The new lithium spray grease I bought says I first need to clean off some old grease fromthe door latches, hood latch and springs, etc. since the bases of different greases are not compatible. So I looked at various brands of degreasers, etc., and they all warn that they can damage paint. If I use something like WD40, won't it leave behind some residue that might dissolve my new lithium grease? What would be the best thing to use to pre-clean these parts? Thanks.
GS
WD-40 is perfect for what you want to do, and in fact is one of only two uses for which I recommend it. (the other is drying out wet ignition parts.) Don't worry about the residue, it will be gone in days (which is why WD-40 by itself makes a lousy lubricant.)
That said, I doubt that what you are suggesting is really necessary, but it is nice to get rid of all the dirty, gunky grease anyway. If this is a restoration project where you have all the latches, etc. removed you Berkebile 2+2 carb cleaner is the best readily available solvent there is, but it will remove paint, so if this is *not* a restoration, you may want to stick with WD-40.
nate
WD-40 is pretty good for those purposes, Nate. It has a little lubricating value, but not much.
Kerosene is a pretty safe solvent. It normally will not hurt paint, but will dissolve grease and tar spots.
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