Where do you clean your engine?
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 4,971
Likes: 9
From: The reason time exists is so everything doesn't happen at once
Where do you clean your engine?
The time has come to give the engine in my 69 a thorough cleaning/ degreasing. It has become very dirty over the years, especially the rear at the fire wall. After sealing the distributor and taking other precautions against water damage I can take a power washer to it or soak it with Simple Green and scrub and hose it off. But what about the run-off? If I do it in the street and let everything wash into the nearest sewer, I'm sure that would bring me nothing but grief from every environmentalist in the county. Those garage floor pans that are used to catch oil and other fluid leaks don't hold more than a few cups. So where do you guys do your engine cleaning and how do you handle the run-off?
thanks
thanks
Burning Brakes
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 826
Likes: 0
From: Pearl MS
I used to do mine in the street and let the wash water go where it may. Now my home is 200 yards from the street and the street is significantly uphill from the house - so I do it in the gravel driveway - away from the house.
Safety Car
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 4,751
Likes: 2,497
From: Buckeye, AZ
St. Jude Donor '12-'13
I think a lot of this environmental stuff is funny..... you are worried about a little engine grease? What about the oil, grease, rubber residue and cig butts on the road. What about the settled gas, diesel, etc. fumes which wash away? What about the fertilizers from every field and yard? What about the cows crapping in a creek? What about the myriad of chemicals, soaps and debris which goes down the drain? Somehow I don't think you washing off your engine is going to hurt anything if you are on a public storm system....most of the water gets filtered anyhow. I am not advocating dumping toxic chemicals, designated as unlawful by the EPA (even thought they usually give us no mechanism to dispose of those as well), but I don't think cleansing off under hood dirt is any worse than washing your car in the driveway. The dirt you pick up came off the roads, out of the air, etc. I wash mine in the driveway.....where else would you go? Going to a car wash the problem is the same. Somehow collecting the runoff still means you have to do seomthing with it.
Pro
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 745
Likes: 0
From: Miami Florida
id love to see your maid! a maid in bankok sounds like a wonderful thing. i usually buy two cans of whatever gunk is the cheapest. blow a whole can on the side of the road on the way to the self service car wash and blow the second can when you get there. with a pressure cleaning wand. they have grease traps in their drains.
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Racer
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 428
Likes: 1
From: West Des Moines Iowa
Originally Posted by Bangkok Dean
I just asked her but her english is not so go 
Had to ask again where not how 
Had to ask again where not how 
Gonzo
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 8,295
Likes: 30
From: one night in Bangkok you are never lonely
Originally Posted by gonzo14
"Can I borrow your maid for cleaning my engine, and other things that might need tidying up"??
Gonzo
Gonzo
Racer
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 428
Likes: 1
From: West Des Moines Iowa
Originally Posted by Bangkok Dean
No problem but I might have to pay her more that the $100 a month she now gets for her 18/7 job, but she does a good job cleaning the house, bikes and three cars
Gonzo
Safety Car
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 4,176
Likes: 7
From: Jennings LA
Originally Posted by gonzo14
Well, at least its the thought that counts!! I think I will try to train my "blonde Bimbo" wife to clean a little more-----Hey, I know, maybe more shopping $$$, yeah, that might work...
Gonzo
Gonzo
Drifting
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 1,536
Likes: 10
From: Sault Ste Marie Ontario
Originally Posted by Star79
Self-serve car wash place. They're supposed to have filters etc and the right permits to drain/catch oily runoff.
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 4,971
Likes: 9
From: The reason time exists is so everything doesn't happen at once
Originally Posted by 427basketcase
I second the car wash, they even have a degrease setting on the wand that works pretty well.
