[alfa] Parts cleaning and Storage

[Jon Pike <jhpike@xxxxxxx>]

> I just finished dismantling 2 parts cars and now have a garage full of 
> old greasy Alfa parts.  I'm thinking of getting the 20 gallon Harbor 
> freight parts washer, does anyone have any experience with them?  I 
> would also like any recommendations on a solvent that doesn't stink too 
> bad.  I cleaned some parts with Gunk and the garage stunk for a week.  
> Once I get everything cleaned up I would like to prepare it for 
> storage.  What's the best way to store things like the Spica injection 
> pump, engine, transmission and fuel pump?  They will be stored in an 
> unheated shed in central NY.
>
> Dick Stachowiak
> East Syracuse, NY
My experience with one has been so-so,  due to a plastic fitting failing 
early.  I got one,  and after much hemming and hawing,  broke down and 
bought a couple 5 gallon cans of paint thinner.  (Stoddard solvent is 
apparently not legally available in CA)  The paint thinnner stunk pretty 
bad,  but after a week or so, it seemed like the extra stinky fraction 
evaporated off and it's not all that bad now. 
Worked well,  but after a bit of time the plastic fitting that goes from 
the pump to the flexible pipe broke, possibly due to solvent exposure. 
I never got around to replacing the elbow,  and have since gotten used 
to just soaking and brushing the parts clean, so I cant tell you if the 
pump died after 2-3 months of solvent use.  Other than that,  it's been 
a good investment and fairly well built.  A guy I ran into at Harbor 
Freight said he had bought one a year back, and it was running well for 
him using solvent.

Interestingly enough,  last weekend there was a slightly different model 
on display at the same price,  with a metal elbow fitting for the flex 
pipe instead of the plastic one.  Same size,  somewhat different 
internal shelving and stuff.

Hmmm... maybe I'll be looking for a metal elbow at the hardware store 
soon...

A PS on the smell factor, and safety concerns..  I keep it outside,  out 
the door behind my garage,  since things like the water heater, our gas 
dryer, oh and the central heating unit had me a bit paranoid about 
coming home to a burned out hulk.  My first impression after pouring 
that 10 gallons of solvent in there was "Man, that's a large lake of 
flammable liquid!"  So, much safer outside,  as well as that helps the 
smell factor.  And it did smell less after a week or two.

Jon and Marcia
77 Spider
Irvine, CA
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