Will ultrasonic cleaner remove plating?

[4speed455]

I read on here an ultrasonic cleaner is a good way to clean the carb inside and out before a rebuild. I have access to one through my job, but I was concerned it might remove the plating or color from the main body and air horn. Right now the color is still in good shape under the grime and I don’t plan on recoloring it before rebuild. The mixture I saw was a table spoon of dawn dish soap and a tablespoon purple power cleaner to five gallons of water.  If that will remove the color would simple green and dish soap work and retain the color? Any other options to get it throughly cleaned without removing the color?

[Cliff Ruggles]

If the color is good I would NOT use chemicals in your solution.  Even purple floor cleaner, simple green, that orange cleaner, etc all have chemicals in them that may effect the color of the castings.

Hopefully your ultra-sonic cleaner has a heater in it, they work a LOT better than the ones that don't........

[tayto]

I discovered to only run the ultrasonic 5 minutes at a time and check. i use a glug or 2 of simple green and a drop of dawn dish soap. it will start to remove the plating or stain the alunminun if you let it.

[4speed455]

Thanks for the replies. My ultrasonic is not heated but I planned on boiling the water before I use it. I will try it with just dawn dish soap and check it every five minutes. If the water gets cold I may do two fifteen minute cycles.

[tayto]

you could try a fish tank heater, though i am not sure if it would be a good idea to leave in there while the ultrasonic cleaner is on.

[4speed455]

Boiling hot water and dawn dish soap for 30 minutes in the ultrasonic cleaner. Then I hit the tougher spots with a nylon brush. Then fresh hot water and soap for 15 more minutes. It did a great job at cleaning it up. The color wasn’t effected but it is not as good as I was hoping. I may send it out to be recolored. Overall I was very pleased with the results.