Tractor cleaning prior to epoxy primer

TJ in KY

Member
I am having trouble getting the cast clean with PPG DX330 wax and grease remover. The tractor was cleaned prior to mechanical work (now complete) oven cleaner and pressure washed 2 times. I have wire wheeled majority of tractor down to bare cast iron. After that I washed it down with Mean Green cleaner full strength, let soak for a few minutes, rinsed with water and blew dry, wiped same area 7 times with the DX 330 and clean rags and still getting a brownish color on rag. Out of desperation I took acetylene torch and hit the side of rear end (got it to about 110 degrees) with cutting oxygen on, allowed to cool and hit with DX330 and just a very slight coloring to the rag. Went back to the same area this morning and wiped again with DX330 and got more brown discoloration on rag, I think it was flash rust.
What else can I use or do. When I put the DX330 on I keep the area wet for about a minute and then wipe. Is there some other cleaner I can use prior to the DX330.
Humid and overcast here today, so I probably will not do much because of flash rust issue. I am planning to clean an area and then applying epoxy primer all in the same day as was suggested in prior post where I asked about it. Still unable to find a shop to do sheet metal, some indicated if I delivered the tractor to them, epoxy primed and scuffed they would take it from there. ( tractor chassis only)
Any help or tips on cleaning procedures would be appreciated.
 
From what you have said about your cleaning you have probably gotten it clean enough. Keep in mind that cast will absorb oil. You will never get it 100% clean. My guess is you wont have any adhesion problem. On my tractor we washed it 3 times with a steam washer and painted it. No problems at all...
 
This tractor was "extensively" wire brushed and cleaned many times before he sent to me to wipe again and epoxy. Everything stuck good until year two and got progressively worse and at 4 yr mark had huge bare spots and cast was black underneath. I finally brought it back home and you can see what I did. Should have been done in the first place. This shot is after 3 days and you can wipe it with anything you wish and you will get NOTHING on the rag.Yes I fixed the fuel leak before priming. People can complain about blasting all they want but it is the ONLY way I will ever do cast again. If you don't get it clean it doesn't matter what chemical you treat or put over it...it's still there and your product will be on shaky foundation. My "B" was done the same year (abt. 6 yrs now)and blasted and not a spot has ever let loose or bubbled.
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I will sometimes spray the part with good coat of lacquer thinner before painting, the blasted parts tend to catch fuzz when wiped.
 
(reply to post at 07:44:42 08/18/14)
B-manic, I know what you are saying about blasting, I have blasted some small parts away from the tractor, just concerned about sand getting places it doesn't belong. It is a totally different looking gray than something that is wire brushed. It seems that if I hit it with an acetylene torch it is easier to get clean, and looks cleaner. Where I have wire brushed it some areas look like I would expect the cast to look grayish and clean looking, other areas look like I polished it with the wire wheel, slick looking. I may rent a steam cleaner instead of the torch
Thanks to all for your replies.
Tom
 

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