Best way to clean gunked up engine and bay??

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Aggiesdm

Aggiesdm

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I'm about to embark on a very messy job! I'm starting to replace the Push-Rod Cover gasket and the oil pan gasket on my '91 3FE. They are both leaking and along with a leaking Power Steering hose (now fixed), have totally caked up the right side of the engine bay and the underside of the motor (from the head down).

I know that degreaser and hard work are always an option for cleaning it up, but I'm wondering if anyone has found better way to de-bulk the work? I'm dealing with a 1/4" of sludge in some areas. I can't work on that area of the truck without looking like I've rolled in a tar pit. After I get the new gaskets on, I want to really clean it up and have something that I don't mind diving into. Ex...I just changed the fuel filter and was covered in gunk = wife not happy. BTW, that is the worst possible location for a fuel filter. What a PITA.

Anyway, looking for a magic bullet to take the majority of the gunk away without damaging anything with high-pressure.

Ideas?
 
Denatured alcohol kills grease & oil VERY efficiently.

Be careful though, don't use it anywhere enclosed or it'll kill brain cells. It also kills grass, and anything else it may come in contact with.

Pressure wash afterwards.

This 1 - 2 combo washed off at least a decade of leaked oil, power steering fluid & dirt off mine.
 
There are a lot of different products out there that would work for you and they all seem to perform pretty much the same. I like Purple Power which can be found at O'Reilly. I use a weed sprayer to apply it, spray it down and let it soak then spray it down again as many times as you feel you need to. I know you're opposed to using high pressure but it will only make the job easier.
 
M32H32is said:
Denatured alcohol kills grease & oil VERY efficiently.

Be careful though, don't use it anywhere enclosed or it'll kill brain cells. It also kills grass, and anything else it may come in contact with.

Pressure wash afterwards.

This 1 - 2 combo washed off at least a decade of leaked oil, power steering fluid & dirt off mine.
Click to expand...

Where does one buy denatured alcohol and how would I apply it? Sprayer?

rev80 said:
There are a lot of different products out there that would work for you and they all seem to perform pretty much the same. I like Purple Power which can be found at O'Reilly. I use a weed sprayer to apply it, spray it down and let it soak then spray it down again as many times as you feel you need to. I know you're opposed to using high pressure but it will only make the job easier.
Click to expand...

I'm not opposed to high pressure, just leery about damaging any of the wiring or hoses, etc. I do think its the best option for removal. I like the idea of the spayer. Has anyone ever used ZEP degreaser? I keep reading about how well it works when rebuilding the knuckles and thought it might work here as well? Thoughts?
 
Bought mine @ Home Depot & poured into a spray jug that was leftover from auto detailing spray.

Covered electronics & brittle hoses and went to town. Pressure washed afterwards. 0 grease or oil.

Also killed a hefty patch of grass.
 
M32H32is said:
Bought mine @ Home Depot & poured into a spray jug that was leftover from auto detailing spray.

Covered electronics & brittle hoses and went to town. Pressure washed afterwards. 0 grease or oil.

Also killed a hefty patch of grass.
Click to expand...

Gotcha. So you were dealing with a lot of grease? Like 1/4"+ ,and it worked well? I would just like to do this once and be done for a while, so I'm asking lots of questions...sorry. How long did you let it sit before hitting with the pressure washer? Also, should I scrub it with the alcohol or just let it sit?
 
Take it to the local car wash and wrap up the intake and the distributor. Then just blast away, its the quickest and cleanest you are going to get that engine bay. I would not waste much money on cleaners, the pressure washer will do most of the work, use some dawn detergent diluted into a spray bottle if you really feel the need. You just spray it on then let is soak for a bit. Don't get the nozzle too close to the electronics connectors or the belts and you will be just fine. Sometimes after I wash my vehicles I will have a slot stumble, its always a little water up in the connectors by the throttle body, I just unplug them and let them air out.
 
THanks, that sounds like a good option too.
 
After screwing around with several products from Simple Green to Gunk, the most effective cleaner turned out to be hot water hooked up to a garden hose and a wand sprayer. This gives a fine, high pressure stream that doesn't damage anything and blasts away the crud. I warm up the motor first, not hot, just warmer than cold.
 
I wish the original GUNK cleaner was still available. Found an old can at my parents house last year and it worked great, as it always did.

Damn tree huggers ruined another great product I'm sure.
 
Car wash power wash. Just use a little care around the more sensitive things to damage. Hold it back further on them. Have done it to all cars for years. Bring some WD and tools for Dist cap in case it gets in it. Study the heavy buildup areas that are hard to see before you start because you wont see so well once you start. Do it on a regular basis after this making mental notes where you missed before-then hit those spots better. Every time you go to a car wash open the hood and hit the motor first-from underneath and all. If you want something to eat some grease-slightly dillute cheap liquid laundry detergent so that it will spray out of a spray bottle and use that-strong and cheap.
 
Bought some purple ZEP, at Home Depot here in S.A., called ZEP hotline and talked to a rep, he said the purple was the strongest degreaser they had and recommended diluting it substantially. I used it on my newest 80, prior to changing out oil pump gasket, it worked ok, but did not completely remove grime, had to apply some elbow grease in the end, but mine was heavily built up as well.
Also, it will etch aluminum if used too strongly.
 
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I hear steam cleaning is the best. I'd like to try that if I could find a place near me.
 
Aggiesdm said:
I'm about to embark on a very messy job! I'm starting to replace the Push-Rod Cover gasket and the oil pan gasket on my '91 3FE. They are both leaking and along with a leaking Power Steering hose (now fixed), have totally caked up the right side of the engine bay and the underside of the motor (from the head down).

I know that degreaser and hard work are always an option for cleaning it up, but I'm wondering if anyone has found better way to de-bulk the work? I'm dealing with a 1/4" of sludge in some areas. I can't work on that area of the truck without looking like I've rolled in a tar pit. After I get the new gaskets on, I want to really clean it up and have something that I don't mind diving into. Ex...I just changed the fuel filter and was covered in gunk = wife not happy. BTW, that is the worst possible location for a fuel filter. What a PITA.

Anyway, looking for a magic bullet to take the majority of the gunk away without damaging anything with high-pressure.

Ideas?
Click to expand...


When I recently did mine I found a ton of thick grime as well. I actually used a thin putty knife to scrape the thick/chunky stuff away (placed a big sheet of cardboard under the truck to catch all the shrapnel). Then I used kerosene and a bunch of shop rags to clean up any remaining residue. My gonna-be hippie tree hugger daughters would've given me major grief if they saw me rinsing off degreasing agents in the driveway. Here's a before and after. Have fun!

Jason

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there are reportedly a number of cleaners that will damage aluminium, so you might want to check first before going to town with one.
 
there are reportedly a number of cleaners that will damage aluminium, so you might want to check first before going to town with one.
 
By the time you spend all the $ on any cleaner, the power washer and your time you are money ahead just taking it to a detailer or truck wash/ maintenance facility and paying them to steam clean it. I have no problem working on my rig but there are times where just having someone else do the work is really the only viable option, and I believe this is one. Not to mention they have to capture the oil through a sand oil interceptor and recycle it. In your yard or drive it is just going directly to the soil...
 
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