Engine Cleaning Tips
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 1,601
Likes: 52
From: Jefferson City MO
Engine Cleaning Tips
I went out and bought a truck load of simple green, have many towels, and engine dressing supplies. Now I want to know if there is any way to speed up this process. By hand, it will take several hours, but surely someone found a way to do this without getting the engine bay wet (gotta love the opti).
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 9,884
Likes: 3
From: Magnolia Mississippi
St. Jude '03-'04-'05-'06-'07
by hand is the best, consider the age of the parts your working with... yea alot of time results in great effect:
but one thing i did get that really helped was one of the portable hi pressure steam cleans like at walmart, about $50, and it did help clean the grease...
but one thing i did get that really helped was one of the portable hi pressure steam cleans like at walmart, about $50, and it did help clean the grease...
Instructor
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 136
Likes: 0
From: Fountain CO
But if you do a search there are lots of great posts on this subject 
.
Just kidding with Vinnies87 , It's a canned response lately that made me laugh. I've been lurking for a year or so and I see these type of posts weekly. 
Seriously, by hand is the best way. It's a slow process, but it's worth it. My LT1 looks new. However, I wish it looked as beautiful as Vinnies87 motor does
.
.Just kidding with Vinnies87
, It's a canned response lately that made me laugh. I've been lurking for a year or so and I see these type of posts weekly. Seriously, by hand is the best way. It's a slow process, but it's worth it. My LT1 looks new. However, I wish it looked as beautiful as Vinnies87 motor does
.
Instructor
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 177
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From: Eau Claire WI
Instructor
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 164
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From: Cleveland Tennessee
Don't know what year your car is but if you have a LT motor I would stay away from any water under the hood esp. a pressure washer the opti-spark is very sensitive to water and a very expensive repair....
Racer
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 430
Likes: 18
From: Minnesota
I just want to say I hate simple green. On a Camaro I used it to clean around the engine area and it ruined some of the painted areas in the engine compartment. The flat black finish on the fender areas become soft and mushy after the application of simple green and you could pretty much scrape the paint off with your fingernails. Pretty much when you wiped it off with a paper towel the paper towel would stick in the paint.
It was weird. Ever since that incident I am afraid to use simple green on anything due to fear it will wreck stuff.
It was weird. Ever since that incident I am afraid to use simple green on anything due to fear it will wreck stuff.
Advanced
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 78
Likes: 0
From: OHIO
I'm curious, since I have been reading the forum, I have heard all these horror stories re: water and the Opti. Hasn't anyone tried to just put a line of silicone caulk around the seal to see if this protects against water getting in???
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Team Owner
Joined: Oct 2000
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From: Fort Knox, KY
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Another problem is, the Opti is very hard to get at without removing the water pump and it only takes about a thimbleful of strategically-placed coolant in an early, unvented Opti to take one out.
Last edited by onedef92; Apr 27, 2007 at 10:14 AM.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 2,143
Likes: 489
From: Leonardtown Maryland
I have not needed to do anything to mine yet, but do to the location of the Opti I don't think you could get close enough to it to do a good application of silicon without removing it. Plus the heat and composition of materials may not allow it to stick very well. You are probably better off keeping it dry.
Racer
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 407
Likes: 0
From: Alma AR
I have a 1990 (L-98) and thus a normal distributor. I've seen various threads regarding spraying water under the hood. I can tell you that I've done it numerous times without any harmful effects. All you have to do is clean where the dirt is, usually not near the distributor, and dry the car as soon as possible afterwards. The engine bay is not totally sealed from the outside environment, and if you drive in the rain water will get in there. But in the end, everyone has to make their own decisions.
Team Owner
Joined: Oct 2000
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From: Fort Knox, KY
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When the 1992s were first produced, Opti failures ranked among the first technical service bulletins released.
Team Owner
Joined: Oct 2000
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From: Fort Knox, KY
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Mine still sparks like new money, too. But I've never hosed my engine down and won't. Just Simple Green and shop towels.
Drifting
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 1,771
Likes: 1
From: Cuyahoga Falls Ohio
Pro
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 560
Likes: 0
From: Lovettsville VA
maybe i'm the only lucky one here (should play the loto i guess) but i've soaked the engine twice now to clean it using a variety of cleaners and (gasp) a hose (eek) have had no issues with the opti or other. guess i shouldn't push my luck but now that it sparkles i should be able to just do touch up stuff.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 3,194
Likes: 27
From: Monroe Twp, NJ
I just want to say I hate simple green. On a Camaro I used it to clean around the engine area and it ruined some of the painted areas in the engine compartment. The flat black finish on the fender areas become soft and mushy after the application of simple green and you could pretty much scrape the paint off with your fingernails. Pretty much when you wiped it off with a paper towel the paper towel would stick in the paint.
It was weird. Ever since that incident I am afraid to use simple green on anything due to fear it will wreck stuff.
It was weird. Ever since that incident I am afraid to use simple green on anything due to fear it will wreck stuff.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 9,884
Likes: 3
From: Magnolia Mississippi
St. Jude '03-'04-'05-'06-'07
Not to hijack the thread, but I don't quite get the people complaining you should do a search. They have more important things to post? They want to keep posting to a minimum so there are no new posts? What's the difference between the 100th thread on how to remove the battery, versus a new thread on 07 Z07 versus Ford Focus?
Dale, the info to search is not a complaint, it information, you search and you get the combined info of all information related to your question from a wide selection of views. The difference is, why post a question about something when its already been answered. The function is available and works, so why not use it, only reason not to is "lazy"....