Best Way to De Gunk an old chainsaw?

[SteveSr]

Striped apart a MS440 arctic for a hybrid build
Washed it in my parts cleaner at work that has fresh kerosene/stove oil in it.
Wasn't happy with the results there was a bunch of oily hard residue that was stubborn.
Seeing i have an Xwife i decided to try a pot of water heated on the stove to break down the remaining gundge
Heated it to boiling and used Sunlight detergent and her old toothbrush
It is satisfactorily clean now.
As you can see by the water,it wasn't clean after i was finished in the parts cleaner.I will probably do the boil in water on any that i rebuild from now on.

As you found out petroleum solvents like kerosene work best on petroleum based gunk. The organic stuff likes hot water and soap.

To get pitch/gum off a chain first degrease it and then a bread pan with super green on a stove. What a wire brush won't touch will just melt away.

 

[huskihl]

Striped apart a MS440 arctic for a hybrid build
Washed it in my parts cleaner at work that has fresh kerosene/stove oil in it.
Wasn't happy with the results there was a bunch of oily hard residue that was stubborn.
Seeing i have an Xwife i decided to try a pot of water heated on the stove to break down the remaining gundge
Heated it to boiling and used Sunlight detergent and her old toothbrush
It is satisfactorily clean now.
As you can see by the water,it wasn't clean after i was finished in the parts cleaner.I will probably do the boil in water on any that i rebuild from now on.View attachment 895980View attachment 895982

Just don’t leave it in there long. The paint will bubble off after a while in hot water

 

[Vintage Engine Repairs]

The cheapest degreaser from your auto store and a hose. Use some inner tube between the intake and the exhaust. Once the outer is clean, strip the clutch cover, recoil cover and shroud and repeat.
I have used break and carb cleaners before, they are far too aggressive and unnecessary in my experience. They’ll remove the paints from old saws and leave marks etc on the plastic of new ones. leave carb cleaners for carbs, chains, nuts and bolts or other full metal parts. Not for painted surfaces, plastics or rubber.

 

[hosocat]

Word of caution on using brake cleaner. I used brake cleaner to decrease and clean two 1970s saws I got off the curb. The brake cleaner cleaned things, but I think it was also responsible for bubbling up some of the paint on the metal parts. Not 100% sure it was due to the brake cleaner, but seemed like it was. Anyone else experienced this?

 

[Kenlip]

From this,

to this, in ten mins,

Impressive! How did you achieve this? Materials and method?

 

[Kenlip]

Yes this is an oldie, havn`t been back since my original post in this thread. I have been told by many on this site that the method I use will destroy their saws or any saw for that reason I will keep my method to myself. I can say that of the hundreds of saws I have cleaned this way, I am still waiting to see any degradation to the paint or plastics, many of these saws have been cleaned numerous times using the same method. Let everyone use their own solvents of choice and method of application that suites them, remember that some solvents are hazardous to health, stay safe.

Hmmm? I assume everyone on this forum is an adult and of reasonably sound mind. If they can be trusted to handle firearms and chainsaws and to vote, I would imagine it is safe to post your magic method and let each person decide for themselves if it something they want to use.

 

[increasing]

Cleaning chainsaws is always a relevant thread to draw inspiration from

 

[KASH]

Yukon Stihl you are right the the best detergent for attacking grease is Sunlight the only thing Dawn is good for is cleaning already clean baby ducks on television.I wash my greasey hands in Sunlight I ran out and tried Dawn on them It was a waste of energy hand soap works better.I wash my work clothes with Sunlight detergent way better clean than laundry soap and you only need a small amount.
Kash

 

[Snowcat]

Sunlight dish soap? Or are we talking sunlight laundry detergent?
Or BOTH?

 

[hosocat]

I've had real good results with dawn, but I'll give sunlight a try. I've never noticed it on the shelf, but probably looked right past it my whole life.

The gallon jugs of degreaser from harbor freight are pretty good. It's a concentrate, but I use it at 50% to full strength on chainsaw gunk.

 

[increasing]

https://www.biltema.no/en-no/leisur...ries/oven-and-grill-cleaner-750-ml-2000038233

 

[KASH]

Sunlight dish soap for every thing plus I have used the bottles to hold mixed gas for squirting in motors to start them.I have used them for 50 years if kept out of direct sunlight the bottles last a long time a couple years.
Kash

 

[camel2019]

I use kerosene for cleaning out fuel tanks of old saws that have had gas in them for who knows how long the used kerosene gets dumped into a jug for bonfire starter. I have also used it on the outside surfaces of saws to remove oily/stuck on gunk. Saw dust gets a paint brush/compressed air.

 

[hosocat]

Someone asked what type of sunlight detergent, dish or laundry. Which is recommended?

 

[heimannm]

Sunlight dish soap for every thing plus I have used the bottles to hold mixed gas for squirting in motors to start them.I have used them for 50 years if kept out of direct sunlight the bottles last a long time a couple years.
Kash

 

[Robert K Meyer]

Denatured alcohol has been my miracle cleaner.

 

[bwalker]

WD-40 works ok on evergreen sap. Likewise LPS Presolve for oil residue.

 

[increasing]

I have used WD-40 on the chain and bar as well as bare metal and for lubrication, but not thought of for cleaning … Good tip!

 

[ballisticdoughnut]

Solvent tank, various brushes, an ultrasonic cleaner, and compressed air is what I use. And a little non-chlorinated brake cleaner of course. Most of my saws have been torn down almost completely so I’ve been able to clean everything as I go.

 

[bwalker]

I have used WD-40 on the chain and bar as well as bare metal and for lubrication, but not thought of for cleaning … Good tip!

Ita basically aerosol kerosene so it works pretty good.