What's the best concoction for degreasing an engine?

I'm in the process of doing a lot of degreasing in the engine bay of my '49. I swear it's the first time it's been addressed since day 1. I'm sure all of you have you're preferences. What works best for you? What is a super degreaser that has "instant" results. Somebody sold me one of these "Green" cleaners and told me that "I wouldn't believe the results"... works like ****. What do you use?

 

i've used dish soap and a brush before. but that was when the engine was pulled. good luck.

 

A buddy of mine used Mr Muscle oven cleaner to remove crud from a 3306 cat in an old kenworth. Said it worked awsome, however, I've heard that it may remove paint also. Don't know if he applied it to a hot or cold engine.

 

i've used alot of "gunk" brand degreaser with ok results, also easy off heavy duty oven cleaner but i would watch any plastic wiring insulation or the like. i mainly use a hotsy high pressure high temp power washer it's my favorite.

 

oven cleaner.... even strips the paint!!

 

Well the engine is out and sold... so yes, I will try anything. I'll give the oven cleaner a go! thx.

 

I use oven cleaner on the engine and greased lightning for every thing else. oven cleaner will strip paint but also oxidizes aluminium badly

 

I've had good luck with dawn dishsoap and a stiff brush. Squirt the soap on the grease and scrub, then just hose it off. If you get the oven cleaner, get the stuff that doesn't require the oven to be hot. I made that mistake once, and it didn't really do much of anything for me.

 

Go to Home Depot. Get a gallon of Zep Industrial Purple and a spray bottle. Soak the motor in it. Wait a few minutes and then pressure wash.

Normally does it in one shot. But may need to repeat if neccessary.

I wet the fenders and hood so that it wont stain them.

Do not get it on the fenders. It will ruin the paint.

 

If you are trying to save the paint, Pressure wash it, scrub witha hard brush, anytpye of degreaser, repeat process. If you dont care about the painte, pressure wash it, knopck the big stuff off, Oven Cleaner, brush and let it foam, It will take the paint and light rust off

 

make sure you use the oven cleaner outside, maybe even wear a mask cause that stuff burns when you breath it and it even irritates your eyes

 

SUPER...VARSOL work's very well if you brush it. but the best and EASY'EST thin i have found ( when the car is driveable ) go to the carwash and set the dial on soap, just shoot all over the engine and engine bay. then set on rense and shoot all the **** away. man talk about a good job, and easy too...POP.

 

We always used granular dish soap mixed with liquid dish soap into a liquidy paste. The chlorine fumes are nasty so good ventilation is a must. Rub it on the motor with a stiff brush and just hose off. Low pressure works well. Wear gloves, it will **** all the oils out of your skin as well.

 

I use a product that I get from my local Napa in 5gal tubs called "Oil Eater" and just spray it on, brush on the thick areas and hose off. It also works wonders on the oil spills in the driveway that give off that rainbow affect for you neighbors to see every time it rains. Just a few drops on the spill and it goes away.

Kevin
LFD Inc.

 

My process is usually a variation of this:

oven cleaner (cheap from wal-mart)
Zep purple power (from the depot)
dawn with a brush
carb and choke cleaner and/or engine degreaser from the parts house (house brand is cheaper)
dawn with a brush again
anything left is usually burned on and gets a wire wheel

 

Kerosene is inexpensive, relatively safe to use and very effective at removing oil and grease. Just spray it on, let it sit for a while, move around a bit with a brush and then rinse it off with more sprayed kerosene.

A cheap natural bristle brush will speed things along while the item being cleaned is still damp/wet with kerosene. High pressure air will blow the part clean and dry once the grease and oil has been loosened from the surface.

Kerosene is harmless to paint, rubber and metals. It has only a mild odor and can be absorbed by newspaper spread beneath the item being cleaned. Any drips you miss will quickly evaporate.

Though it is relatively safe from being ignited accidentally, I'd only use it outdoors and well away from ignition sources. Be sure to disconnect and remove your battery...just to be totally safe.

I'd follow up with a water-soluable solution such as Simple Green or Gunk degreaser to get any remaining dirt and oil residue off prior to painting.

Good luck!

 

i hate the smell of gunk! but oven cleaner or industrial stuff seems to get best results other than a s****er!

 

You been looking over my shoulder? The only thing I do different is pressure was a couple times in between steps.

 

I can't believe how well the HD easy-off oven cleaner worked for me,,,my engine and transmission got sprayed down and came out very clean.

I've used the common automotive degreasers with mixed results,,,it's easy-off from now on. HRP

 

I have used laundry soap mixed with warm water in a bucket and a brush. It seemed to cut throught the grease pretty darned good and I already had it at the house.

 

Go get yourself a regular old can of original Goop hand cleaner (the white jello type stuff)...smear it all over the motor with your hands, wait half an hour and smear some more on...wait half and hour and then give the engine a good scrub with a brush and wash it off...it works like a mother****er, doesn't eat the paint and makes cleaning your hands afterwards really easy

 

Dawn is great if you have paint that is good, it does not bother it. Good for periodic cleaning too.

 

Ya I just tried oven cleaner for the first time, getting bored here without a shop and the winter isn't friendly to hot rod work, but got a air cleaner that was all greasy so I figured I might as well clean it up.

Took the grease, paint, and rust right off. Let it sit for 10 mins or more and you'll be able to hose most of it off. Br*** brush took out the grease out of the nooks and crannies.

 

Castrol Super Clean works great.

Jon

 

It's in the shop.. pressure washing isn't an alternative at this time.

 

Interesting..... Hmmmm....

 

I actually figured the Goop thing out by accident, I was doing all the usual BS of cleaning a motor in a buddy's Rambler and nothing was working, so as I was cleaning my hands off some of the Goop dropped onto the valve cover on a spot that I couldn't get the baked on grease off of...and voila, the **** wiped right off...then it hit me, Goop is made to cut through grease in the first place

 

I've used the goop also, but generally on parts I've taken off and have in the sink. Didn't think of it for the motor but you're right, it's great in taking off grease and grime.

 

i like oven cleaner. i get mine from the 99 cent store, cheap easy.

later jim

 

i used industrial strength deg-greaser then hit it with hot water gurney. came up fairly clean. Got it washed at the machine shop afterwards too..