Removing silicone?

[Verne_Frantz]

Nasty stuff. I try to keep it out of my shop and away from my cars. Sometimes it can't be helped though. Old fan clutches usually leak so now there's silicone on the fan that needs to be repainted. There's NO WAY it's going into the bead blast cabinet. So how have you effectively removed it?

I've ordered some potassium hydroxide. I also have some TCE and some wax & grease remover. I've also found a product from RPM Technologies called Di-Aqua and another one called de-solv-it. Has anyone used those? Suggestions from experience welcomed.

Verne

[66SS427]

How about some WD-40 ?? Worth a shot before you spend money on other stuff !!
Everyone has some WD-40around

[NorCam]

Goo Gone (Orange Cleaner) and follow that up with a good wash down with brake clean or gun wash prior to prep and painting should do you well.

[Verne_Frantz]

Those suggestions are worth a try. Thanks.

Verne

[Spooky]

NO WD40!!!!! that stuff will screw up painting surfaces in a hurry! Keep that out of the shop.

I use PPG wax and grease remover after a thinner bath or wipe down

[VintageMusclecar]

Wax & grease remover.

[70-SS/RS-L78]

I was a Painter for a lot of years and the word silicone still makes me cringe. I used to get cars that were covered with that crap, Inside and out. Some of the extra juicy cars had the stuff fly off the tires and all down the sides of the car. I used to scrub them down with full strength purple degreaser. That was the only thing that would remove that stuff. You had to be real careful when using it on paint, Don't do it in the sun and Don't leave it on too long. And make sure you Wear Gloves cause it will remove your skin.
Mark


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[frankk]

So tell us more about the purple degresser

[Kurt S]

Ford made and used silicone filled bumper shocks (for the 5 mph bumper standard).
An assembly plant screamed about contaminating their paint process. Turns out they had changed the assembly process and forgot about the silicone - they installed the shocks before paint and the ovens. Oopsie.
Easy fix - resequence the process. And clean the air handling systems.

[70 copo]

Norwood brought in several privately owned 1967 Camaros in for display in 1977 after armor-all became popular. Fish eyes began showing up in paint within hours and the plant lost nearly two days of production until they figured out the problem. Cars were removed and the plant implemented a ban on all non GM sponsored displays in the future unless the cars were outside in areas approved by engineering.

This became less of a problem with high solids enamel and electro static paint systems implemented in 1982.