I use wd-40 for almost all my degreasing needs anymore. If you buff the surface with a cloth rag at the end it will remove almost all of the residue and it dose repel water real good. I have used it for years on aluminum and have never heard of or seen any damage or corrosion to aluminum. They changed the design of the can a while back to a flip up straw that stays attached to the can and at first I didn't like it because I no longer could get a wide spray mist, only the narrow stream. Then I realized if you leave the straw down it is designed to give the wide mist. Only took me a few cans to figure that one out

I woud use stodders solvent too but be more cautious as it is not very friendly to the environment or yourself. Back in the day we use to by it by the 55 gallon drum, sprayed everything with it and would fill the whole hanger with a fine mist when spraying down engines after an annual. Constantly had my hands soaking in the stuff too. Now a days I would be a lot smarter and wear protective gear for both the lungs and skin especially down in a confined space like a fuselage. I would also catch any that spilt on the ground.

What ever you end up using it would be best to carefully blow compressed air in and around all the seams, brackets, pullys, cables etc. to get any residue of the cleaner out of those areas,

I feel like an idiot.

SkyLarkin wrote:Then I realized if you leave the straw down it is designed to give the wide mist. Only took me a few cans to figure that one out

Cannon wrote:I haven't found anything that cleans oil off the belly better than WD-40. The only problem is that the nozzle shoots a thin stream rather than a wide spray.

I've seen WD40 sold in bulk, liquid form so it can be put into one of those spritzer-type spray bottles. You can adjust those for the mist fine you want.

What I don't like about the WD40 in can form is that they always seem to run out of pressure before they run out of WD40. I hate to let things go to waste-- I've tried poking a hole in the can to drain out the oil, but it usually turns into a damn mess.

Pure Mineral Spirits. Low cost. Very low volatility, minor fumes, will not hurt plastic or rubber and cuts oil and grease. On the belly, a final rub with a clean towel following spirits leaves a nice shine-like polish. On my polished plane, I use it to remove the black residue around rivets and seams following polishing with NuVite.
John

So mineral spirits won't bother paint/clear coat?

Will acetone? I use acetone to clean off/degrease metal parts without any paint around, so not sure on the effects of either.

acetone will remove some paint, not others. the only way to know for sure is try it, but then it is to late if it starts to remove paint you want to keep.

Dale Moul wrote:WD-40 is corrosive because it is hydroscopic (I hope that's spelled right, it attracts moisture out of the air). when it is sprayed into a tight area such as a seam in a plane it will stay there and hold moisture into the seam.

I believe you are mistaken, as WD-40 is routinely used for preservation packaging of machined steel parts. If WD-40 were, in fact, hydroscopic the steel parts would be ruined in short order. However, I have seen these parts removed from storage in high humidity and high salt environments and found no corrosion.

hotrod180 wrote:

Cannon wrote:I haven't found anything that cleans oil off the belly better than WD-40. The only problem is that the nozzle shoots a thin stream rather than a wide spray.

I've seen WD40 sold in bulk, liquid form so it can be put into one of those spritzer-type spray bottles. You can adjust those for the mist fine you want.

What I don't like about the WD40 in can form is that they always seem to run out of pressure before they run out of WD40. I hate to let things go to waste-- I've tried poking a hole in the can to drain out the oil, but it usually turns into a damn mess.

Be careful with this but....

You can take a rubber tip blow gun and air up the can.
Take the spray nozzle off and apply to the stem.
Little spurts of air!

Holding tight you can feel the can pressure up. I have never ruptured one but I am sure it is doable!

Thanks for the tip, I'll give it a try some time.
Sounds like a good way to make a helluva mess if you screw up!

Only think I know bad about WD40 is that is will cause some seals/rubber to swell, and seems to make some older types of plastic brittle. Safe on paints that I've seen, but it's not s great lubricator. Kerosene is another harmful liquid you can use to cut grease.