I have bought 2 ultrasonic cleaners from Harbor freight.  My first one was the small 2.5 liter cleaner that has a plastic housing - later on I bought a larger 6 liter one that has a stainless cabinet.

I first bought the small one as I am somewhat cheap and I didn't want to spend a lot of money.  It worked well for cleaning.  I could only clean a carb 1/2 at a time and had to keep turning it over to get both sides.  There is no drain and it is really messy to try and dump the cleaner out.  Over time the top plastic on the cleaner has come unglued from the bottom - it still works fine and I suppose I should glue the parts back together.  The plastic looks a bit funky as some of the cleaners have stained the plastic.

Not long ago I broke down and bought the larger 6 liter cleaner.  It cleans the same as the smaller one - but I can do carbs and get both sides cleaned (I still roll them around a bit so I can be sure the cleaner got everywhere).  It has a drain and it is much easier to empty.

It is best to preclean the dirty/greasy parts to make the solvent in your parts cleaner last as long as possible.  I will spray some cleaner on the outside of the part and use a parts cleaning brush to get the worst of the crud off, and then rinse with water.  You can also use a pressure washer.

For cleaners I have used Simple Green, Purple Power, Krud Kutter - and the cheapest cleaner I have found is Totally Awesome.  You have to be a bit careful with some of these cleaners as they are caustic and will etch aluminum.  If you dilute it and don't leave the parts in the cleaner for extended periods these cleaners are OK - but you may lose a bit of the shine/gloss on aluminum parts.  For cleaning carbs one of the best cleaners is Pine Sol - you can use it full strength or diluted, and it does not alter the aluminum surface and you can soak the aluminum and it will not hurt the surface.  The heater function really helps to get the parts clean - but it also increases the amount of smell that comes from the cleaner.  When I use Pine Sol and heat - my whole garage smells like an Caribbean Airport bathroom that has just been washed down with sanitizer!

You can re-use the cleaner several times.  When I am done cleaning I put the used solvent in a plastic jug.  Over time the junk will settle out of the cleaner and form a sludge on the bottom of the container.  When I need to clean something I carefully dump the cleaner out of the plastic container and try not to disturb the sludge - I keep pouring until the sludge gets to the spout.  I then take the container of sludge and add a bit of water and shake it up - then dump out the sludge.

The cleaners don't really have much affect on paint, old gasket sealers or corrosion.  RTV type sealants do get softened up.  Corroded brass jets do get cleaned - but the surface stays dull and they don't brighten up.  For the small openings in pilot jets it is necessary to push a small wire through prior to cleaning if they are clogged with old gas - the cleaner won't dislodge the goo without some help.  The wire in old twist ties works if you pull the paper coating off - guitar/banjo strings also work.

When I first bought my 6 liter cleaner it would not completely turn off while plugged in.  The fan would run constantly and never shut off.  I returned it and the next one worked properly.  At that point I did buy the extended warranty - however it is working fine.

Watch for sales and you can get the cleaner at a significant discount.  

blod wrote on 01/24/25 at 11:08:42:


It works very well for cleaning carbs.

For cleaning engine cases, cylinder heads, and things gunked up with carbon or corrosion - they aren't very useful.

I have the little one from HF

for 22L, I can only offer a quick search...

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BNVCDXCM?ref=emc_p_m_5_i_atc

Very similar Versey. It showed up , I left it in the kitchen , wife’s says , What’s that ? Your new ultrasonic biscuit warmer , she says , they didn’t have a smaller one , LOL ! I gonna start doing small carb parts using different household cleaners. Find out what works best for brass , aluminum, steel , etc.
I’m sure engine cases , cyl. , head will fit. Just in time , for rebirth of a BSA. Wish it could polish cases too !

If your in the market for one it’s easy to pay too much ! Suspiciously they come in the same sizes and most from China. Vevor.com seems to be about half price & free shipping , maybe 4 days for me. All the sizes everyone else sells , but the 30L model was out of stock. Of course that was the one I wanted but the 22L is big enough so far. The cheapest price for sure and for a cleaning agent , I’ve tried all kinds of stuff but stayed away from expensive ultrasonic agents at $10+ a gallon. Cheap household cleaners , what works the best for me so far is Cascade powdered dishwasher soap. About a 1/8 to 1/4 cup depends on how many parts are to be cleaned in 22L of water. Dump it in the drain or in the dirt it’s just Cascade. Cheap and very effective compared to ultrasonic cleaners , even if in some cases it might take a a few cycles. Your cheap tip for the day.