Do's/Don'ts of Engine Cleaning (Tell us your experiences...)

[Dudewith4x4]

Thanks dude. Any suggestions on my build would be great. Check out my thread.

[badriv455]

Since we're talking about do's and don'ts of engine cleaning, my experience tells me don't do it. Haha. But I know that doesnt help anyone. I detail at a dealership and we degrease and powerwash the engines, but if they don't run right after it's not my problem, it just goes back to the mechanics. And about half of them don't. Its always the older or high mileage ones. So I'm lead to believe that if you have good ignition parts-spark plug wires, etc. you'll be fine. Also my boss says always turn on the A/C if afterwords to dry the compressor. Otherwise it can rust inside overnite and ruin it. Dunno if its true, I just do what he says.

[383Ram]

Your right about the ignition parts. I have seen many a decent running cars brought to a stop from faulty/old ignition parts getting wet---more specifically spark pulg wires. A really good quality wire will save you some hassles. If its an OEM application on a daily driver, i always insist on factory wires. If you happen to drive a Mitsubishi, i can not stress enough to get a factory wire (coming from experience working in a dealerships).

About the A/C compressor---i feel its a good idea to run it, but its not because the compressor itself will rust away, its the fact the you can get rust buildup on the clutch of the compressor. So yea, run it and get the clutch dried out.

If you have belt squeal, you can very carefully take a scotchbrite pad and lightly hold it to the inside of the belt while the engine is running. I can not stress the importance of being careful doing this so you dont get your hand caught in the pulleys/and/or mechanical fan. All your tring to do is deglaze the belt some. It might just save you from buying new belts if the old ones are still decent.

[70k52wd]

Originally Posted by cdowns

soaking the exhaust manifolds for a couple of days in a tub of vineager would amaze you

i'd spend a saturday with a can of carb cleaner on the manifold and the front of the block then spray with engine enamel

After the vinegar soak, do you just rinse, dry and paint?

I'm trying to figure out if this stuff from Eastwood called pre paint prep is the same as carb cleaner as far as a prep for paint. http://www.eastwood.com/eastwood-pre-painting-prep.html

I know carb cleaner is harsh stuff, and a lot cheaper than the Eastwood product. Carb cleaner is what lifted my paint to begin with when I was cleaning my intake. BUT, when carb cleaner dries does it leave the surface ready to paint, or primer, then paint?

OR, should I just use simple green? My engine is already relatively clean, light light grease. Is the surface ready for paint after rinsing and drying with simple green?

[Benelli]

Originally Posted by Benelli

So you're saying a bucket of simple green and an electric toothbrush and a 24 pack of Energizers and a few years in the garage and I'll have this ol' guy looking clean?

I bought a different air cleaner. So I have that much less to do.

Well I got somewhere. It's hard to keep a truck clean when you live out "here" and with this melting snow....sometimes it's fun to throw some mud.

[72BlckButy]

Progress is progress.... and I know all about gravel roads.

[jcsbrat]

DUNNEZ this stuff is AWESOME!!!!! Its A CONCENTRATE and you use straight on or dilute with water for different applications. My favorite part is it smells like cherry and is non-toxic, like you could take a bid swig and not worry about a thing. I personally have used it to clean oil off a motor block, degrease a commercial used deepfryer, use to clean the greasy floor, ink out of clothing, food stains out of a carpet and to clean windows. I LOVE THIS STUFF. And its pretty cheap. Dont be afraid to haggle with them.


dunnez.com

[TomJohnston]

Originally Posted by 383Ram

If you have belt squeal, you can very carefully take a scotchbrite pad and lightly hold it to the inside of the belt while the engine is running. I can not stress the importance of being careful doing this so you dont get your hand caught in the pulleys/and/or mechanical fan. All your tring to do is deglaze the belt some. It might just save you from buying new belts if the old ones are still decent.

Don't ever do this. My dad had his thumb taken right off when it got grabbed by a belt and pulled it through the pulley. Never, ever, ever do this.

[70k52wd]

That's the mental picture I had when I read that remark, fingers flying.

[leddzepp]

Simple green works great for clean up on an engine that is already relativley clean to begin with and touching up/maintainance. If you want to get 40 years of grease build up removed initially, POR Marine clean is the only way to go. It makes grease fall off like butter.

[ETsC10]

Glad you brought that up leddzepp.

Years ago, I had access to commercial bilge cleaner.
The stuff works better than anything I've ever used
for tough, caked-on grease.

[oldblue1968chevy]

can you pick up the amazing marine cleaner in parts stores or something? I vote for purple power..stuff worked wonders on my crappy engine bay made it better than it was...hopefully this summer it'll look GOOD.

what can I spray on my slotted wheels to clean that wont hurt em (too much time polishing to ruin em). And will they oxidize after polishing should I wax em up after??? thanks keep it commin'

[leddzepp]

Originally Posted by oldblue1968chevy

can you pick up the amazing marine cleaner in parts stores or something? I vote for purple power..stuff worked wonders on my crappy engine bay made it better than it was...hopefully this summer it'll look GOOD.

POR is not sold by many vendors....however I was at a local Carquest the other day, and they did have some POR products on the shelf. I usually buy mine from ebay now.

I use purple power too, it is my second choice. I bought a 5 gallon bucket of it from Home Depot and that is what I use to soak parts in in a large tub. After parts sit in it a few days the same effect, grease falls off like butter.

[oldblue1968chevy]

so vinegar or sandblasting, im on a budget but could afford the extra $ if its that much of a difference. I gota gallon of white vinegar but I dont think its gonna be enough...

So how many gallons of vinegar for 2 ram horn manifolds. or should i just blast em? and what should i paint it with?..

[oldblue1968chevy]

ok i just pulled my motor I need some stuff you put on and it comes off like butter with garden hose...

what can i get at the parts stores/locally that works good getting oldnasty CRAP off?

[82chevy350]

whats the best thing to clean rusty headers with

[oldblue1968chevy]

headers or exhaust manifolds

I dont know either one, may try wire brush (cheapest) but longest time taking...ll

[RemingtonSteel]

since i just spent 3hr under the hood polishing i figured i would chime in. i start off with simple green to get ride of any grime and to clean the firewall and fenders. next i use eagel one neverdul polish on all the chrome apply and let sit to a glaze and buff to shine with rag. for my billit i use maguires alum polish and a buffer to bring them to a shine. i also use tire spray not foam for the plastic pieces to give a shine a little goes a long way. why do we do it???

[Dudewith4x4]

Originally Posted by Dudewith4x4

Well Im doing this to this engine

-Cleaning the engine wells.
-Removing The wheel wells and repainting them.
-Removing the headers, sandblast them, and Paint black.
-Getting a new manifold( Holley) and A chrome carb(Edelbrock)
-New Chrome Valve Covers (Edelbrock) (already bought)
-Painting fire wall.
-Buying new Chrome Air cleaner(EdelBrock)

Heres the before. Please visit my Build thread (http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=377155) to watch the progress in coming weeks. Thanks Ross.

Here was the finished product before I sold it

[Trailrider95]

Tryin to resurrect an old thread here, was wonderin if any of yous have new methods/ new products to use?

[pig rig]

I just read through all the pages on this thread and it made me think of a cleaner degreaser I used years ago called SLAM its not the same as another cleaner out there called grandslam. anyways this stuff worked great spray it on and hose it off and if you let it set for a bit it would take most heavy grease off so I started looking for it and found it its made by a comany in stockton ca

http://www.goestores.com/storename/p...care/home.aspx

they make a lot of cleaning and detailing supplys if you click on cleaners you'll find it and it isnt cheep but you delute it with water 5 gallons lasted me for about 3yrs and I wash and detail a lot of cars and I used it to clean alot of other stuff

[Vernski]

Pig Rig witch one was it? I didn't see anything called Slam on the link...Vernski

[Cooper33]

I'll be getting some of the simple green and see how it works on the 44 years of build up dirt, grease and oil in this engine bay. I'll post before and after pics and what was done once complete, but for now - only before pics.

[jimmyballpeen]

Does simple green or purple power take off firewall markings? I am going to clean 40 years of oil off my engine bay and would like to keep the firewall markings

[BigDan3131]

THE best oil remover I have ever used is called Oil Eater but the first thing I would do is find a place renting a steam cleaner not a pressure washer. Cover the Dist. and Alt. with plastic bags and completely bag your carb or FI. Next raise the vehicle off the ground with ramps or if at home jack stands and go for it. After that you will probably need a couple good scrapers lots of rubber gloves and eyewear and scrape off what didn't come of with the steam. Get some Easy Off oven cleaner and hammer that on, let it work then resteam clean.