Cleaning Lhm Filters, Can you use anything other than petrol?

I plan to get round to putting in the hydraflush this weekend or perhaps next weekend. Now I don't have any petrol lying around (or even a suitable container). But I do have lots of things like White Spirit and Meths. Are there any good alternatives for cleaning the filters and tank or do I need to invest in a petrol can?

If I do use petrol, then what are you supposed to do to dispose of the dirty petrol? I'm guessing that 'putting it in old plastic milk bottles to take to the dump' doesn't really meet the health and safety regulations.

Petrol really is best due to any residue evaporating quickly. White spirit will be okay. If in any doubt just test some with a few drops of LHM to see if it's a good solvent.

As for waste - I have a 25 litre drum for old oil & fluids that I empty periodically at the local recycling centre - what do you do normally with your old engine oil? and what are you doing with your old LHM?

Any restaurant or chippy would let you have an empty 25L veg oil container, surely?

Hi Rowanmoor.

If it's not a rush job, I simply remove and empty the tank and then give it a couple of sessions with washing up liquid and water, rinse well and leave to dry (overnight, if possible). Likewise the filter within; at worst, making a jet of water with your finger under the tap gets rid of pretty much anything once it has had a soak in detergent and water.

Mike.

LHM is just a mineral oil, so anything like petrol/white spirit /Diesel can be used as a cleaner - followed by detergent if you choose. Meths is no use.

Disposal of the petrol/spirit/diesel can be done in the garden for that small quantity. Jus add it to a [/B]few old rags and apply a match. Just don't do it when the neighbours' wahing is on the line or when they are having a barbeque!

Thanks for the tips.

LHM etc will go to the local dump (or 'recycling center' as they are now called). It was the storage of the dirty petrol I was wondering about as most of the old plastic containers I would use for storage and later transport to the dump are not up to the standard of the sort of can you are supposed to store petrol in.

When I had a BX TZD I cleaned the filters with a brake cleaner aerosol I had in stock rather than buy petrol especially for that one job. The combination of cleaner with aerosol pressure left them spotless and dry in a few minutes with no residue. I worked over old newspapers and they dried out too leaving the crud on the paper which was binned. I experimented on the plastic first to make sure the cleaner did not attack it. There was a lot less mess than the use of petrol would have entailed. Don't know the how the XM ones would fare as my XM filters were cleaned by a mechanic during a hydraulic service.

Robert.

I'm sure that they are still the same old filters as the CX/BX

yep, Brake cleaner rocks!

They used to have it in the pound shops but I haven't seen it for over a year now - wish I'd bought more! The normal price is too hot for me.

....you soon get through a can though and use it inside your garage and you soon begin to see pink elephants

Probably a pressure pack of carburettor cleaner would work well too - using the aforementioned newspaper.

I've seen new filters for sale from euro car parts. It lists 2 filters a half moon and a cone shaped filter, does the xm need both or just one? are they worth buying or just cleaning the old ones? thanks

Hi there

All hydraulic Cits use 2 LHM filters in the tank, one is for receiving all return ("halfmoon"), and the other is before pump sunction point (the conical one). If u attack, them take care not to loose the small hook that secures the "halfmoon" one in place.

No need to buy new ones unless there's a hole, or the mesh is visibly tired...

BTW, from ur signature I can see u've got good taste in cars!!

cheers
George

BTW I just bought both of them from Cit, one was £17 and other £9, vat inclusive.
G