Oil Soaked Rotors

[Ferret]

Just sat down to change the pads and rotors of my D2. Unpacked the new rotors and found their packaged in a plastic bag swimming in oil.

Whats best to clean the oil off of the rotor faces and out of the ventilation slots? Is break cleaning fluid the right stuff or should I be using something else, maybe engine degreaser for example.

Might be a dumb question for the mechanic out there, but I wasn't expecting the rotors to be soaking in oil.

[Lucus]

Stops them from rusting while packaged. Brake cleaner or even paint thinners will strip the oil from them.

[tdiBrad]

Last rotors I purchased were damp with an oil like coating, which kept them nice and rust free. I grabbed some brake cleaning fluid, comes in an aerosol can, cost a few dollars.

Worked like it said on the can, so was a good outcome :D

[mcrover]

I buy Brake clean in 20ltr drums as the stuff is the best degreaser you can get.

You can use it on small oil spills on the floor and wipe up with a rag or clean up around an oil leak to see where it is coming from and dry it with compressed air and it comes up like new.

Yep use brake clean.

[Dougal]

I buy Brake clean in 20ltr drums as the stuff is the best degreaser you can get.

You can use it on small oil spills on the floor and wipe up with a rag or clean up around an oil leak to see where it is coming from and dry it with compressed air and it comes up like new.

Yep use brake clean.

Random fact #437
Brake cleaner will also remove chewing gum from carpet.:)

[Lucus]

Random fact #438 Brake cleaner is highly carcinogenic.....and it causes cancer!:D

[mcrover]

Random fact #438 Brake cleaner is highly carcinogenic.....and it causes cancer!:D


Depends on the brand :D

Most manufacturers state that it is not these days, well the good quality manufacturers (Wurth, CRC etc).

[Lucus]

I get the cat stuff from work. Its less than $5 a can and works extremely well. I does say on the back of the can that intentional misuse "may cause irreversable effects and permanent brain injury.....":o

However i think as long as you dont drink the stuff and avoid getting it on your hands your pretty right.

I was doing the brakes on my rangie and was washing the caliper down with it and managed to miss with a squirt and get the dog, who had just stopped by to see what i was up too. I've never seen 50kg's of dog disappear so quickly!:angel:

[Dougal]

Random fact #438 Brake cleaner is highly carcinogenic.....and it causes cancer!:D

Which is why it's not sold as tooth cleaner.:D

[mcrover]

The problem with all of this sort of stuff is that most of the things that mechanics use are carciogenic starting with petrol and diesel, parts washer fluid and paints so what difference would it make but I do know the wurth one says it isnt and Im pretty sure I saw it on the CRC can last time I had one of them as well.

Im stuffed if it is as I just about swim in the stuff when cleaning up under the machines on the hoist.

[graceysdad]

They also recommend you dont blow your brake drums out with compressed air due to asbestos, I dont a singlemechanic that doesnt use air, I find boiling water works a treat on brake dust in backing plates, I only use metho to clean brake components

[Lucus]

The problem with all of this sort of stuff is that most of the things that mechanics use are carciogenic starting with petrol and diesel, parts washer fluid and paints so what difference would it make but I do know the wurth one says it isnt and Im pretty sure I saw it on the CRC can last time I had one of them as well.

Im stuffed if it is as I just about swim in the stuff when cleaning up under the machines on the hoist.

To be fair breathing causes cancer these days so if your going to catch it you might as well do it doing something you like.....:D

I have used some citrus based degreaser at work before and even though they are based on fruit, the way they rip the grease of earth moving gear im sure they have to cause caner as well:twisted:

[Bigbjorn]

To be fair breathing causes cancer these days so if your going to catch it you might as well do it doing something you like.....:D

I have used some citrus based degreaser at work before and even though they are based on fruit, the way they rip the grease of earth moving gear im sure they have to cause caner as well:twisted:

When I was a young fitter we used lots and lots of carbon tetrachloride as a degreaser. Nothing else quite like it. Drycleaners practically washed in it, using it as a spot remover. Then someone found it it roots your liver far quicker than a bottle of spirits a day, and also caused cancer, particularly a virulent liver cancer.

When I was first involved with speedway I crewed for a midget owner, and built his engines. He had Shell fuel sponsorship, so we used Shell "A" methanol blend racing fuel as a degreaser and parts cleaner at no cost. Years later it was denounced as carcinogenic and only to be used for its intended purpose, spills to be hosed down immediately, and skin contact to be strictly avoided.

[p38arover]

When I was a young tech, we used carbon tet in electric sprayguns for cleaning transmitters.

Dunno how much methanol (Shell A and BP A) I ingested over 30 years of using it on model planes and boat engines. (Plus ether in my diesel engines)

I alway wash brakes with water, never blow them out with air. I used to use air many years ago until I found water also cleaned up all the leaking brake fluid better than degreaser.