Thread: ultrasonic cleaning engine parts

Dear Friends
i Just bought 360 liter ultrasonic cleaning machine to clean our very contaminated cylinder head and other engine parts, but the result is not like as we see on YouTube videos ,
so i just wondering if those clips are really true, Which part of our work is wrong? since we never seen that kind of cleanness on our automotive parts as we see on advertisement .
its very kind of you if you could help us about our problem ?
our machine specification : 360 liter / 3600 Watt ultrasonic power / 28 khz / bottom mounted transducers / power control - degas mode and automatic loading and unloading .
do you think the problem is our machine or we have to find a better detergent ?
do you use any kind of pre washing method before putting in your ultrasonic ?
how much time approximately do you spend for cleaning very contaminated engine parts on your machine?

How can we help you if we don't know what is not being removed? What detergent are you using? How hot is it?. To what extent are the heads being disassembled? Ultrasonic cleaners are not magic bullets. They still make and use hot tanks with caustic solutions for a reason.

These are the styles I have seen inside engine rebuilders shops. Why don't you call the manufacture of your machine?

Standard Parts Washers | Roto-Jet Of America

Originally Posted by steve-l

How can we help you if we don't know what is not being removed? What detergent are you using? How hot is it?. To what extent are the heads being disassembled? Ultrasonic cleaners are not magic bullets. They still make and use hot tanks with caustic solutions for a reason.

You don't want to use caustic soda with aluminum. You won't have much left when you pull the aluminum part out of the tank.

[QUOTE=steve-l;3132333]

you are right, i try to send after and before pic,
this part cleaned more than 3 hours in our tank and we change the part position 3 or 4 times. is it normal?
we always heat up our unit to 60 C and use some local detergent base on alkaline

please check the attach file which i send for "steve" our supplier says this kind of contaminated which is exist after cleaning are normal, but in advertisement the part are fully clean and shiny, so i want know we have mistake or adv.

I have sent bearings that were already cleaned before I sent them to Professional Instruments in MPLS They used it to clean delicate instruments and not engine components. I seem to recall they said the used Freon. It worked great on the bearings with no damage.

I found this info. Did not read all of it, but this may help you.

The Development of Ultrasonic Cleaning

Ultrasonic Cleaning 11 - Ultrasonic Cleaner | Omegasonics

I suspect you may have to use solvents, brushing, etc. on those stubborn deposits before a second trip to the ultrasonic cleaner.

If any of that is carbon you might try Top Cylinder Cleaner to loosen it.

Another possibility although the tooling cost is rather high is CO2 blasting. This uses pellets of dry ice to remove stubborn deposits without eroding the surface.

Basically I think you'll have to experiment until you find what works best for you.

Originally Posted by Richard King

I have sent bearings that were already cleaned before I sent them to Professional Instruments in MPLS They used it to clean delicate instruments and not engine components. I seem to recall they said the used Freon. It worked great on the bearings with no damage.

I found this info. Did not read all of it, but this may help you.

The Development of Ultrasonic Cleaning

Ultrasonic Cleaning 11 - Ultrasonic Cleaner | Omegasonics

thank you very much i try to read all of them.

Originally Posted by Scottl

I suspect you may have to use solvents, brushing, etc. on those stubborn deposits before a second trip to the ultrasonic cleaner.

If any of that is carbon you might try Top Cylinder Cleaner to loosen it.

Another possibility although the tooling cost is rather high is CO2 blasting. This uses pellets of dry ice to remove stubborn deposits without eroding the surface.

Basically I think you'll have to experiment until you find what works best for you.

thank you, i am going to try every possibility, so you think everything is normal and our machine working well?

If it’s the colour of the metal, you’ll have to accept discolouration. Aluminum (alloy) has a thin oxidation layer on its surface, a relatively porous affair in which all kinds of chemical reactions can take place. You have sulphur in there, sulfates from the gasoline or Diesel oil, and more. For a shiny metal surface you’d have to remove about a thou all around. Concentrate on functional surfaces, the rest is cosmetics.

Next time, before you purchase, have the manufacturer clean your parts in his machine so you can see the actual results.

Old thread... but I saw it and know first hand of ultrasonic cleaning.
I bought one... it is bad ass. I am impressed by its cleaning performance and speed.
It is only 33 gallon.. but 2000 watts.
Watts of US vs capacity will determine cleaning ability.
With an aluminum safe detergent, aluminum parts come out looking like new.. not just clean, down to bare metal clean... in about 5 to 15 minutes.
Carbon is no problem. Stronger detergent, removes deep rust. Weak detergent takes off surface rust, or flash rust.