Naphtha
 

When using naphtha to clean diffs is it ok to put the diff case(plastic) in it?

Yes. No o-rings tho.

i put everything in

Really you guys clean your diff with a cleaner ??? Why ????

I unbolt dump out on a papertowel let it all drain out wipe the crude out from around the bearings and put back together and fill ......

i do pretty much the same thing, i just make sure theres nothing abrasive like metal shavings or anything at all in there lingering around.

Naphtha is a breeze. Open up the diff, remove bearings and o-rings, put in naphtha for 1-2 minutes. Pull out and wipe dry and they look clean as new.

Make sure to use glove when fooling with this chemical

I use a tea dunker. Hardly get any on my hands at all.

VM&P the most common Naphtha contains Benzene and can cause skin cancer and nerve damage, "Hardly" is still to much contact
I have a freind that is still going through the side affects of over exposure, his name is Dave Richer
http://www.rockettireservices.webs.com/

This seems like a really unnecessary step in the maintenance process. Just dump it all on a towel. Wipe out the inside of the case with a paper towel. Let the oil run off the gears onto the towel. Reassemble and refill. Takes like 60 seconds if you do it often enough.

Easiest way to clean diff internals is with an ultrasonic cleaner... just let the excessive oil drip off the parts then add them to the ultrasonic cleaner. Benefit is you don't need to use super harsh chemicals, as mineral oil is displaced relatively easily with the right solvents.

Those of you using Naptha make sure your get all the Naptha off your gears and or diff case because it will break down your oils if you don't clean it off. I use it only on metal gears and then I blast off the Naptha with break cleaner and forced air before I RE-assemble. Leaving any trace on parts will quickly turn your 5000 diff oil into 3000.

i use shellite. our version (australian) of naptha. doesn't it (naptha) just evaporate. i leave it sit for 10min before i reassemble.

It does not evaporate completely once it mixes with silicone oil. In a pure state yes it evaporates but once it becomes contaminated it clings to your gears and diff case. Just be sure to wipe it all off good, or blast it with air or whatever you prefer because it will break down the new oils if more than a trace is left. If you look good at the grooves in the gears you will see the residue and since its such a PITA to wipe between the teeth I just blast them all off with break cleaner.

do tell what are u using in ur ultrasonic cleaner i have one and im look at whats best thanks

+1

I pull my diffs apart on paper towels, and put the cup upside down while I'm wiping the old oil off of the individual parts. By the time I've wiped the gears, cross pins, and outdrives, the oil has drained out of the cup. Quick wipe with a paper towel on the inside, and it's ready to reassemble.

I rebuild my diffs after every big race weekend, or every other weekend if its just club racing. Takes me about 5-8 minutes per diff.....unless my son is watching, then I go really slow, so he can learn. :D

I give my gears a bit of a rinse in WD40 & a quick brush over with a tooth brush & spray a little in the diff case & give a quick brush with tooth brush just to help remove any fine metal parts that may be there, then I just pat them dry with paper towel or fabric hand towel to remove any residue.
Takes stuff all time & everything is spotless without using any real dangerous chemicals.

WD-40 works well for me. Pull the diffs apart, set the O rings and bearings aside, dump all of the diff internals (along with diff cases) into a disposable plastic cup (Solo cup), pour in the WD-40 and let the parts soak. I will let them soak for 5 or 10 min. I also use an old toothbrush and give the gears and cases a quick scrub.
The thing that I do differently is after a soak and quick scrub in WD-40, I will pull the parts out of the WD-40, let the excess drain off and then they go into a bath of Simple Green degreaser to soak for 5 min. or so to remove the WD-40. A quick rinse in water, pat the parts dry with paper towell or an old rag, and finish up with some compressed air to completely dry the parts.

They look like brand new with signs of any left over diff oil or crud on the parts. Yes, a few steps to go through but my diff components are completely clean with no left over crud, diff lube, or cleaning chemicals to break down my new diff oil.

Naphtha is basically lighter fluid. We use naphtha at where I work. I used to fill my Zippo lighter with naphtha, when I ran out of lighter fluid. Works great in a zippo!!!

A buddy of mine uses straight Simple Green (not diluted) to soak his diff parts in (minus bearings and O rings). He said it works pretty good for him. It takes a little longer to get the parts clean. Then he quick rinse in water and some compressed air to dry them.

Naphtha is way more broad than lighter fluid
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Naphtha
I posted a link to Daves website, contact him and ask him what it can do, he had severe nervous system damage

Can I ask what he was using the Naptha for to have such severe damage to his nervous system? It could not have been from 5 minute exposure once a month to clean diffs right? I did not read the article but my condolences go out to him and I am genuinely curious what he was doing with it.

Dave works with Kart/ Dirt track tire preps.
Each time your exposed it stays in your system and keeps building up
Most guys clean there diff's every week, some twice a week depending how much they race.
Naphtha gets even more dangerous as its mixed with other chemicals in RC racing, one of which is Benzene

I can’t stress this enough. If anyone is using naphtha please wear rubber gloves and a dust mask with good ventilation. If you have to use it inside with low ventilation please wear a respirator.
Doug

For diffs, white vinegar mixed with name-brand Dawn soap (the blue stuff) and diluted with water, cleans mineral oil off pretty good. I'd start with maybe 50/50 on the water/vinegar; if you don't mind rinsing the parts after, you can go less on the water. The amount of Dawn is dependent upon the size and strength of your cleaner, so it's going to be trial and error.

If you want to clean other things like bearings or CVD parts that have other kinds of synthetic or more refined based stock greases/oils, you'll need more volatile chemicals.

I mean, the only real objective of 'cleaning' diffs should be to remove any foreign dirt/debris that got mixed inside and flushing out the previous mineral oil. I don't understand why the need for harsh chemicals for a full cleanse.

WD and some Simple Green makes your parts squeaky clean.....:nod: