pressure washer ? high power?

1946 BN IHC · Jan 29, 2023

Come the warm weather of spring or early summer I am thinking to strip down the paint on our tractor engine, torque tube, transmission / rear end and bull gears.
Rather than blast with soda or sand, ???WONDERING what pressure washer pressure / force I would need to rent that would peal the paint back to clean metal. Then re prime and paint.
We thought we had properly cleaned / prepped and base painted back nearly 7 years ago but would like to refresh/ re do the paint since some of it has not lasted as well as one would like. [ at points must have been some oil or other petroleum materials still imbedded in the cast that showed up later.]
Thank you for your assistance.
Wm.

Mike(NEOhio) · Jan 29, 2023

I'd think any pressure that would remove paint would also blow water/soap/dirt past the seals just like sandblasting.

Gene Davis (Ga.) · Jan 29, 2023

I have a Northern Tool 3gpm. 3500 psi unit with a 10 hp Tecumseh engine and when I screw the pressure regulator all the way down and open the throttle fully. I can close the nozzle down to a very narrow jet and it will strip paint easily. I then rinse it at about 1/4 of that pessure to clean it good from left over soap.

1946 BN IHC · Jan 29, 2023

Well I will at least know what pressure I need to clean up with and not pass the seals. The only seals I need to be most caeful with are the oil pan and tappet cover and outer axel seals and may be those behind the lower belt pully.
Thank you for all your information.
Wm.

Mark Poss · Jan 29, 2023

Karcher makes a great steam cleaner

Steve@Advance · Jan 29, 2023

If you soften the paint and grease with full strength Purple Power it should come off a lot easier with any good pressure washer. Hot water or steam would be a plus.

It will take several applications to get to mostly bare metal. Then a proper primer will give a good paint base.

Stephen Newell · Jan 29, 2023

The more pressure you can use the better.

The power washer will only remove what is loose. It would get more if you soaked the paint with oven cleaner. Better yet use paint stripper. Even though the stuff they sell today is crummy it will be stronger than oven cleaner.

When I painted my tractor it had spots of dried grease which had been painted. The paint and the grease held up to the power washer. I had to chisel it off with a screwdriver.

showcrop · Jan 30, 2023

I use been using a hot water pressure washer teamed up with a fairly expensive D limonene based cleaner for thirty years. The pressure washer is only 1200 lbs. Anything that doesn't come off with this process I want to leave because it is well bonded, and has lasted for many years after the repaint.

acresgreen · Feb 1, 2023

I second that!

Dave G9N · Feb 2, 2023

(quoted from post at 05:48:38 01/30/23)

I use been using a hot water pressure washer teamed up with a fairly expensive D limonene based cleaner for thirty years. The pressure washer is only 1200 lbs. Anything that doesn't come off with this process I want to leave because it is well bonded, and has lasted for many years after the repaint.

don't doubt that this is a good solution, but I think some details are needed to avoid making a mess of it. I take it that you are using a limonene cleaner to soften the paint and NOT in the pressure washer. I am glad to hear that this is an option, I have a low end pressure washer and a tractor or two to repaint.

Someone might get the wrong idea and wreck their pressure washer.

An ordinary plastic garden-type pump up sprayer will last about ten minutes if you put d-Limonene in it. Flo-Jet pumps should be ordered with special diaphragms installed in the pump. The regular off-the-shelf ones will not last.

The link also talks about limonene damaging seals, so some care is needed in its application.

I was working in a chemistry lab in FL around 1980. We were given a sample of d-limonene by someone in the citrus industry. They were looking for a way to sell their hazardous waste since it was costing them a lot of money to dispose of it. Someone (not us) managed to find some applications.

showcrop · Feb 2, 2023

(quoted from post at 12:33:01 02/02/23)

(quoted from post at 05:48:38 01/30/23)

I use been using a hot water pressure washer teamed up with a fairly expensive D limonene based cleaner for thirty years. The pressure washer is only 1200 lbs. Anything that doesn't come off with this process I want to leave because it is well bonded, and has lasted for many years after the repaint.

Click to expand...

don't doubt that this is a good solution, but I think some details are needed to avoid making a mess of it. I take it that you are using a limonene cleaner to soften the paint and NOT in the pressure washer. I am glad to hear that this is an option, I have a low end pressure washer and a tractor or two to repaint.

Someone might get the wrong idea and wreck their pressure washer.

An ordinary plastic garden-type pump up sprayer will last about ten minutes if you put d-Limonene in it. Flo-Jet pumps should be ordered with special diaphragms installed in the pump. The regular off-the-shelf ones will not last.

Click to expand...

The link also talks about limonene damaging seals, so some care is needed in its application.

I was working in a chemistry lab in FL around 1980. We were given a sample of d-limonene by someone in the citrus industry. They were looking for a way to sell their hazardous waste since it was costing them a lot of money to dispose of it. Someone (not us) managed to find some applications.

DeLimonene is a solvent and very effective at cutting grease. I use it for cutting grease not for softening paint. I apply it with a trigger spray bottle with the caustic resistant O-rings.

pressure washer ? high power?

1946 BN IHC

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Mike(NEOhio)

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Gene Davis (Ga.)

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1946 BN IHC

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Mark Poss

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Steve@Advance

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Stephen Newell

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showcrop

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acresgreen

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Dave G9N

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showcrop

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