Good methods for dust, grease, dirt cleanup

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Hi,I've been re-habbing a relatively new (2002) 300D.  After removing the hood and peeking into all the dark corners, I've found that the inside is thoroughly coated with dust and dirt.  The area around the engine is coated with grime that I guess is dirt mixed with spilled diesel residue and  a little oil.I'm most concerned with removing the dust that's packed into some of the radiator fins, and the dirt that's covering the inside of the control panel, the wiring, and one circuit board.I was thinking that spraying the inside down with a mild degreaser, like simple green, then rinsing with low pressure water from a garden hose, and finishing with air blown from a compressor or leaf blower.  I've pulled the battery from the welder, and I'd let it sit all day in the sun to finish drying outDoes anyone have a better procedure or any specific worries about doing what I've suggested?
Reply:Sounds like a good plan. Use low pressure water and air on the radiator or you will bend the fins over. How do I know this? I bent some with air pressure once and had to straighten them.
Reply:Watch out that the cleaner/degreaser you use won't eat aluminum if left on.IIRC, GreasedLightning will eat aluminum if left on for a while, pretty much any alkaline substance will do that.SimpleGreen will also soften or eat iffy/old paint as well.  Used full strength, it starts to soften the paint relatively quickly, well that and combined with a fine ScotchBrite pad on the overspray started to remove the overspray PDQ.
Reply:Oldtimer,Thanks, I'll watch out for the fins.Moonrise,I'll dilute the simple green and rinse it off fairly quickly; certainly before it dries.What about the wiring/single circuit board in the unit?  Should I completely avoid getting any of this stuff wet?  Or is it ok to use water to gently flush away dirt and debris?  I've got a dionizer cartridge I can use if mineral deposits might be a problem...
Reply:For the circuit board, I'd just use gentle air to blow off the major dust.  I'd avoid getting the circuit board wet.The wires should generally be OK with getting rinsed off, but watch out where the cleaner/water drip and run to.  You probably don't want the connectors (if any) getting soaked.  So I'd probably just wet-rag wipe down the few wires as opposed to pressure washing them.
Reply:Just spray it all down with carbon tet.....oh, wait, never mind......dang flashbacks........
Reply:I used to clean parts with liquid freon back in the good old days.  But the hole in the ozone layer overtop Southern California got too big, so I had to stop.  Too bad, the freon was very refreshing when it evaporated, and it removed grease and grime lickety-split. Originally Posted by TEKJust spray it all down with carbon tet.....oh, wait, never mind......dang flashbacks........
Reply:I would probably spray the circuit board with electronic cleaner and then protect it from water. Wrap it with saran wrap or something like that? I, along with about half a dozen other welders, bought a new Lincoln SA-200 the first year they had the electronic idler. Everything was fine until September and we had a rainy spell that lasted about three weeks. Every one of us had to replace the circuit board that controlled the idler even though they were protected from the rain. It would probably be OK but I don't think I would take a chance if it were mine.
Reply:Originally Posted by A_DAB_will_do...I was thinking that spraying the inside down with a mild degreaser, like simple green, then rinsing with low pressure water from a garden hose, and finishing with air blown from a compressor or leaf blower....
Reply:All boards in the last 10 years are covered in a laquer substance to no worries there. I wouldn't pressure wash the rad, compressed air is way better.. Really unless it's below freezing or a chance of freezing you can pressure wash all the internals with no problems.We pressure wash the transformer static machines with no problems, as well as, all the engine drives.The only circiut board you have in that unit is way up by the front of the gas tank, and that unit is potted in a rubber compound.Last edited by Cruizer; 04-03-2008 at 09:10 PM.
Reply:Thanks all.  Cruiser, the circuit board up on the inside of the control panel, near the fuel tank, does not appear to be potted in any kind of resin.  But, I haven't seen it clearly, as it's smothered in dirt.I'll start with compressed air, and if that doesn't do the trick, will progress to low pressure water, and then degreaser and water.  I'll make sure to cover that circuit board with something waterproof before hosing down the insides of the machine.It's supposed to be 60 and Sunny on Sunday, so I'll let you know how it all turned out on Sunday night.  I'll see if I can snap some photos for those of you who like that sort of thing...Thanks again,Dave