How do you clean Engine Parts?

[Wasserhaus1]

Sent: 6/2/2005 4:02 PM

A very naive question -- and you all can have a good chuckle -- but how do I go about cleaning the caked on oil on the outside of the pan (as well as other parts)?

The reason I am asking, is not only becuase I want to start cleaning it up, but am trying to find the source of on again - off again leaking oil.

Jim

[SmallDiscoveries1]

Sent: 6/2/2005 4:31 PM

I don't have an answer to your question. I have thought about it myself. I'm thinking about spraying it with a biodegradable degreaser and shooting it with a garden hose from below.

Now my questions to you are these: Have you been spying on me? Where did you get footage of me at the buffet?

Steve

[HeavyHaulTrucker]

Sent: 6/2/2005 6:04 PM

Do this in a "do-it-yourself" car wash.

Spray it with Gunk's "Engine Brite" spray, then let it sit for a while -- 10 - 15 minutes.  Spray it off with a high pressure wand.  Repeat as necessary (usually won't be needed, but might for a stubborn place).

You can get this stuff in 24 ounce spray cans at Auto Zone, O'Reilly's or WalMart for about $3.50 a can.  It works really good, too.

John

[poppinjohnnies]

Sent: 6/2/2005 6:06 PM

If the parts are removed from the engine, you can take them to an automotive machine shop.  They usually have a "hot tank" that they boil parts in.  It cleans 'em really well.  If they are on the engine -- get out the old trusty putty knife and safety glasses!

[OldEdBrady]

Sent: 6/2/2005 10:04 PM

Well, guess I'll give up the idea of Cheer, really hot water, followed by a Downy sheet in the drier. Doesn't appear that it'll work too well.

[denisondc]

Sent: 6/3/2005 7:31 PM

I might spray it with varsol, or gasoline, and scrub off the muck with a scrub brush or paintbrush. I might use Gunk, or any engine degreaser that has active ingredients like: sodium hydroxide (lye) or sodium metasilicate, or a butyl something, like butoxethanol. These are often found in commercial floor-wax stripping chemicals.

The simple application of pure laundry detergent (from a sprayer), then lettting it soak for 10 minutes, then and a series of different shaped scrub brushes and a rinse with a hose, will work almost as well.

After I clean the grease off the bottom of my winnny, I then spray it with a thin water-shield, such as WD-40, or any other flourinated hydrocarbon penetrating oil sort of stuff. It leaves a light coating of wax, and retards rust. For the axle springs, I coat the top leaf with 90 weight oil, so it wicks around and lubricates the spring. I put finger-tip of oil onto all of the brake fittings, also to retard rust.
A key point is to do this over a place where you are not trying to encourage grass to grow.

[poppinjohnnies]

Sent: 6/3/2005 8:31 PM

Oven cleaner works well.  Just be careful with it.

[Wasserhaus1]

Sent: 6/7/2005 11:46 AM

Hey everyone,

Thanks for the answers!

Interesting about the oven cleaner ( I have used it for other things) as I went to the local ShopRite and A&P for the Ha-Ha's stove cleaning and they both didn't stock it.  Wonder if it is a sign of the times - or a sign of my age and I was in the wrong aisle.

Jim

[denisondc]

Sent: 6/7/2005 12:42 PM

I looked up cleaning chemicals in the yellow pages, called till I found a business in a nearby industrial area that had heard of cleaners with butyl in them, went over and bought about 4 gallons of 2 types. One type has sodium metasilicate in it, the other type has the sodium hydroxide. You dont want to get a whiff of either, and you really need to keep the stuff away from kids. I use a spray bottle to apply it. One of them, I forget which, will etch aluminum, so I dont use it where there will be a lot of aluminum surfaces. The stuff sure cleans well, and luckily I dont have sensitive skin.

You can find similar liquids in the cleaners section of the auto parts places; Grease-Off being on
product name, but they want $5 for about 16 ounces, and a gallon of it is only about $12. I have even bought it in 5 gallons containers.

[Wasserhaus1]

Sent: 6/8/2005 2:33 PM

Denison,

Good tip.  I wouldn't have thought of searching out a resource such as that.  Being here in Northern NJ, I might even have a friend or two working at one of those places, saving me time making phone calls.

Thank you!

- Jim

[JCMAC]

Sent: 9/21/2005 7:14 PM

For an engine that is not too dirty, I use Simple Green about 8/1.  Have the engine warm, but not hot.  Spray and wash off not soaking the distributor or obvious electronics or electrical connectors.
John

[James E Vining]

Zep Industrial Purple Degreaser!!!!!!!!
This stuff is absolutely amazing, I used to be a 100% Devoted Castrol Super Clean User and then when Castrol sold it to Super Clean Products I was still a Devoted Fan and User, I loved using it as it was $5-$7 Per Gallon whereas ZEP is around $11 a Gallon and $40 for a 5 Gallon Jug.
At full strength it would dissolve grease, Oil/Grease/Dirt Goo you get on Tranny, Diff etc. But sadly in Jan 2013 Super Clean went and re formulated the Product now it barely removes Dirt and Dust   
ZEP Does an amazing Job but is hard on bare skin so gloves are advised and also it will remove paint if left on at full strength too long.

It will remove the Screen printing on Oil Filters too so all you will have is the Base color left no writing etc.

I have not found anything that you can spray on a Greasy Gooey Diff and just let it sit without brushing and when you go to rinse it off the Nastiness is gone.

I just tried it for the first time a couple days ago and am going to get another Gallon or possibly a 5 gallon jug and am going to wash the Bottom half of Engine and the tranny and the Steering Box, The MH must have had a leak and it has about 1/2 inch of the Oil/Dirt Goo accumulated on Oil pan and Tranny, The steering box had been leaking and so it has about 1" of goo and it helped spread its nastiness to drivers Brake Backing plate and anything rear of the Box to about 6 feet.

[pvoth1111]

Simple Green

[James E Vining]

I have tried Simple Green a few Times and to me it appears to be a great (Multi-Purpose) cleaner i.e. good for Door Panels, Steering wheel, cabinets, aluminum if not to greasy and for things needing a "Mild" cleaner but when it comes to the Nasty Chassis Grease Dirt buildup I have found on Engines, Trannys, Steering Boxes, Diffs and etc. it just seems to go to sleep and do nothing.
Now the ZEP stuff I would not use it on anything I mentioned above for "mild" unless it was diluted 20-1 or so but for the Nastiness I have found I have yet to find a water based cleaner that is Better, Sure Diesel, solvents etc. are superior but you cannot/should not rinse those off with a hose and let it drain into Storm drains where the ZEP and the Old Super Clean actually broke the grease grime down.