Diesel for cleaning?

[MartinC]

For many years the preferred chain cleaning solution was a 50:50 mixture of Diesel and Petrol (not UK unleaded - that really is carcinogenic - it's done with benzine not MTBFE's, benzine is outlawed in some other countries). This is good 'cos it cleans all the dirt off very effectively when applied with a brush and then sponged off with soapy (detergent) water. It also leaves the chain still covered in a thin film of oil (Diesel is oil) afterwards so it wont rust even if you don't lubricate it straight away.

I don't use it any more. I use Citrus based degreasants. They're water soluble and more environmentally friendly (and it's no longer possible to get leaded petrol).

 

[skwerl]

Same as central heating oil, plus a red dye.

guess you're a farmer then?

 

[skwerl]

For many years the preferred chain cleaning solution was a 50:50 mixture of Diesel and Petrol (not UK unleaded - that really is carcinogenic - it's done with benzine not MTBFE's, benzine is outlawed in some other countries). This is good 'cos it cleans all the dirt off very effectively when applied with a brush and then sponged off with soapy (detergent) water. It also leaves the chain still covered in a thin film of oil (Diesel is oil) afterwards so it wont rust even if you don't lubricate it straight away.

I don't use it any more. I use Citrus based degreasants. They're water soluble and more environmentally friendly (and it's no longer possible to get leaded petrol).

what's an MTBFE? i know methyl tertiary-buty ether. is the F a fluoride derivative?

 

[swee'pea99]

What the hell did your friend get on his bike that needed diesel to get it off? What's wrong with a bit of soapy water? (As others have said, don't clean your chain.)

 

[longers]

Just the usual build up of muck, dirt etc on his bike - nothing special, he'd stripped everything off it to give it it's annual deep clean and it did come up a treat. I guess the oil in the diesel left a film on the paintwork making it look very clean afterwards.

Not planning on using it on my chain, wiping and re-oiling works for me.

 

[MartinC]

what's an MTBFE? i know methyl tertiary-buty ether. is the F a fluoride derivative?

I'm not a chemist but AFAIK there's 2 ways to make unleaded petrol. In the UK it's done by adding Benzine which is one of the most carcinogenic substances there is and can be absorbed through the skin. It's the cheap way to do it. In other European countries (e.g. Germany) this is banned and unleaded is made by adding expensive chemicals (MTBFE's IIRC, certainly can't remember what it stands for!).

Isn't it reassuring to know that in this country public health concerns don't stand in the way of commercial interests.

 

[skwerl]

I'm not a chemist but AFAIK there's 2 ways to make unleaded petrol. In the UK it's done by adding Benzine which is one of the most carcinogenic substances there is and can be absorbed through the skin. It's the cheap way to do it. In other European countries (e.g. Germany) this is banned and unleaded is made by adding expensive chemicals (MTBFE's IIRC, certainly can't remember what it stands for!).

Isn't it reassuring to know that in this country public health concerns don't stand in the way of commercial interests.

Ok, that's MTBE. Across Europe benzene is still present in petrol. It varies contry to country but a quick Google suggests most countries are around the 15 v/v mark, including the UK. Ironically the US is one of the best. they have a mandatory limit of <0.8% v/v

Seems the 1% is an EU limit. germany is not benzene-free. they rank 9th in the world, uk are 13th. Top of the list is Colombia (top being best). these numbers are natural benzene in petrol, not from additives. getting rid of all benzene is very hard to do. the really important task is reducing airborne benzene from exhaust

 

[MartinC]

Skwerl, thanks, interesting. I just had a (poor) recollection from a while ago when leaded petrol was phased out - and I stopped using diesel/petrol for cleaning. It was the absorption through the skin that I found most worrying.

 

[xpc316e]

Just as an aside, when you fill up in the US there is a concetina type of bellows which sits around the pump nozzle and sucks that evil-smelling vapour back into the petrol storage tank so that you do not have to inhale all the lovely carcinogens. We have to get on with breathing all the vile vapours, so the last thing I'd do is clean a bike with anything that has petrol in it - the flammability alone would have me running for cover. I use a grease/oil solvent called Jizer; I bought a 5 litre can years ago, and I still have some left. It works and is also water-soluble - what more could you ask?