# CRC track cleaner



## peterbilt379 (Jan 4, 2013)

I know this subject has been beaten to death. Ive been using 91% API for years. Want to try CRC track cleaner. Problem is I can only find it in a spray can. Wanted to use it in my 3927 car. Does anyone know where to buy this in a liquid form thats pourable? thanks RW


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## Millstonemike (Aug 9, 2018)

peterbilt379 said:


> I know this subject has been beaten to death. Ive been using 91% API for years. Want to try CRC track cleaner. Problem is I can only find it in a spray can. Wanted to use it in my 3927 car. Does anyone know where to buy this in a liquid form thats pourable? thanks RW


Never heard of "CRC Track Cleaner". CRC makes a variety of aerosol cleaning sprays. None are desirable for track cleaning. They're low on the list of best track cleaning chemicals.

Naphtha is best. Can be had at any hardware store in a quart can. Ronsonol lighter fluid is naphtha. I use that for the convenient spout. IIRC, GRJ fills the Ronsonol squirt bottle from a hardware store quart can.


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## MichaelE (Mar 7, 2018)

CRC Contact Cleaner is rated second or third best on the list for track cleaning chemicals. IIRC, kerosine is the number one cleaner on that list.

The CRC product only comes as a spray. You would have to concentrate it and then pour into your track cleaning car's reservior before it evaporates. You will also have to check to see if your reservior is plastic or metal. I think this stuff will attack most common plastics but would do ok with a polyethyline or propoline material. It's best to check first though.


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## Norton (Nov 5, 2015)

I use KleanStrip Prep All. Its used to remove grease and wax from paint before painting. It used to be Dupont Cle Sol before the price went into the stratosphere. Won't harm paint or plastic.








Klean Strip Prep-All


Prep-All Prep-All is fast-acting effective on metal plastic and fiberglass and can be used prior to sanding and painting




everestautomotivemarket.com





Pete


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## MichaelE (Mar 7, 2018)

Does it remove oxidation?


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## Norton (Nov 5, 2015)

Unlikely but if you run your trains regularly any oxidation will be worn off. Consider kerosine, alcohol, or naptha don't remove oxidation either. Its really not an issue for three rail trains as it is for smaller gauges.

Pete


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## Millstonemike (Aug 9, 2018)

MichaelE said:


> CRC Contact Cleaner is rated second or third best on the list for track cleaning chemicals. ...


My bad. I missed that. Note that "CRC Contact Cleaner and Protectant" is not the same as the "CRC OD Contact Cleaner". The latter is usually stocked in Hone Depot's electrical dept. (fairlyvery low) as is API. Yes, Kerosene is the top rated cleaner. But I dislike the smell. Since Naphtha has the same dielectric constant as Kerosene it is tied with Kerosene for the top spot. Several prominent members use Naphtha.


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## MichaelE (Mar 7, 2018)

I love the smell of kerosine. It reminds me of Jet-A. I even like it more as exhaust.


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## peterbilt379 (Jan 4, 2013)

Thanks for all the replies. Guess Ill stick with 91% IPA. GRJ wonder if Hoppes #9 gun cleaning solvent would work? Smells like kerosine! FWIW I save a ton ot money on those 2"x..5 wipers used on the 3927 car. I buy a box of dental cotton rolls (braided) made by Richmond. They are 6" long, .5" thick. Comes in a box of 100 for $35. Cut a 6" stip 3 times. Now you have 300! That [email protected]! Dude on evil-bay wants [email protected] They last longer than the originals. JMHO RW


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## bobfett (Dec 15, 2011)

peterbilt379 said:


> Thanks for all the replies. Guess Ill stick with 91% IPA. GRJ wonder if Hoppes #9 gun cleaning solvent would work? Smells like kerosine! FWIW I save a ton ot money on those 2"x..5 wipers used on the 3927 car. I buy a box of dental cotton rolls (braided) made by Richmond. They are 6" long, .5" thick. Comes in a box of 100 for $35. Cut a 6" stip 3 times. Now you have 300! That [email protected]! Dude on evil-bay wants [email protected] They last longer than the originals. JMHO RW


peterbilt379,
Where do you buy the Richmond .5" thick braided cotton rolls? I looked on Amazon and they didn't have that size. I did find a site with a Google search that had that size but they wanted my dental association number (?) to order (and I'm not a dentist).
Thanks.
Bob


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## peterbilt379 (Jan 4, 2013)

Bob, I buy mine from Net32.com. The item # is Richmond 201205. You have to create an account. It was no hassle. Delivered in 3 days. They work great. RW


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## peterbilt379 (Jan 4, 2013)

You can also call them direct at 1-800-517-1997.


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## peterbilt379 (Jan 4, 2013)

Just tried using "hoppes #9" Gun solvent to clean O ga track. Best thing I've tried so far! Here I thought the track was clean using 91% IPA. Wasn't even close.Wipers turned out black. It does has kerosene in it The bad thing is the odor. Its overwhelming in enclosed area, but it sure does work well! Track is really clean and shiny. JMHO RW


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## bobfett (Dec 15, 2011)

peterbilt379 said:


> Bob, I buy mine from Net32.com. The item # is Richmond 201205. You have to create an account. It was no hassle. Delivered in 3 days. They work great. RW


Thank you, RW. I'll put in an order today. I hope they don't ship via USPS--I hope to clean my track before Easter. 😁
Bob


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## Millstonemike (Aug 9, 2018)

peterbilt379 said:


> Just tried using "hoppes #9" Gun solvent to clean O ga track. Best thing I've tried so far! Here I thought the track was clean using 91% IPA. Wasn't even close.Wipers turned out black. It does has kerosene in it The bad thing is the odor. Its overwhelming in enclosed area, but it sure does work well! Track is really clean and shiny. JMHO RW


Why not try naphtha? You can by a small amount in a Rosonol lighter fluid bottle. I'd bet Naphtha is a quart can from the hardware store is much cheaper than gun cleaning supplies. If the odor is more agreeable, you can always reuse the squirt bottle as a convenient dispenser for the quart can.

Also, never use IPA on motors (i.e., cleaning armature faces, brush silos, etc.). It will dissolve the enamel on the armature and field windings creating shorts.


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## peterbilt379 (Jan 4, 2013)

Hi Mike; I did buy some Rosonol lighter fluid. It does do as good a job as "hoppes" #9 (kerosine) gun solvent without the odor. At $5 for 12 oz its alot cheaper for the same results. Beats the hell outta IPA. I found out the hard way many moons ago not to clean armatures or commuters with IPA 91%! Hard lesson learned! Will be using Rosonol from now on. Hard to teach an old dog new tricks. thanks Mike. RW


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## Norton (Nov 5, 2015)

Prep All is 16 bucks for 128 oz. Use it on your models or 1:1 Ferrari before painting. Clean varnish off your carburetors. Lots of uses plus it cleans track. A gallon typically lasts me about ten years and I use it for all those apps except one.

Pete


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## peterbilt379 (Jan 4, 2013)

Norton: I may not have 10 years left! lol. OBTW I ride a '36 Indian!


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## Norton (Nov 5, 2015)

There you go. This stuff cleans oil off in milliseconds. Way faster than old Gunk and light years faster than the new stuff. 

Pete


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## peterbilt379 (Jan 4, 2013)

Live to ride...Ride to live!!


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## peterbilt379 (Jan 4, 2013)

Tried some ronsonol for cleaning my track. I


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## peterbilt379 (Jan 4, 2013)

Dang puter! To continue. LoL I'm impressed with the results. My outer loop is horseshoe shaped with about 125' of 3 rail .031 ga track. I run 2 PW engines on this one loop. E.I. : 2343ABA (growler) with mix of 9 passenger cars 2520/2530's. Also a FM 2331 virginian pulling 25 numerous PW rolling stock, E.I. 2461,6511,2755,6414, etc. All heavy cars. They have never run smoother. The growlers rollers used to arch alot and get hot. Motors got pretty warm. At 14V they used to pull over 7A. After they warmed up, the amp meter showed 6.7A ! The rollers never got hot. Very very little arching. They definitly run smoother.. Does a much better job than 91% IPA. Will use this from now on. Thats for all the advice everyone. RW


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