removing oil/gunk from over flow
 

Not a tech question but I bought a used overflow for he 190 from a junk yard. Did not look at it too close (thought the brown stuff was just dirt) but it ended up being oil or something.

I have it soaking in a tub of water/simple green but it is not working too well. I cannot get my finger or anything in the over flow as it is small, narrow and convoluted inside. Any ideas as to something that will lift the oil out of it? The water/simple green seems to be making it soft but I cannot figure out how to wash it away.

Thanks

BP is watching this thread carefully to see what solutions forum members come up with...

wd-40

shake it up real good now, yah hear?

mineral spirits n' do the same... get you a nice shiny bottle, hear?

If you can cap off the openings, leaving it partly full of simple green/water, then pick it up and shake the whole item, sloshing the mixture around inside ("martini, dry, shaken not stirred").

If that doesn't work, you could try adding some loose media to act as a scouring agent while shaking it - ie, the old trick of using crushed ice to clean out a coffee pot, some metal BB's, etc.

If this is an old plastic tank, I'd hesitate using stronger chemicals without knowing the effect they'd have on plastic - although the suggestion of mineral spirits/denatured alcohol would seem to be a safe bet, along with the scouring media.

I was using soft scrub with bleach to clean washer fluid tanks. Worked pretty well.

Can you get the end of a pressure washer in there? When I needed to de-gunk a gas tank, I cleaned it out and dried it as best I could and then threw in a bunch of BB's. I wadded it up in a couple old comforters and crammed it in the dryer on the no-heat cycle. After an hour or so everything had loosened up.

After 3 days in simple green and water it came out quite clean but there is one larger visible spot (1st and 2ns pic) and some smaller ones (3rd pic). Do I need to be concerned about them? Seems given the volume of the coolant system, this would be an infinitesimal amount.

The coolant tank is baffled so I cannot get a hose or tool in to inspect or clean it. Since the walls and every thing else is clean I have no reason to suspect that the baffles are not clean as well.

I am thinking I am thinking I am good to go and swap it in. Anyone have any reason to think otherwise?

Thanks

http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g8...V/P1010003.jpg

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Mask a vertical strip near the neck; prep the exterior for paint and shoot it whatever color you like. The vertical strip will let you check fluid level and the paint will soothe your aesthetic sensibilities.

Not worried about aesthetics as the new old tank looks 10 times better than the old old tank.

I am only concerned that the oil spots in the new old tank will not hurt the engine. It's a very small amount given the volume of the system but I just want to make sure.

Make loop in a coat hanger and knot a paper towel in it, then feed the coat hanger down inside the bottle and wipe off that smudge. Or just put the damn thing back on the car and quit being so anal.

Cant feed anything in it. It has baffles and only a small hole (as far as I can see) as a pass through.

Anal? Me? OK, what's your point? You say that like it's a ad thing:D

Ad thing? This isn't what to eat for breakfast, this is a smudge in your MB header tank. Get your priorities straight.

OK OK, stop yelling at me.;)

I think you did a nice job.. those particular ones are incredibly annoying to get clean.

It serves as a diagnostic tool when its clean.

Thanks. Never used Simple Green to clean car parts before. The tank was filthy when I got it. Now aside from the spot on the side and a light film on the end it is dam near spotless.


Im going to try and install it mon or tues.