cleaining the engine 1959 corvette HELP
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 123
Likes: 0
From: Edmond Oklahoma
cleaining the engine 1959 corvette HELP
Hello,
Going to take my 59 vette to a car show this weekend.
The judge last time said I lost BEST IN SHOW becasue my engine wasn't clean enough.
So this time I want to clean it.
I can wipe down most of the stuff but the engine block has some grease on it. If I can get that off should look good.
Any suggestions on how to do this? What would it use? Could it damage the orange paint on the engine?
Also what parts of the engine should I cover up to not get wet.
Thanks in advance,
Dean
Going to take my 59 vette to a car show this weekend.
The judge last time said I lost BEST IN SHOW becasue my engine wasn't clean enough.
So this time I want to clean it.
I can wipe down most of the stuff but the engine block has some grease on it. If I can get that off should look good.
Any suggestions on how to do this? What would it use? Could it damage the orange paint on the engine?
Also what parts of the engine should I cover up to not get wet.
Thanks in advance,
Dean
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 26,118
Likes: 1,874
From: Greenville, Indiana
Hello,
Going to take my 59 vette to a car show this weekend.
The judge last time said I lost BEST IN SHOW becasue my engine wasn't clean enough.
So this time I want to clean it.
I can wipe down most of the stuff but the engine block has some grease on it. If I can get that off should look good.
Any suggestions on how to do this? What would it use? Could it damage the orange paint on the engine?
Also what parts of the engine should I cover up to not get wet.
Thanks in advance,
Dean
Going to take my 59 vette to a car show this weekend.
The judge last time said I lost BEST IN SHOW becasue my engine wasn't clean enough.
So this time I want to clean it.
I can wipe down most of the stuff but the engine block has some grease on it. If I can get that off should look good.
Any suggestions on how to do this? What would it use? Could it damage the orange paint on the engine?
Also what parts of the engine should I cover up to not get wet.
Thanks in advance,
Dean
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 123
Likes: 0
From: Edmond Oklahoma
He then started chewing me out. I was scolded. He said : You just lost BEST IN SHOW' you need to clean your engine
I think he was thinking since the hood was down I was hiding something but I was not. I just like the cars with the hood down. I like looking at the lines.
Plus my engine is all original so I don't have the chrome stuff all over like some people.
Dean
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 2,097
Likes: 99
From: Boston MA
There's engine cleaning products made specifically for this purpose. But I too prefer Simple Green. I use a toothbrush to scrub away at some of the nooks and crannies.
You don't need to cover anything unless you remove the air cleaner for better access. Then you should cover the open carburetor. Leave the distributor ignition shield on the protect the distributor. Wax the shielding and the air cleaner cover for a spiffy look. Don't forget the inner fenders and firewall.
Griot's makes a product to spray on newly washed engines to make them look spiffy. Don't know if it's any good. I've been reluctant to use it because I suspect it contains silicone, and I don't want that substance on my car.
You don't need to cover anything unless you remove the air cleaner for better access. Then you should cover the open carburetor. Leave the distributor ignition shield on the protect the distributor. Wax the shielding and the air cleaner cover for a spiffy look. Don't forget the inner fenders and firewall.
Griot's makes a product to spray on newly washed engines to make them look spiffy. Don't know if it's any good. I've been reluctant to use it because I suspect it contains silicone, and I don't want that substance on my car.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 123
Likes: 0
From: Edmond Oklahoma
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 123
Likes: 0
From: Edmond Oklahoma
There's engine cleaning products made specifically for this purpose. But I too prefer Simple Green. I use a toothbrush to scrub away at some of the nooks and crannies.
You don't need to cover anything unless you remove the air cleaner for better access. Then you should cover the open carburetor. Leave the distributor ignition shield on the protect the distributor. Wax the shielding and the air cleaner cover for a spiffy look. Don't forget the inner fenders and firewall.
Griot's makes a product to spray on newly washed engines to make them look spiffy. Don't know if it's any good. I've been reluctant to use it because I suspect it contains silicone, and I don't want that substance on my car.
You don't need to cover anything unless you remove the air cleaner for better access. Then you should cover the open carburetor. Leave the distributor ignition shield on the protect the distributor. Wax the shielding and the air cleaner cover for a spiffy look. Don't forget the inner fenders and firewall.
Griot's makes a product to spray on newly washed engines to make them look spiffy. Don't know if it's any good. I've been reluctant to use it because I suspect it contains silicone, and I don't want that substance on my car.
Cool, so simple green is good on tough oil stains on engine blocks?
Your saying to just spray, scrub, then remove with shop towels?
Thanks,
DEAN
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Racer
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 357
Likes: 79
From: Marysville Washington
2023 Corvette of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
2022 C1 of the Year Winner - Unmodified
Go to your auto body paint store or NAPA and buy some wax and grease remover, put it in a spray bottle and spray the grease away. I have been doing this on my '60 for 20 years. No brushing required. Simple Green may work just as well but I have never tried it.
Good luck on your next show,
Kent
Good luck on your next show,
Kent
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 2,097
Likes: 99
From: Boston MA
Yes, Simple Green works great with a little scrubbing on tough oil stains. After scrubbing, I hose it off with water from a garden hose. I'm careful not to get too carried away with hosing down the engine.
Steam cleaning also works great. I don't know about those steam cleaning machines they sell for home use. I remember the steam cleaning ones at the self serve car wash. They were a combination of hot soapy water and high water pressure. The car wash didn't like you cleaning your engine. So you had to do it quick. If the high pressure and volume of water screwed up your car, then it wouldn't start, and you had no way to get home. Another problem is that when you cleaned the engine, it was still hot from driving to the car wash. Not a good idea to spray water on hot exhaust manifolds.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 957
Likes: 38
From: Morristown MN
Yes, Simple Green works great for degreasing, and REALLY great on white wall tires.
Mike
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 8,913
Likes: 283
I would not get any cleaner or water on the alternator or distributor. Plastic grocery bags and rubber bands work well for protecting them. Some cleaners can discolor aluminum so there's that.
A hot soapy pressure washer would work great. I have used a real steam cleaner 200* hot water pressure washer with a dish soap feed and that really works great, but will lift any loose or brittle paint right off. I have never used it on vette engine but have used it other vehicles.
A hot soapy pressure washer would work great. I have used a real steam cleaner 200* hot water pressure washer with a dish soap feed and that really works great, but will lift any loose or brittle paint right off. I have never used it on vette engine but have used it other vehicles.
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 26,118
Likes: 1,874
From: Greenville, Indiana
I sometimes flush and engine off with my hose hooked to the hot water heater in my garage. I also use the hot water hooked to my pressure washer and that works even better. Some pressure pumps don't like hot water though.
Racer
Joined: Aug 2013
Posts: 345
Likes: 29
From: Starkville Mississippi
I've been using Simple Green for years and it's one of the really good cleaner/degreasers. A word of caution however, rinse well as it is corrosive to aluminum and will, after time, erode enamel paint. Not saying don't use it, great stuff but, from experience, rinse very well. I treat most cleaned surfaces with WD-40 or similar substance.
I understand the US military was using full-strength SG to clean helicopters because it cleaned them so well without any scrubbing until they found it was compromising aluminum structures. Probably an urban legend but makes good copy.
I understand the US military was using full-strength SG to clean helicopters because it cleaned them so well without any scrubbing until they found it was compromising aluminum structures. Probably an urban legend but makes good copy.