[v8shadow]

Does parts cleaner solvent (mineral spirits) damage rubber seals or cups internally or externally? I really need to know.

 

[71hotrodpinto]

YUP!!!
you soaked your brake saftey valve right??
Take it apart and get and assortment of VITON rubber orings and just replace them. I did that anyways to my Pinto brake valve (very similar) and found out that it was seized up. Probably woulnt have worked unless i had cleaned and "rebuit" it with new orings.
Or you could just buy a rebuilt unit. Ive seen them on the internet but cant remember what the website was. Do a search through Google
Good luck

 

[v8shadow]

Oh man. I love my hobby..............dammit!!!!!!!!!

 

[FEandGoingBroke]

Standard over the counter mineral spirits will not harm your rubber unless soaked in it for 3 months...

FE

 

[71hotrodpinto]

Yes it will. They will swell and seize the piston in the saftey valve. Especially if they are 30 years old anyways.

 

[v8shadow]

Oh boy. Im gonna read on about this. Ill read the bottles (I kept them all for draining and recycling) and see if it mentions anything about rubber. Doubt it will. Pinto are we referring to the same thing? Im talking about the Combination Valve. It is the metering valve, proportioning valve and pressure warning switch all in one unit and it usually is right under or around the master cylinder. If it is real expensive new, then I want to try to make use of or rebuild mine or find one out of a salvage yard. I need to know if the existing one is ruined or not first. I believe I know where a 78 t bird is sitting. Maybe I'll just pull it if it is still there and keep it the hell away from the parts cleaner, not to mention not break the fu**ing pressure warning switch.

 

[Blue Fastback]

Rubber and mineril spirts dont mix. The rubber will swell up like a ballon.

 

[FEandGoingBroke]

I know that rubber swells in Thinner and Reducer! Never seen rubber do anything but get all black and shiny in mineral spirits... But! I never soaked anything in it that was not getting new parts! So if a diaphragm came out swollen or an 'o' ring was bigger than before I really didn't notice...

FE

 

[v8shadow]

It might have gotten 5 minutes of in and out dipping and scrubbing. I then blew it out with compressed air. Will that swelling effect take place with the limited exposure?? This is a $100 part at the dealers. If I do have to go new, I will get an aftermarket or OEM of another make that is brass. So it is that much lighter and MIGHT even be cheaper. Win-win.

 

[v8shadow]

Just an update. I called the makers of the mineral spirits. They told me that with a long exposure, that the mineral spirits would make the rubber swell. He could not tell me how long the exposure would have to be. When I told him off and on 5 minutes of exposure he said it would also depend on the TYPE of rubber it is. Well hell, I dont know. So, the question kind of got answered, kind of not.

 

[v8shadow]

I walked out to my garage to pull the donor MC from the parts washer. I went to put my gloves on and now they are almost 2 sizes bigger than 5 days ago. I mean, they are HUGE now. Grab the MC and try to do a hand held bench bleed with it. I can barely get the piston inside to budge. Apparently the question: "does mineral spirits used in a parts washer damage rubber seals?" is answered. If you consider making the seals almost twice thier size to be damage, then the answer is YES. I never imagined it would have this dramatic effect though. Now, did it damage the seals inside the brake combintion valve with 5 minutes of limited exposure? That answer will probably remain unanswered. I know I wont put any rubber anything near that stuff from now on though. Wow.

 

[71hotrodpinto]

so like i mentioned earlier , to "rebuild" it just go get an assortment of VITON orings at harbor freight for about $9. Thats what i did when i replaced the 2 rings in my saftey valve. I was just going to blow it out and when i did my brake system. I Then found out it was seized from 30+ years of sitting. The piston is only made to cycle back and forth when you loose either the front brake system or the rear. So if you never have that problem, it just gets gunky in there.
Youll need compressed air to get it out though. Just becarefull you dont shoot it across the room, or into your eyes.
Lubricate the piston assy with clean brake fluid, push it back together and then your done.
Have fun!

 

[FEandGoingBroke]

Keep them darn rubber parts out of the cleaninf solution if you wanna re-use them.... Sheesh, didn't I already tell you once? Gooooooly...

I mean, thanks V8, that's informative. And I alway's thought mineral spirits were ok....

FE

 

[thekingofazle]

I got mineral spirits on my radiator hose, it hasn't burst yet. Course it wasn't much and it wasn't soaking in it.

 

[Galaxie_406]

Latex Rubber gloves will do that! but they are Latex!

 

[FEandGoingBroke]

I'm going out to get some Viton, Rubber, Latex, Nylon, Neoprene and a bottle of mineral spirits some day and post the results.

FE

 

[v8shadow]

Yeah, that would be good. Leave it to me to awaken some really off the wall topics. Im sure most people would just keep the stuff away from anything but metal products. I think I'll throw one of my daughter's bouncy balls in there................