I just bought a Harbor parts washer item #60769

pinballlooking · 03-08-17, 11:58 AM

I just bought a parts washer from HF I know they can be hit and miss. This parts washer gets pretty good reviews.
20 gal. Parts Washer with Pump
I bought the stuff to mod it. This mod takes the flow from the parts tank through an oil filter.
It just uses a remote oil filter kit they use for cars. I am going to put a valve in the bottom of the tank to make it simpler to drain it.
I was going to build my own parts washer after I priced the pump it did not make much sense to do it.
After the 20% off $75.19 this parts washer seems like good deal. I guess after a use if for a while I will really know if it was a good deal.

This is a picture of someone's moded one.

I am going to use Tractor supply PSC solvent. I will come back to add to this after I put it together and use it.

jeff5may · 03-08-17, 12:32 PM

Good deal! At that price you can't go wrong.

My last parts washer was a dishwasher. It worked great until a buddy borrowed it forever.

pinballlooking · 03-08-17, 12:38 PM

A dishwasher seems like a great idea. I read a where three different guys tried it but the solvent killed the pump.
What did you use for solvent?

Daox · 03-08-17, 01:35 PM

I have the same or similar parts washer. It works great. I have used Simple Green pro HD for a solvent. It is water based, so its a lot easier on skin, etc.

jeff5may · 03-14-17, 09:15 AM

I had it rigged up a few ways at first, with recycling drain/supply/settling barrel at first. I found it worked better just connected to the fresh water supply. The multiple rinses of fresh, hot water beat even some pretty toxic solvents.

I found two effective products to pretreat just about any dirty, greasy, rusty, dusty part with. The first: foamy engine bright. The gel type works well on extra-thick stuff like bearings and gearboxes. The second: easy off oven cleaner spray. Works on rusty, dusty, carbon burnt stuff like valves and heads. Spray product on, right in the machine, flipping parts for even coating. Let sit a few minutes, then run like dishes.

I'm lazy, so I rarely ever brushed or scrubbed any of these parts off until they ran through the machine. For stuff that was swimming in mud or grease, it got pressure washed (mud/dirt clods), steam cleaned, and/or spray painted with kerosene/atf mixture (waxy/gloppy) then maybe hit with a blow gun before going in the dishwasher.

My filter was a grease trap for a range hood. I used some leftover door sweep weatherstrip for a seal and some toggle clamps to keep it from floating around. The clamps resembled this one:

The secret recipe for detergent: whatever is compatible with pretreat (spray can) product in the open cup, cheapest generic cascade substitute available for closed cup. Whatever pretreat ingredients include lye/KOH, tsp, washing soda, borax, etc. For really dirty parts, I stuck lots of "first" chemical in and hung around for the first wash cycle to end. When it tried to drain, I advanced the timer until the pump shut off, so the dirty parts would get two cycles worth of hot wash.

I did a double head gasket replacement on a small block chevy V8 this winter, and I really missed the dishwasher. The steam cleaner won top honors for the most useful device this time:

The parts washer I improvised, not so much. It got made out of a rubbermaid tub, a little fountain pump, and a few gallons of kerosene. Way too much touching involved, plus kerosene stinks. On a positive note, the kerosene worked very well to heat the shop!

03-08-17, 11:58 AM	#1
pinballlooking Super Moderator Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: SC Posts: 2,923 Thanks: 172 Thanked 564 Times in 463 Posts	I just bought a Harbor parts washer item #60769 I just bought a parts washer from HF I know they can be hit and miss. This parts washer gets pretty good reviews. 20 gal. Parts Washer with Pump I bought the stuff to mod it. This mod takes the flow from the parts tank through an oil filter. It just uses a remote oil filter kit they use for cars. I am going to put a valve in the bottom of the tank to make it simpler to drain it. I was going to build my own parts washer after I priced the pump it did not make much sense to do it. After the 20% off $75.19 this parts washer seems like good deal. I guess after a use if for a while I will really know if it was a good deal. This is a picture of someone's moded one. I am going to use Tractor supply PSC solvent. I will come back to add to this after I put it together and use it. Attached Thumbnails __________________ Current project Aquaponics system , Passive Solar Greenhouse build To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. Solar Install 12.5 Kwh- To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. Mini Split installs - To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. EV Chevy Volt - To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. Last edited by pinballlooking; 03-08-17 at 12:36 PM..

03-08-17, 12:38 PM	#3
pinballlooking Super Moderator Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: SC Posts: 2,923 Thanks: 172 Thanked 564 Times in 463 Posts	A dishwasher seems like a great idea. I read a where three different guys tried it but the solvent killed the pump. What did you use for solvent? __________________ Current project Aquaponics system , Passive Solar Greenhouse build To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. Solar Install 12.5 Kwh- To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. Mini Split installs - To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. EV Chevy Volt - To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

03-08-17, 01:35 PM	#4
Daox Administrator Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Germantown, WI Posts: 5,525 Thanks: 1,162 Thanked 374 Times in 305 Posts	I have the same or similar parts washer. It works great. I have used Simple Green pro HD for a solvent. It is water based, so its a lot easier on skin, etc. __________________ Current project - To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. & To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

03-08-17, 12:32 PM	#2
jeff5may Supreme EcoRenovator Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: elizabethtown, ky, USA Posts: 2,431 Thanks: 431 Thanked 619 Times in 517 Posts	Good deal! At that price you can't go wrong. My last parts washer was a dishwasher. It worked great until a buddy borrowed it forever.

03-14-17, 09:15 AM	#5
jeff5may Supreme EcoRenovator Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: elizabethtown, ky, USA Posts: 2,431 Thanks: 431 Thanked 619 Times in 517 Posts	I had it rigged up a few ways at first, with recycling drain/supply/settling barrel at first. I found it worked better just connected to the fresh water supply. The multiple rinses of fresh, hot water beat even some pretty toxic solvents. I found two effective products to pretreat just about any dirty, greasy, rusty, dusty part with. The first: foamy engine bright. The gel type works well on extra-thick stuff like bearings and gearboxes. The second: easy off oven cleaner spray. Works on rusty, dusty, carbon burnt stuff like valves and heads. Spray product on, right in the machine, flipping parts for even coating. Let sit a few minutes, then run like dishes. I'm lazy, so I rarely ever brushed or scrubbed any of these parts off until they ran through the machine. For stuff that was swimming in mud or grease, it got pressure washed (mud/dirt clods), steam cleaned, and/or spray painted with kerosene/atf mixture (waxy/gloppy) then maybe hit with a blow gun before going in the dishwasher. My filter was a grease trap for a range hood. I used some leftover door sweep weatherstrip for a seal and some toggle clamps to keep it from floating around. The clamps resembled this one: The secret recipe for detergent: whatever is compatible with pretreat (spray can) product in the open cup, cheapest generic cascade substitute available for closed cup. Whatever pretreat ingredients include lye/KOH, tsp, washing soda, borax, etc. For really dirty parts, I stuck lots of "first" chemical in and hung around for the first wash cycle to end. When it tried to drain, I advanced the timer until the pump shut off, so the dirty parts would get two cycles worth of hot wash. I did a double head gasket replacement on a small block chevy V8 this winter, and I really missed the dishwasher. The steam cleaner won top honors for the most useful device this time: The parts washer I improvised, not so much. It got made out of a rubbermaid tub, a little fountain pump, and a few gallons of kerosene. Way too much touching involved, plus kerosene stinks. On a positive note, the kerosene worked very well to heat the shop!