[R-390] More geartrain rebuild info

[Barry Hauser]

Hi Barry & gang:

Sometimes, the thing to try if petroleum based solvents and/or 
trichloroethylene don't work is hot soapy water -- or very hot water itself.

The kerosene or denatured alchohol will get some of it, but the hardened 
stuff may need some heat.  If detergent doesn't work, try mild bar soap --  
old fashioned stearate-based soap, like Ivory.  You might still need to use 
an old toothbrush or nylon auto detailing brush -- or that electric 
toothbrush that needs a new brush end anyway.

Another idea -- one of those small steam cleaners -- if you already have 
one.  If you're in a hurry, an "As seen on TV" version can be bought at 
places like Walgreens. (They still steam-clean car engines, don't they?) 
Might work, and they're fairly cheap.

Some have reported good results with the dishwasher -- that means super hot 
water and maybe some dishwashing detergent too.  I haven't yet been so bold, 
but I have been surprised from time to time, after struggling with one 
aggressive chemical after another, that hot soapy water cleaned something up 
right away.  Of course, the part was ususally hit with a few different 
solvents first, so may be a combined effect.

Barry


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Barry" <n4buq at aol.com>
To: "R-390 HF Receiver List" <r-390 at mailman.qth.net>
Sent: Friday, February 25, 2005 9:30 AM
Subject: Re: [R-390] More geartrain rebuild info


> This geartrain was just a tad dirtier than my first one, but not by much. 
> I
> did not tear down the first one because I had no instructions for putting 
> it
> back together.  Now that I've done the complete teardown on this one and
> found what I have found, once I get this radio finished, I'm probably 
> going
> to tear down my first one and do a complete cleanup on it too.
>
> After taking all the gears off, I took the cam/frame assembly to the
> automotive shop here at work and washed it in one of their parts cleaning
> tanks.  It didn't really do much to cut the dried grease.  I tried 
> denatured
> alchohol with not much better results and am now using kerosene.  That 
> works
> a little better than the other things I've tried, but it doesn't really
> dissolve the dried grease without a lot of rubbing either.  While it might
> work better, I really don't want to have an open container of gasoline. 
> Any
> other good solvents?  Brake Cleaner?  Carb Cleaner?  Fire?
>
> Barry(III) - N4BUQ
>