Injury -- Brake cleaner NO-NO w/welding

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rlaggren
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Injury -- Brake cleaner NO-NO w/welding

#1

Post by rlaggren »

Just passing this on since there's some all purpose handy people here that may get close to this combination; brake cleaner works really well, it's real common and it's Al's favorite cleaner.

Guy really messed himself up.

http://www.brewracingframes.com/id75.htm
82 Maxima wagon
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asavage
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#2

Post by asavage »

Back when I took my tech training (1980-ish), the Air Conditioning segment strongly emphasized that allowing refrigerants (ie R-12, from memory diclorodifloromethane) to enter an engine and "burn" would result in phosgene gas out the tailpipe.

While it was emphasized that this would be a Bad Thing (I think that WW1 was mentioned), nothing as in-depth as this man's plight was drilled in.

Years ago I found that spraying brake cleaner (which, back then, contained tetrachlorides; today's formulations vary a good deal more) into an engine's intake would produce unbreathable fumes, so I stopped doing that ;)

I like using carburetor cleaner or throttle body cleaner as a strong, all-purpose degreasing agent for things that could be damaged by water-based cleansers such as Simple Green (light degreasing, pH more-or-less neutral, aluminum-safe) or Castrol Super-Kleen (heavy degreasing, strong base, not safe for aluminum!).
Regards,
Al S.

1982 Maxima diesel wagon, 2nd & 4th owner, 165k miles, rusty & burgundy/grey. Purchased 1996, SOLD 16Feb10
1983 Maxima diesel wagon, 199k miles, rusty, light yellow/light brown. SOLD 14Jul07
1981 720 SD22 (scrapped 04Sep07)
1983 Sentra CD17, 255k, bought 06Jul08, gave it away 22Jun10.
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kassim503
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#3

Post by kassim503 »

:shock: Time to switch to carb cleaner
'83 maxima sedan, l24e, a/t, black

227K SOLD 6/7/2012
LewisT
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#4

Post by LewisT »

I was just using brake cleaner the other day when I put some new brakes on. That story kind of scared me because after I put the brakes on I took the car out to break the brakes in. The breaking in obviously raises the temps of the pads and causes a burning smell. I'm sure I was also burning some of the brake cleaner off the discs too. Is carb cleaner any safer than brake cleaner? I use carb cleaner a lot and have only used brake cleaner for cleaning the brakes during an install.
Lewis - Looking for wheelchair accessible vans capable of a LD28 conversion.
rlaggren
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Location: San Francisco

#5

Post by rlaggren »

I'd guess it depends on the temperatures involved. The cleaner is designed for the brake area and used widely; this application is probably OK or we would have had many problem reports. Also, vendors change product forumulas without any particular notice to their customers.

You reads the label and you makes your best guess. You're the one responsible for you - not the manufacturer or seller. Ain't clear, authoritive and certified answers somethin'?

Rufus
82 Maxima wagon
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