Best way to clean an engine?

Zona

Zona

Jase
Well my engine is/was covered in an oil/dirt concoction that makes it pretty apparent that there is an oil leak but I have to get it clean to find out exactly where it is. I used an entire can of "gunk" engine cleaner but that only moderately helped. I have a bottle of purple power and some wire brushes that I plan to take to it this weekend. You guys have any advice to offer on this subject?

ps I noticed after I sprayed off the gunk with a hose that there are recesses with bolts in them that make great pools for the water to collect and probably work its way into whatever holes the bolts are filling. Is this a major problem? How can I avoid it?
 
Power spray if you can borrow one (not TOO much pressure of course)?
Pressure wash at a car wash drive in bay maybe? Don't be in a hurry, you might not be able to drive off until some bits dry out. I'd think the best way to dry everything out is drive it.
 
GF's dad (keeping it at his house) has a pressure washer but that just seems like a bad idea to me. I was spraying the underbody of my truck with one and accidentally took off the factory decals instantly with an errant sway when I was trying to check out my progress. If it can take the decal off the body I'm sure it could do the same to the wires and hoses in the engine bay. But hey I'm the amateur here so if that turns out to be the SOP I guess I'll have to look into it. Just curious what threat does water by itself pose? Is it ok to douse the entire bay as long as I give it plenty of time to dry?
 
what I do

Get a good brush and loosen up the dirt/oil. Then spray "gunk" on the spot. Make sure it's the spray type not the foam. Gunk foam doesn't seem to work even half as good as the normal spray. Let it sit for 15 min to soak in, then spray off with water. Repeat as needed. Some jobs can take mutiple cans and it will depend mainly on how much dirt has stuck to the oil over time.

As for the oil leak, use cardboard under the engine to see where it drips from when parked. Then trace the fresh oil up. Usually it will go straight down from the source. It can blow towards the rear when it gets near air passing under when it's driven. The exception to this would be if something drips on a belt. It will then spray off, following an outward direction that the belt is traveling.

As for the holes, it should steam off when the engine is warm. Post a picture of the location of the holes to know for sure if there is any issue.
 
Think outside of the box on cleaners

A friend of my who used to work for a GM shop and with Caterpillar cleans his motors with Easy Off low flume over cleaner and hits it with a small plastics brush for the caked on areas then just hoses it off. It will not harm any of your hoses or wires but it will etch the aluminum so if you might want to clear coat it while your at it. His engine bay looks like a new car even thought its a Metro. Trying to get intrested in the X likes working on my and driving it sometimes. :grin:Loves the 500 in the Xbox race game So maybe when that start selling them here He might buy on then
 
HA!...I thought you were gonna say...

"His engine bay looks like a new OVEN even though its a Metro..."

Old trick and it does work... but many spray-on engine cleaners work even a bit better with less risk... but probably cost more!
 
Chris St-Louis said:
Why not farm it out. Get a detail shop to do it, the risk is on them.
Click to expand...
'Cause I'm 23 and have more free time than money.

The oil isnt leaking bad enough to make it to the ground but there was such a thick layer of crud on it (over 1/8" in some places) that I had to take a putty knife and actually scrape off parts of the oil pan and control arm which to me says the PO drove it down a dirt driveway frequently while it was leaking oil. I kinda wish I had taken some before pics.
 
Leave it parked at Bob Brown's house....

After 11 or so min, the lack of cleanliness will make Bob nutz and he will make it spotless for ya...

:)
 
With all that cleaning

You might find there's nothing left to absorb the small leak that you have. :eek:mg: Ha!

I'm hopeful for you that it can be addressed economically. Good luck!
 
Bug and Tar Remover (aerosol)

...I have been cleaning up my Zagato engine bay. It was heavily coated with thick gunky grease, cosmoline (rust protection) and a lot of years of nastiness. I bought several spray cans of Bug and Tar remover, which is basically kerosene with some additives. I let it sit for about an hour and went after what didn't just drip off with a wire brush and some rags. Worked amazingly easy. Most of the heavy stuff just dripped off on its' own.
 
I use any canned engine degreaser I can find, sometimes Gunk, sometimes Advance-Auto brand.

I spray the gunk on and let it sit for a while, then use my pressure washer (on low rpm). Pressure washer is fine, just don't spray into the engine itself (cover any openings) and not directly into the dizzy (or take the plug wires off and cover it with a bag).

After washing with the pressure washer i use compressed air to blow the water out of low spots.

Next step is to completely spray everything with WD40 (hoses, plug wires, engine, everything).

final is one more shot with the air hose to remove the water the WD displaces and the WD that is pooled.

If gunk doesn't get it the first time let the car dry, then spray again and let it sit longer in problem areas and brush it.
 
Cover the distributor!

What ever method you decide on place a plastic bag over the distributor cap and use a rubber band to help it hold it there. I have too often seen people not able to restart their car or it just plain runs like crap because the water/moisture gets trapped inside of the cap weather you aim water around it or not.
 
SERIOUSLY

The advantage of GUNK is that it's kind of oily. So you can let it soak for hours! It will soften up those hard deposits over time. Use it multiple times and rinse.

For the aggresive cleaners like myself though, use SUPERCLEAN. It has to be used with care, so not for the novice. But it will cut through the worst old hard oily crud better than anything. But it's NOT for repetitive use. It etches paint and metal. But for the one-time restoration, it's beautiful! Leaves metal bright!

Then maintain with GUNK (hold your nose).

High pressure with care. Generally only around the bottom of the engine and tranny. Those parts are always under pressure from the inside anyway.
 
cover the alternator

I once lost an alternator a few days after an engine shampoo. So cover it with a plastic bag as best you can. I recommend plastic brushes rather than wire, lest you scratch up a painted surface. I've had reasonable results with Purple Power, better results with Gemtek engine shampoo which I cannot find anymore. To get the pools of water out, compressed air, shop towels, or best or all... drive it!
Have fun,
Tim
 
BY THE WAY

That purple power is a SAD imitation of Superclean. Don't waste your money. Get the real thing. And toothbrushes are really handy too!

Have patience. It takes work to do it right. No miracles.

If you have an air compressor, use it to blow the water off the engine. No air compressor? Use a LEAF BLOWER.
 
While we're talking about cleaning

How do you get yellow road line paint off a car? I've tried bug and tar remover and mineral spirits, and I can't get it off.

Thanks,
Michael
 
eflexter said:
That purple power is a SAD imitation of Superclean. Don't waste your money. Get the real thing.
Click to expand...
You said yourself that "Superclean" is not for novices, I consider myself quite the novice. I have a full bottle of Purple Power and if that isn't enough to get it to satisfactory levels (probably still dirty by some people's standards but I have no show car aspirations) I guess I'll be forced to resort to more drastic measures.
 
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