Cleaning your rig's engine/ under body? (1 Viewer)

[FJWhat]

Hi, I was just curious as to how everybody cleans their engines and underside (axles, brakes, drive line components, etc.) I was working on my truck the past couple of days and was just disgusted at how much grime, dirt, and grease had built up over the past 24 years. I'm afraid to use a high pressure sprayer like at a car wash, but maybe I'm just being too worried.

Thanks!

 

[orangefj45]

i like using simple green cause it's at least bio-degradeable.

i'll start by generously spraying the cold engine compartment with it and then let it "perculate" for 15-30 minutes. then i hit it with the high pressure washer. turns out pretty well.

 

[CodeRed]

Don't worry about the pressure washer. I used one on mine and it turned out well. I'd simple cover/lube/grease the electricla components and connedtions and have at it

 

[High Desert]

I spray what ever cleaner I'm using on a warm to hot engine, LET THE ENGINE COOL TO TOUCH TEMP. BEFORE YOU THROW A BUNCH OF COLD WATER ON IT, (Can you say cracked manifold?)

I take plastic shopping bags and rubber band around the alternator, coil, a/c compressor and any thing else I don't want h20 getting into...Then I have at it with either high pressure or what ever. I also use a long handled brush on the fender wells to get between the wires,lines etc under there.

Sometimes I do it at home sometimes at the car wash, If at the cara wash I spray the cleaner on hot engine while I cover stuff, let it cool or stay away from the manifolds with the spray.

If you get water on the top of the air breather it will settle in the deep grooves around and create Rust. It takes days for this stuff to evaporate out, so cove the air breather too. I had a fj40 that rusted out from the h20 sitting in these grooves.

The photos show the results of continue up keep on the engine compartment. I only do a deep clean once a year, I regularly hose off dust with the garden hose. I'm in a desert inviroment so I see very little mud up under there.

 

[Max.Powerzz]

For cleaning mud from underneath your rig, I've heard the tip of hooking up a sprinkler to a hose and setting it under your rig for a while. Of course, I'm in a 17 story high-rise with no hose access but someday...

 

[High Desert]

Yeah for under neath..a good degreaser, a creeper and a high pressure hose...Or go to a steam cleaner, any big truck shop will have one and some detail shops keep them too. The steamer will do the trick..right down to bare metal..so if you are in a Rust Belt..now you got a new problem..

 

[CodeRed]

Use a high pressure air hose or for lack of one, a leaf blower to dry the engine. It'll get to those hard to reach cracks and crevases and dry them out well.

Starter/wire dryer type aresol sprays also work well for cleaning tough grease and they dry out immediately.

 

[orangefj45]

here's one i heard a few years ago while playing in the mud in OR:

spray the underside of the rig with PAM (the cooking spray) and the mud will come off much easier or not stick in the first place. bio-degradeable as well!

 

[FJWhat]

Cool, thanks. Now that it's finally warming up I can get to cleaning my truck.

 

[Spook50]

I've heard a vapor-style steam cleaner works well for caked on dirt and grease too. I haven't tried it myself, but will probably give it a shot this summer. Only thing (as was already stated in this thread) is to be sure to protect any electrical connections unless you want to jack something up...

 

[brian]

i like using simple green cause it's at least bio-degradeable.

i'll start by generously spraying the cold engine compartment with it and then let it "perculate" for 15-30 minutes. then i hit it with the high pressure washer. turns out pretty well.

purple power. it's bio-degradeable also. but is head and shoulders above mean green. i was MG guy myself, now it's all about the purple power.
no need for high pressure water either.
spray and let set and then just gently dump a bucket over(no outside water ) the stuff just melts away.

 

[notagp_afj55]

Brian

When you say puple power you arent referring to Castrol super clean right?
Or is this product called "Purple Power" right on the label and if so were
can one get this stuff?

 

[meatloaf]

Brian

When you say puple power you arent referring to Castrol super clean right?
Or is this product called "Purple Power" right on the label and if so were
can one get this stuff?

I've bought it , by the gallon, at Autozone in the past...

 

[brian]

I've bought it , by the gallon, at Autozone in the past...

purple power is the name. the jugs look hookey and gimicky, but the stuff works.
yeap, there, advance auto parts, tractor supply, wal fart.

 

[Front Range 4x4]

Yep, purple power is strong stuff. Used for cleaning parts when I did my knuckles.

Watch your skin if you have a lot of contact, ask me how I know

 

[Tinker]

Mechanic buddy with a Hotsy warned me against a real steam cleaner - says it's too easy to get steam into electrical connections which then cools to water & causes problems. Heated, high-pressure washer at the most. Simple Green, Purple Power, or Gunk all work well.

 

[Elbert]

one or two large containers of "mean green" can get at wal-mart or other places. One cheap pressue sprayer. Hose down greasy spots with the pressue sprayer (got a Lowes) with Mean Green. don't get on "nice paint" or aluminum or brass fittings. Let stand for 5 min or so. Stuff works like magic. Will dis-color the hell out of aluminum or brass stuff, I'm guessing its not so good on
exterior painted parts. Helped degreease my engine and underneath the body.

 

[Rig of Mortis]

I use a degreaser on the engine (usually a citrus one) let it sit 5-10 minutes on a warmed up motor and use the high pressure washer at the DIY car wash or a simple hose in your driveway (my engine is diesel therefore I don't have as much of a concern regarding the water getting to my engine electrics).

Upon hosing of the grime, I'll take the truck for a 10 minute drive in order to dry off the engine, followed by spraying usually a full can of "Gunk's Liquid Wrench™" (the aqua coloured can) to provide a good coating to the entire engine bay. I favour this product over WD40 as "Gunk's Liquid Wrench™" is non-flammable, which is a plus under the hood.

If you practise this for long enough, any parts with a light coat of surface rust will come back to new looking (within reason).

Any place I have hard lines connecting, I will coat these with the green capped Rust Check™ product, which will-upon application foam up to create a cocoon like lubricated coating, maintaining a protective lubricated shell.

Product name's may vary from region to region, but I think you've figured out my method. My engine bay looks a lot better than it did 10 years ago upon purchasing my BJ60.

 

[5280Hawk]

I seriously need to do this to my rig. It was neglected by it's previous owner (my dad! ).

 

[hightide]

Engine degreaser and car wash pressure hose.