washing engine bay???

[rollin thunder]

Hey, I really want to clean the engine bay before installing new engine, whats the best way? I don`t have hot water to the pressure washer i was planning to pressure wash and use some kind of degreaser. cold and miserable but i think it should work.

[Jonboy]

I have had good luck with purple power and a pressure washer. Let it soak, rewet it, and get after it.

[Sabaka454]

You need a pressure washer if you want it really clean. See if you can borrow or rent one.

[Damon23]

Soak it with a heavy degreaser, let it sit, then come back and spray it off. Then go back with the degreaser and get out a brush and go to town and hit it with the degreaser again. It is not easy work but will pay off in the end. I had the motor out of my 79Z28 and did this but let it dry and masked off some things and took the time to hit all the places I wanted to hit with the satin black and the sides of the fenders with body color and so on. If you can take a day and do this you'll be happy in the end and it will be easy to maintain. This is only if you are going after a nice clean detailed bay. If you just want it clean, then you can skip all of the masking and such.

[rs74]

I usually get a couple of cans of Gunk brand or equivalent engine degreaser. I spray one can on and let it dwell for a good while sometimes a couple of hours. Then right before I wash it down I will spray the next can or what is left of the first on it and then power wash it. I never have hot water to the power washer and it works just fine. Of course I have 4000 psi washer and it does a great job. A smaller psi unit will do just fine just take your time and do a good job. Sometimes I will take a rag and wipe down the firewall real good to give that extra clean.

[rollin thunder]

Awesome! thanks for the reply guys, So degreaser let it soak and pressure it, sounds like a plan and damon 23 thanks for the input on the spraying. i have not decided if i am going to paint it or not I was going to base it off of what it looks like clean the paint seems fine just dirty as all get out

[Squareforceone]

i vote paint lol doesn't take that much time and is easy to do with the motor out, and it's cheap and makes it look so much nicer

[Damon23]

You'll be surprised how bad it will look when it is clean. You could just get lucky and just use a general cleaner with a rag and wipe it down after you pressure wash it and be fine. My pressure washer is 2700 psi and worked just fine. Just seize the moment while the motor is out and you can get to everything.
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[PAWS 72]

Don't use easy off what ever you do on the firewall or inner fenders. Unless your going to paint it


Just dont even ask.

[rs74]

Originally Posted by PAWS 72

Don't use easy off what ever you do on the firewall or inner fenders. Unless your going to paint it


Just dont even ask.

Sorry, probably was the last thing you was expecting after using it.

[andrewmp6]

You can use oven cleaner but you gotta get it all off before painting.

[Low87]

Soak in degreaser. Foaming tire cleaner works pretty well for cleaning up rubber stuff.

Use aluminum foil to mask off anything you don't want wet. Foil also works great as masking if you paint the bay. Conforms to odd shapes nicely.

As stated, pressure washer is best. I've gotten by with a good nozzle on a garden hose before, but also used wire brushes.

[motornut]

normally i use degreaser but I tried oven cleaner
didn't work as i thought it should on heavy grease
was washing undercoating gease off inner fenders
at a wash bay,with kinda hot water,i'll stick to degreasers

[Low87]

WD-40 does pretty good on tough spots too. Doesn't harm paint either.

[86swb]

That WD-40 is great for so many things.

[rollin thunder]

Got it done! will post pics later, my camera took a dump and will not get a chance to take any till monday. I ended up using this cleaner called awesome from the dollar store and the pressure washer it work great! just cold and miserable and paint isnt bad just 2 spots need to be taken care of the cross-member and down below where the battery tray goes. But will repaint it all as you pointed out might as well and Thanks for all the input guys!!

[eldogg]

Kerosene or Purple Power in a cheap pump up sprayer.

[rusty76]

I find that oven cleaner isn't as good as it used to be. So if you get lucky and some old lady is throwing out a can or two that is old, more than five years or better grab it. I had some that I bought years ago and sprayed it on and ran out. I got a new can of it and it do anything compared to the old stuff. Same brand just different make up I guess. Preasure washer is a great thing. Waitin on some pics now.....