LS1Porch

I don't know, i've used many other brake cleaners to do the same thing (especially the Autozone stuff) and never had a problem. I also thought powdercoat could stand up to most chemicals. Now i know

Tedro951

Napa seems to have sales on brake cleaner several times a year. 2.00 a can for your choice of chloro, non-chloro, and ******** shrinking varieties if I remember correctly.

Make sure to check the size, though. Some cans are 16 or 18 oz, some are 13.

zerMATT951

The Autozone brake cleaner is non-chlorinated, as is the Walmart Super-Tech brake cleaner. Those are the two cheap "store brand" items that I come across most often. Walmart's regular price is around $2.49-$2.99, and Autozone occasionally runs theirs on sale for similar prices or better when they run their frequent BOGO sales on brake and carb cleaners.

Now that I think about it, I haven't seen a chlorinated brake cleaner in years. Maybe this is one of the reasons why they aren't so common?

A quick web search found nothing but non-chlorinated versions from Autozone, CRC, Gunk, Berryman, 3M High Power (black can), Pyroil, O'Reilly, Brakebest, and others.

After digging a bit, I was able to find a couple of brake cleaners that did not indicate "non-chlorinated" on the can, and that included a variant of 3M High Power brake cleaner (08180), but it seems as if you would have to try pretty hard to end up with this particular brake cleaner or any other that contained chlorine.

Will Feather

I work at Advance Auto on the weekends and use all different brands of brake clean.

We sell one particular brand that has both CA compliant and Not CA compliant. I bought the CA stuff once by accident and it SUCKED. Just as you said took forever to evaporate and was oily. F**K the environment I want stuff that works.

User 52121

Thx for posting this.

I've used a lot of brake cleaner over the years. I am a big fan of the red can CRC because it works so well. Never, ever bothered me to use it... in some weird way, I kinda liked the smell.

But one day probably 6-7 years ago, using it to clean some parts, I found myself, out of nowhere, having a tough time breathing. Couldn't stop coughing. Took me probably 2 hours to where I could breathe again - and as SOON as I stepped back into the garage and caught a whiff.... same problem. Now whenever I get near the stuff, I start to have a tough time breathing.

There's something in that stuff that my body simply does NOT agree with. I have less of a reaction to the AutoZone stuff, but it still bothers me. I've found I basically have to have the garage door open, with my big *** fan running directly behind me to blow any of the fumes away from me. Then I usually have to leave the garage for a bit to let it air out - otherwise, coughing fit.

Sucks because I used to love this stuff. Dirt, oil, grime... just melts away.

LS1Porch

It may depend on where you live. I live in NM and up until very recently the vast majority of the stuff on the shelves around here was chlorinated. The last time i went (and the time i purchased this crappy gunk stuff) we have nothing but non-chlorinated on the shelf. I suspect a law has changed recently in my state.

zerMATT951

My search wasn't state-specific... I did a simple Google search and clicked on every product that popped up, then looked closely at the labels. It seems like the chlorinated stuff is on the way out.

The California thing is related, but seems to be because of tetrachloroethylene's ozone-depleting tendencies like other CFC's and VOC's, not so much because of the immediate health hazard created when it's exposed to flame and emits nice stuff like phosgene gas, carbon monoxide, and hydrogen chloride. Apparently CA's ozone is more temperamental than the rest of the world's ozone... or maybe they are going to save the world for the rest of us... who knows.

User 52121

After passing on this stuff to my dad - he came back with the below (re: red can CRC):

http://194.132.104.143/websites/GSD/qnMSDS_GSD.nsf/0/3116BC206C0ECD46C12577E40065E74B/$file/CRC%20Brakleen%20Brake%20Cleaner_MSDS.pdf?openElement

Specifically notice at the bottom of page 5:
Granted it says "aluminum powder" but considering how much of our cars are made out of aluminum I'm thinking it might be a good idea to use something else going forward...

Adker

Thanks for the link. Looks like CRC is a chlorinated solvent.
Here are some of the warning:

Hazardous Decomposition Products:
THERMAL - HYDROGEN CHLORIDE, CHLORINE, AND SOME PHOSGENE.

Evey one of these have really bad effects/kills when it is inhaled.
FYI: Hydrogen Chloride forms hydrochloric acid as it enters the lungs and contacts humidity.

Tom M'Guinn

Interesting to read all the thoughtful comments on brake cleaner (of all things). I started mulling and looked into it a bit more and think I was too quick to blame Gunk. The brake cleaner I bought turns out to be a special blend intended to comply with SCAQMB 1171, a special requirement imposed in Southern Cal by the "Southern Coast Air Quality Management Board." I'm guessing Gunk didn't want to make two versions -- one for northern cal and one for southern cal, so just makes this one versions and sells it statewide. CRC and others still sell a version that complies with the general CA requirement (and is just fine in my book), but I wonder how long before the whole state adopts the SCAQMD standards and forces everyone in the state to use this terrible brake cleaner...