This weekend I will be cleaning and relubing. I have read something about carb cleaner. It evaporates rather quickly. HOW DO i go about dissolving the old gunk? Carb cleaner and wipe clean? Soak in acohol or something else? These are probably repeat questions but I can' t seem to find the answers I need by doing a search. Any help would be appreciated!

THANKS from a Newbie!

Carb cleaner should work fine (sometimes smells terrible though). Then it is a matter of re-lubricating any bearings or sliding surfaces. This is not exactly my "specialty" so I don't have any particular suggestions on types of grease or oil.

Curtis Eickerman

Thanks again, Curtis! You have been very helpful.

I already have soma zoom spout turbine oil.

And I was already told by another household member to use the carb cleaner OUTSIDE, lol!

Use carb cleaner very sparingly and ONLY on non-painted steel parts. Make sure to do not get carb cleaner anywhere near the plastic parts or the painted surfaces. It will eat the plastic away and remove the paint the instant it touches the part. Carb cleaner is a an item I only use on a few specific spots on a rebuild and I am extremely careful with it.

I use an all natural biodegradable spray cleaner from Colorox (can't recall the name) but I get it at Lowe's and Home Depot and it comes in clear or clear green. You will see it when you go to the store. Anyhow...it works great on painted and plastic parts and won't destory them.

As for the mechanical parts underneath I remove and soak them in laquer thinner in a large plastic container. I only use carb cleaner on the motor bearings or sprayed on certain mechanisms with extreme caution as it can ruin a record player in the blink of an eye.

I really recommend that you stay away from carburetor cleaner. It's much too aggressive a solvent. I like to use naptha, which you can get at Home Depot in quart cans. It is effective on hardened grease but will not damage paint, plastic or rubber.

-David

That is actually very good advice. Myself I use spray can carb cleaner to flush the motor bearings and there is really no substitution for doing that. On occasion to clean certain points on record changers that are not removable to soak but I only use it because I have dozens of cans of it on hand for actually cleaning carbs! LOL

You put lacquer thinner in plastic containers? I didn't know that was safe. I always stuck with glass as I have a lot of respect and fear of lacquer thinner. Thanks for the tip. And I agree, Carb cleaner is useful but dangerous.

Marie, use that stuff outside also if you are going to be around it a bit.

Yes, you can put laquer thinner in certain plastics. Most wash basins and things of that sort are made from plastic that is not affected by thinners and the such. Obvious test before you poor a gallon of it in the container. If you notice a lot of places carry Laquer thinner in plastic containers now a days as well.

Laquer thinner is not scary if you use basic common sense with it. It is not any more hazardous then gasoline. I deal with far more hazardous stuff on a regular basis. Today's automotive paints contain Isocyanates which are deadly. I wear a pressure feed fresh air system when just opening the containers. When spraying I wear a full body suit as well as when it is atomized in the air it can be absorbed into the bloodstream via the pores on your skin. Laquer thinner is like a glass of Kool-Aid compared to this stuff...LOL

Thank You for all of your responses! You have shed some light on many things I was unaware of but is probably second nature to all of you!

Speaking if damaging plastic...is their anything I can use to remove paint or possibly nail polish from the top of the plastic spindle? Someone painted just the top of the circle pink...and did not do a very good job of it...I
was thinking maybe a non acetone nail polish remover like the salons use on acrylic nails?

I will be back with more questions as this project continues.

Ahhh you got that one of eBay....I was waiting to bid on the auction and forgot. You got a good deal on that one.

Automotive Dot3 or Dot4 Brake fluid, you can find this in any auto parts shop or Wal-Mart in the Auto section.

Remove the spindle cap and let it soak in the brake fluid in a container. It may have to sit a while. Use an old tooth brush to aide removal of paint and when done thoroughly wash with soap and water. The Brake Fluid Corrosive so wear rubber gloves and eye protection.

I thought it was a good deal too!

I am pretty sure I have some of that stuff in tha garage. THANKS! Lots of cars get worked on in my garage...not by me lol. I am just waiting for the 1969 SS Chevelle to get reupholstered so I can drive it!

Roflmao....how the heck do I get the top of the spindle off???

Thanks for the information, Todd. A while ago, I got the mistaken impression I could tell the danger of solvents from their smell. Lacquer thinner smells dangerous. What I am probably smelling is the flammability and there are probably odorless solvents that could kill me in minutes. Appreciate the heads up on the isocyanates. Never had to use them, but I imagine you do in the car restoral business.

best.

Yes, it is true and isos are completely odorless. Manufacturers actually add some sort of aromatic to it which gives it an almost sweet, fruit like smell (odd choice huh) so if you smell that you KNOW to get out of the area.

Heck a 5 gallon bucket of water will kill ya just as dead as any of those chemicals if you don't use common sense with it.

BUMP.....still ROFLMAO!

See if this might help. I didn't look thhough these in detail, but it is the service information for the RCA 45 changers. It may be the RP190 changer but if not look at the RP168.

http://oldtech.net/TT.html

Curtis Eickerman

Excellent, Curtis! That link was exactly what I needed! It is the RP190. You have been a wonderful help! Thank You so very much!

Will keep you posted. At work right now, but will try to get the top of the spindle off tonight.

*MaryAntoinette*

Please be extremely careful when you remove the spindle top. IIRC there are a couple of very small springs in there that are just waiting to be launched far away.

-David

I noticed those springs in the diagram, David...I'm a little scared! lol

Also be careful when reinstalling the spindle cap that you don't over-tighten the 2 screws. The cap is very susceptible to developing cracks around the mounting holes.

Phil Vourtsis
Author- The Fabulous Victrola 45