My '81 has the original engine and over a 100,000 on it. It is clean considering the years and mileage but can definitely use some work to clean it up a little more. What have you guys found to be the best thing to clean it with? I have used simple green and brushes before but not sure of what might be better out there nowadays.

I need to replace a valve cover gasket so I figure ghats an excuse to clean up and paint the covers so I might as well clean the rest of it to match the work done to the rest of the car.

 

simple green is great that along with brake cleaner. I have even used a steam cleaner to bust through some of the grime on my engine and engine bay area.

hth,

Sully

 

If you have an air compressor, harbor frieght sells an engine cleaning wand that works really well. I've used it, and it didn't shoot out too much to make a mess, like a pressure washer would. It just put out little, but under nice pressure.

The nice thing about it, is that you can use the wand to reach into places that out be hard to reach.

http://www.harborfreight.com/engine-...gun-68290.html

 

Hey Milo30:

All of the above posts are good. I've tried them all before and they work well, however several years ago, I found a cleaner at costco that IMHO works better.

It is called Oil Eater. It is sometimes available in Costco's auto section... but unfortunately, not always... The Costco business stores sell it in 5 gallon buckets as well in their cleaners section, although the price per gal is no cheaper than getting the gallons. If Costco doesn't have it, it is also available at O'Reillys Auto Parts, however the price is not as good, and they dont sell fthe full size gallon jugs... It's a slightly smaller jug...

This stuff works great. I spray it on the entire engine compartment (cold) with a garden sprayer undiluted, the underside of the hood, firewall, up underneath, etc.etc. You can watch the dirt/grease melt and run off. Then I hit it with the garden hose and down the drain the grease goes.... Caked grease needs additional work of course, but for most grime, it just washes off.

In the shop for dissassembeled parts it works great too. Oiil eater makes the very difficult to remove "varnish" from engine parts easy work as well. Just spray on, rinse off.

The only disadvantage I see in using it is that it is a harsh cleaner. It plays havoc with your hands if you don't use gloves. I wouldn't use it on a car interior except as a spot remover... without diluting it.

Honestly folks, this stuff has totally changed the way I used to clean stuff up... Way better...

Give it a try....

Good luck

P.S. Oil Eater is unmatched at cleaning your dirty shop floor too.....

 

For cleaning the engine/compartment...if the car is in running order...buy 2 or 3 cans of engine degreaser and drive it to the local quarter car wash (when it's not busy). Spray the areas you want cleaned with the degreaser. Remove air cleaner and cover carb with a bag if you want...or make some kind of 'cap' for the carb and shoot it with degreaser, too. Wait 10-15 minutes and wash off with the hi-pressure wash setting. Be careful around labels and flimsy electrical connectors so that the pressure doesn't do any damage to therm.

If needed, drive it a bit so engine heat evaporates the water and run it through another "wash cycle". This is a lot easier than trying to get all the crud off a dirty engine in your garage.

 

I think I will give the wand a try maybe with the oil eater our just the simple green. A new harbor freight opened up by my house a week or so ago.

The engine has definitely been cleaned throughout it's life but it is about time for another cleaning. The oil and crud buildup is pretty minimal considering the mileage and age.

 

I have done it that way for years. You may want to do it later in the evening. Some of the car washes will not allow engine cleaning anymore. I think its more of a environmental thing now.

 

That's why I mentioned doing it at times when it isn't busy. They don't want the wash stall held up for the time it takes for the engine work.

 

I have used the Costco oil eater for a variety of cleaning projects including engines, and it works great.

 

Got a portable steam cleaner? Power washer?

 

After Oil Eater was mentioned earlier, I went out and checked the reviews on it, and they looked really good. I went out and baught some from Oriellys, and gave it a shot on my garage floor. I must say it did an excellent job.

The will definately use it the next time I go to clean the engine bay.

 

When I was a teenager, I had a '72 Buick Skylark. It was basically a '72 Chevelle with a Buick grill and tail lights. Anyway, one day I decided the engine needed cleaning, so I started lookin' around the house for some stuff to clean it with. Found Mom's Easy-off oven cleaner. I said "Man, this stuff should work great!". It did. In fact, it worked way too well. Melted the paint off. Then it got rusty. Don't use oven cleaner to clean your engine. Ever since then, I have always just used either Foamy Engine Brite, or Gunk.


Keep the shiny side up!
Scott

 

I like to use purple power from oreillys with a toothbrush and rags. Acetone and a small steel brush works great on cast aluminum.

 

Make sure you read the label on the oil eater or whatever product you use, some of that stuff will do nasty things to aluminum.

Tim

 

lol scotty some secrets r best left unsaid...........hahahah

 

 

I think I'll pick some up and give it a try.