Topic: Cleaning grease out of brake calipers

[riffman12]

so i had a stuck caliper piston and used the grease gun trick to push it out. Worked perfectly, but now I have a caliper full of grease.

Any tips for making sure I get it all out? I get the feeling that leaving even the smallest bit in there could cause some serious problems down the road if it mixes with brake fluid.

So far I've soaked the caliper in mineral spirits which didn't seem to do a whole lot.

Gasoline?
A whole can of brake cleaner shot through the banjo bolt hole?
air gun?
Kersosene?

[Powderman]

Just use brake cleaner to clean it, it's not rocket science.

[flybox1]

Kerosene is good stuff.  Id go there first, and then a spray down with brake cleaner.
be sure to clean the piston seal groove really well.

[riffman12]

Just use brake cleaner to clean it, it's not rocket science.

I've got the piston cavity and the space where the seal sits pretty clean with brake cleaner.

I'm just not sure how to clean the tiny passage between the piston cavity and the banjo bolt. I can't exactly get a rag in there.

[MCRider]

Q-tips work good. Singly or bundled. Dip in the solvent and chase all the nooks and crannies. Personal experience.

[70CB750]

Gasoline is the best and cheapest too.  I use it for many years when repacking wheel bearings on my jeep.  Good thing about gasoline is compare to brakekleen and such it is relatively harmless.

Narrow areas - use old toothbrush or (smoke) pipe cleaners. 

[riffman12]

cool thanks guys

I've read that a brass dremel brush works well for cleaning out the piston and seal cavity so I may try that to get rid of some mild pitting.

[Powderman]

All the holes are straight drilled holes. Spray with brake cleaner and follow up with a blast of compressed air through there and you'll be fine.

[przjohn]

Gasoline is the best and cheapest too.  I use it for many years when repacking wheel bearings on my jeep.  Good thing about gasoline is compare to brakekleen and such it is relatively harmless.

Narrow areas - use old toothbrush or (smoke) pipe cleaners.

With all due respect, NO.

Pick up just about any shop manual  and one of the first paragraph lines will be: DO NOT USE GASOLINE AS A CLEANING SOLVENT. There are plenty of safe alternatives.

[70CB750]

Works for me for many years. What are you afraid of? Explosion?

Are you gonna tell me not to use starter fluid to seat tires?