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

[72BlckButy]

Originally Posted by 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

I tried to not spray on the firewall markings, but let's see if anyone has any experience with this...

[oldblue1968chevy]

I believe it does I took mine off

I wish I had a pic or something to put them back on, what did they stand for anyway?

[theastronaut]

Here's my tip, I found this one out through personal experience. After spending many hours detailing the engine compartment in my car, I decided I'd finish it off with a spray it of quick detailer and wipe it down with a microfiber towel to get the dust off from it's first drive since the engine swap. Well, I bought Quick Detailer and Spray on Wax in nearly identical bottles, and guess which one I grabbed? Yep, the Spray on Wax. Now I've got a ton of white specs all in the nooks and crevices that are unreachable. The engine was slightly warm so the wax dried pretty quickly before I could wipe it all off. So, check your bottles before you spray...

[JBerno]

So is it better to have the engine warm before applying the simple green (or anything else)? it seems like this should be the case but just want to confirm.

Thanks

[HybridK]

I've got a power steering pump that spewed all over the place because it got over-filled. I'm not trying to show it or anything, but I would like to get the big stuff off to keep it from being an eye sore. Will it be possible to soak it in simple green for a while and pressure wash it off? I'm going to be commuting with this truck when I get home from asscrackistan and won't have the time to tear it apart. What are your thoughts?

[Stickman]

Originally Posted by 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.

X2 this stuff is great,I tried this cleaner on jcsbrat recommendation and it is awesome. I'm cleaning a greasy engine with it now and it is working great. The best thing is it the smell. I can't stand the smell of Simple Green but this stuff is almost odorless .
dunnez.com

Posted via Mobile Device

[LEEVON]

I have a cautionary tale. I had an engine out, on a stand. I degresed it pretty well, but it had aluminum heads and some paint flaking on the block. I decided to plug all of the exhaust and intake holes real well and lightly hit the trouble spots with the soda blaster. By the way, wal-mart plastic sacks make perfect plugs especially if you cram them in tight. The soda blaster did a nice job, took off some of the stubborn stuff and it came out real shiny. The problem came later when I started re-assembly. The first couple of accessory bolts wouldn't thread, then I started checking all of the bosses and most wouldn't thread. Turns out the soda went into holes, where there was still some moisture from cleaning and it turned hard as a rock. I had to chase many of the holes, and clean them out with a bottle brush. Still had issues and had to oil most of the bolts as well.

[midniteblues]

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.[/QUOTE]



this is crazy!dont ever stick your fingers in/on a running belt unless you dont want them!

[ls1nova71]

Anybody have any ideas on how to make a cast aluminum alternator look nice again? My last truck I actually bought a reman alternator just so it would look nice, worked, but not really the cheapest route.

[rcrahn]

Nothing better than steam for cleaning anything with caked on grease and oil. Find a steam cleaner near you and pay them (probably $40 but worth it) to do the engine compartment top to bottom. You'll be amazed....

[richards72chevy]

What do you guys think about pressure washing an engine thats out and may not be started for awhile?Exhaust manifolds intake carb distrubitor is all there.Im just concerened about water getting in to the cylinder walls and pistons and causing damage.Should i just wait until its in and started?

[71K20chevy]

When pressure washing an engine, it really is best to do bare block-heads instead of with everything on it, it'd probably be fine if you sealed it off plenty good but I personally wouldn't try it.

[TH3JUICEMAN]

When soaking in Simple Green and then power washing what parts in the bay should be covered or not exposed to high pressure water?
Posted via Mobile Device

[mpierce9]

Originally Posted by TH3JUICEMAN

When soaking in Simple Green and then power washing what parts in the bay should be covered or not exposed to high pressure water?
Posted via Mobile Device

Great question here. I'd like to take my truck to one of those DIY car wash places, remove the air cleaner, cover the carburetor with a plastic bag and spray that sucker off real good... Is this a bad idea? Could this negatively impact the engine?


If this is a reasonable approach, I'd like to spray on some Purple power and let it soak in beforehand.

Thoughts?

[Rich 5150 69]

Lower shock mounts for my `64 c-10 after sitting in white vinegar for four days.

[71K20chevy]

Well that's impressive! Thanks for the tip!

[thelawdoc]

Vinegar is really great for rust removal. Anytime I see it on sale, I buy it like there's no tomorrow. It is not an instant cleaner by any means, but it is damn cheap. Sometimes, I toss a part into the bucket and leave it for weeks until I get back to it.

[Senorx]

I'm degreasing my engine for the first time this coming Monday. Anymore words of wisdom for a newbie?

[thelawdoc]

Senorx, wear gloves. My fingerprint grooves and nails were black for a long time after I once cleaned an engine. No amount of scrubbing them got me through inspection by my old lady. The gloves might save you from a few nights on the living room couch.

[Senorx]

Originally Posted by thelawdoc

Senorx, wear gloves. My fingerprint grooves and nails were black for a long time after I once cleaned an engine. No amount of scrubbing them got me through inspection by my old lady. The gloves might save you from a few nights on the living room couch.

Good to know. I have a box of latex gloves.

[greystoke]

what do you guys recommend for cleaning LS motors? Do these require special handling?

[thelawdoc]

Graystoke, the only engine I have a clue about is my 250 I6. In general, I cover the distributor, coil, carb, air cleaner, and other electrical areas, and I use brushes and a bucket of water. I do not pressure wash the engine bay. It all cleans up pretty nicely and it is really no big chore. Take your lazy time. Have a look at what you are doing. Then use smaller brushes or rags to clean any areas that you did not get to with the larger brush. I suppose more experienced guys will use a hose, but I don't mind the slower, hand cleaning, method.

[NJ C10 Guy]

Stupid question here: if I take my time and mask off what needs to be masked off, would it be possible to paint my engine without removing it? It's not too messy under the hood, but the motor has paint flaking/chipping and it drives me crazy. I'd like to do a nice detail of everything, but it's pretty worthless if my engine looks like crap.

[thelawdoc]

NJc10Guy, My '66 c10 250 has room for a bed under the hood and I suppose the engine could be painted without removing it. Obviously, you are not going to get the paint job you would get if the engine were removed. I have read over and over again that the I6 250 is no big deal to take out. It seems to me that you would be spending a lot of time doing the masking that you mentioned, plus you might want to remove some accessories, hoses, etc. Look, every guy does his own paint job. You can spend a day painting or you can spend a week, and I am sure there are guys who will spend a month to get the result that they want. You get what you sow, I would say. Anyway, do what you gives you joy and enjoy what you did.

[piecesparts]

Originally Posted by NJ C10 Guy

Stupid question here: if I take my time and mask off what needs to be masked off, would it be possible to paint my engine without removing it? It's not too messy under the hood, but the motor has paint flaking/chipping and it drives me crazy. I'd like to do a nice detail of everything, but it's pretty worthless if my engine looks like crap.

Simple answer is yes. However cover the whole vehicle, the fumes carries small amounts of paint in them and it will settle everywhere you do not want it.