Cleaning

[sdsurf]

What does anyone think the best way is to clean engine parts, big engine, trans and beyond. You know taking 30 yrs of road grime, dirt and grease off of engines, trans and suspension parts. I hate getting dirty when I swap stuff so I try to clean clean clean first. I have tried all engine degreasers and they work to a point so I am curious as to what everyone else uses...

[Pacific coast Datsun]

I use that foamy engine brite stuff in a spray can. Works ok but youll need a scrub brush to loosen the stubborn grease & crap. Rinse with a high pressure water nozzle but wear goggles,that stuff goes everywhere. It'll take a few times before parts get clean. Or Simple green works great too,full strength [dont dilute it].

[Fineline]

I second Pac's suggestion but would like to add that you shoud hook up the pressure washer to a HOT water source.

[Jester]

I like SuperClean myself. Rinse with the pressure washer. Never tried Simple Green. Is it better?

[Pacific coast Datsun]

Simple green on painted & dirty surfaces [not heavy grease] kicks ass! Like lets say the underside of your hood,it's dirty but not full of grease.

[Jester]

Well, now that I have to reclean the enigine bay, radiator leak, I'll have to pick up some SG and do a little comparison.

[Bent]

There used to be an available product called Wesley's Clear Magic. It was cold water activated and brilliant at cleaning anything I threw it at. Some plumbers installing fire pipes in an office building had rubbed mass amounts of black pipe grease all over newly installed white fabric wallcoverings, and Wesleys took it right out! Naturally i proceeded to try it on my vehicles (and red dog vomit stain on an expensive bedspread), and it never let me down. Biodragable like simple green, 50 times better, but i've not seen it for 15 years, at least. Hot water deactivates it, btw.

 

I try simple green every 2 years, have never been but mildly amused by it. No matter what i choose to clean with it, there is always a better product available. But i give the marketing gurus credit, for suckering me again. As was stated by Pacific Coast Datsun, it is awesome for dirty things, like bottom of the hood, and safer on paint than many more efficient choices. But for grease, like what is again embedded in my knuckles and pores, Gunk Engine Brite rocks. I have just tried my first of many cans of the newer foamy stuff, its pricey, but most impressive. Then again, kerosene or paint thinner are cheap and quite effective too. I know several pros that only clean with gasoline, and naturally, their all heavy smokers to boot. go figure

[exit64]

I like Awsome Orange from the dollar store. It cuts the crud better than any other product that I have used. The best part, it's only a dollar a spray bottle. Seems to be easy on paint too if you don't let it sit too long.

[MikeRL411]

Whatever you do, do not try spray oven cleaner! It is hypergolic with engine oil and gasoline. If you would like to see what standing under a Titan 2 at ignition looks like, go ahead, but first be sure your life and fire insurance are paid up.

[Pacific coast Datsun]

Whatever you do, do not try spray oven cleaner! It is hypergolic with engine oil and gasoline. If you would like to see what standing under a Titan 2 at ignition looks like, go ahead, but first be sure your life and fire insurance are paid up.

Oven cleaner will also remove paint if it sits long enough & is scrubbed into the surface. Best way no matter what your using is to spray,scrub,rinse,repeat !

[Phlebmaster]

When I cannot get my engine wet with water I use brake cleaner...2.50 a can and stripps all the grease off and usually leaves the paint alone.

 

Works very well!!:cool:

[0.C.]

oxy-acetylene torch with a puty knife and wire brush.jk.

I usually use super green or that engine degreaser with the orange cap.

[flyerdan]

If you have compressed air available, get one of those Harbor Freight engine cleaning guns and a gallon of Arrow-Solv. Very inexpensive and it does a surprisingly good job; with the angled tip on the gun you avoid a lot of the blowback to the face.

[fiveNdime]

I would personally use a hot water pressure washer. Its the only way to really get it spotless.....kinda like hot tanking it. I then use the foamy engine degreaser and wash it off with soap and water followed by a hot water rinse......sounds like allot of work but it will pay off.