible with everything. If there is any possibility of having some residual oil on the surface of the metal (like on an oil bath air cleaner) I will use an etch primer first. That seems to not care as much about oils as other paints. Then I will seal it with this primer afterward.



(Primer-Sealer.jpg)



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Attachments Primer-Sealer.jpg (28KB - 221 downloads)
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56D500boy
Posted 2019-03-27 2:56 PM (#579987 - in reply to #579981)
Subject: RE: Hints for removing Grease-crete from frame cross members?



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Thanks Nathan. I have used the Professional Grade Rustoleum rust paint (not the primer) and was impressed by it. So your over all strategy sounds like a good one.

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