So a good many of us have probably spent hours degreasing, pressure washing, scrubbing, wire brushing, sanding and God knows how many other ways trying to clean our engines.
Just wondering what labour and time saving tips fellow grm members might have. Can't really soak a fully assembled engine in paint stripper, vinegar or put it in a sand tumbler. So what secret methods do you use?
I've used oven cleaner in the past with some good results, some not so...
This is cheezy, but effective; Take it to the carwash. Leave the engine running, stay away from the distributor, and wash the heck out of it. Works nicely on engine blocks too. I know, not exactly informative, but sometimes I like yakking.
simple green and a garden hose.
I took my V12 Jaguar block to the car wash bay, doused it with Simple Green and sprayed it with the hose.
I've taken my truck, doused the engine and chassis with Simple Green, and done the same. I guess I could go home and finish the job with more degreaser and a brush. The car wash does a great job. And I bet all car wash bays have a grease trap, so I don't worry about that.
They do not. My wife's boss owns a car wash and is literally scraping greasey mud and silt from the drain.
New "Dirty Jobs" episode?
Steam cleaning would be another good and safe way to clean your engine bay. https://youtu.be/aORgYGHdCF4
Trackmouse wrote: They do not. My wife's boss owns a car wash and is literally scraping greasey mud and silt from the drain.
I would have guessed that they'd have a grease trap … since most of them have a setting on the control panel for engine cleaning
Super Clean and a toilet brush (bent to the right shape).
You will need to do it more than once.
bentwrench wrote: Super Clean and a toilet brush (bent to the right shape). You will need to do it more than once.
Word of warning, Super Clean will tend to discolor paint, especially in high concentrations. Otherwise, good stuff!
Basil Exposition wrote:bentwrench wrote: Super Clean and a toilet brush (bent to the right shape). You will need to do it more than once.Word of warning, Super Clean will tend to discolor paint, especially in high concentrations. Otherwise, good stuff!
You are correct. It will discolor the paint even chrome and anodized finish will be worn out.
gohero wrote: Steam cleaning would be another good and safe way to clean your engine bay. https://youtu.be/aORgYGHdCF4
I watched the video and that seems like the most eco friendly and cheapest long term way to clean an engine bay.
I know this thread is sort of aging now. So is my 87 Volvo 740. The engine bay was completely awful. I tried this Degreaser from autogeek and was pleased with my first ever engine cleaning attempt.
I've been using the Dollar Tree store cleaner. pretty awesome stuff for a buck.
At work after fixing oil leaks on BMWs and other leak-prone vehicles I'll start it up and run to get engine hot(then turn off), then spray degreaser(floor soap) in a lawn sprayer all over. Let sit 5min. Spray again, repeat a few times depending on how bad it is. They start up and hose it all down really well. Gets 90%+ of the gunk without much effort. Using the sprayer pump to get the degreaser under pressure helps a lot.
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