Hi Steve,
I agree about using Kerosene for cleaning and degreasing everything
including its characteristics of drying out bearing lubricants and seals.
In my apprenticeship days, I recall washing the "outside" of needle
and roller bearings to clean off the heavy shipping and storage greases
prior to assembly.
But you did not soak the bearings in a bath of Kerosene, as you also
removed the actual internal lubricant grease very quickly. i.e. bone dry
bearing, which was a definate no-no.
All the Kerosene cleaned dry surfaces would start to rust very quickly.
Therefore an absolute neccessity to immediately give them a light recoat
with lube oil afterwards, prior to use.
Tony D.
PS. I guess I will be heading to Aaron Brothers for some "Turps".
At 09:08 AM 9/10/02 -0700, Shyvers, Steve wrote:
>Aw, shucks, Tony. My locos are hardly pristine and surely candidates for a
>bath.
>
>I was about to recommend using something like "409" or "Murphy's Oil Soap",
>and then it occurred to me that the desired cleaner needs to be compatible
>with the lubricants in the loco's bearings and seals. What we don't want is
>a solvent or cleaner that leaches the lubricants out of the o-rings,
>gaskets, and bearings, and possibly leaves its own residue behind.
>
>Also we want it to evaporate fairly quickly without leaving a residue and
>not require a separate rinse. It sounds like a mixture of turpentine and
>light oil, or kerosene and light oil, would serve as a generic WD-40,
>although kerosene is a little slow to evaporate.
>
>Steve
