Cleaning engine bay, what to use?

[frontierguy25]

Ok, everyone knows that my motor blew up, so entire under carriage and engine bay are covered in oil. I took a pressure washer to the bay last night and it took off all the big chunks of oil and dirt, now just need to get the rest of it off. I have an entire case of brake cleaner and can use that I guess but looking for Ideas that I can just pick up at the local parts shop.

Thanks guys

 

[jdub]

Simple Green at 50/50 works pretty well. Don't leave it on the aluminum parts too long, but it will be fine for the block and steel surrounding the engine.

 

[frontierguy25]

Yeah the engine is out and rebuilt and should be getting it back today. The engine bay has not much in it right now, until this weekend.

I'll try some simple green tonight.

 

[jetjock]

Kerosene, preferably applied with a sprayer. Cheap and effective...

 

[MA70witBoost]

Simple Green as previously stated and a sponge or soft bristle brush to loosen up the thicker dirt deposits. Degrease, scrub, rinse, repeat!

 

[gofastgeorge]

Simple Green, strait up, with a non-abrasive scrubby pad.
Brake clean will attack paint & plastics.
Solvents will just make a big grimmy flamable puddle under the car.

 

[Valley2]

I use Knights's Spray Nine. It's not as harsh as Castrol's Super Clean. Most paint stores carry it. Works better than Simple Green and doesn't eat aluminum.

 

[gaboonviper85]

I like to use paint brushes for cleaning...purple power consentrate "autozone", simple green consentrate...I don't mix with water though I just use the consentrate then scrub and rinse off with water....paint brushes get in the tuff spots that hands don't and aren't abrasive!

I used kero and a paint brush to clean my whole transmission and if you look threw my build thread you'll see how good it looked!

 

[mkIIIman089]

Kerosene, preferably applied with a sprayer. Cheap and effective...

Wait... for real? On painted surfaces?

(Probably no worse than brake cleaning it. LOL)

 

[ForcedTorque]

Are you going to have it sprayed, or are you just cleaning it up? I used simple green and a little toothbrush looking wire brush on mine before having it sprayed. No ill effects.

 

[frontierguy25]

Thanks guys, I ended up using my pressure washer and several cans of brake cleaner followed up by some simple green and it looks good now. My finger nails don't though.

 

[jugodegolf]

Dependending on how clean your going for, I would treat the engine bay paint just like my exterior (espesially while engines out) with a cleaning wax then a sealing wax. Meguires # 21 would be good.

Paintbrush is great idea for getting behind the hard spots.

 

[suprastanger507mgte]

Dependending on how clean your going for, I would treat the engine bay paint just like my exterior (espesially while engines out) with a cleaning wax then a sealing wax. Meguires # 21 would be good.

Paintbrush is great idea for getting behind the hard spots.

I agree. I always wax the engine bay too whenever I wax the car as long as it is clean. Waxing removes a lot of grime and residue quite well in there.

To clean up, I sprayed with the engine brite foamy cleaner as it clings and then take a small hand brush and scrub away. Once the grease and crap is loose, hose it off with good pressure. I al;ways go over this procedure a couple of times to make sure I get to most of the crud.
The take your time and wax everything

 

[jugodegolf]

If it's done regularly, the firewall and fender areas doesn't need much pressure. Best to use a leaf blower after. Spotless and easy.

 

[frontierguy25]

I know this is a couple days old, but a couple of you guys said to use Kerosene? I'm on to my tranny and it's pretty bad and caked with oil. I sprayed it with my pressure washer earlier to get some of the big stuff off. Does the Kerosene just eat away at the stuff and should I respray it after I use the kerosene?

Thanks

I'll post up some pics in a build thread once I get my camera back.

 

[jdub]

Respray it...the kerosene will loosed up the gunk (let it sit for a bit).

 

[frontierguy25]

I'm going to do that thanks. Also getting some more simple green to soak the rest of my parts in. Really want to paint my exhaust manifold, but afraid that it's just going to flake off. Would like to get it powder coated, but too much money rebuilding right now.

 

[jdub]

Powder coat is not going to handle the heat on an exhaust manifold anyway. It would need to be a ceramic coat.

 

[frontierguy25]

Powder coat is not going to handle the heat on an exhaust manifold anyway. It would need to be a ceramic coat.

That's what I was thinking. I'll call around and see what prices I can get on it.

 

[jdub]

I used to charge $100 for a turbo manifold...make sure they do the inside and use a 2000 deg F rated coating. Black is best on an exhaust manifold.