Best way to clean gunked up engine and bay?? (1 Viewer)

[jonheld]

BTW, I have washed the complete engine bay/engine with a garden hose and regular old hand sprayer at full pressure at least 20 times over the years. Other than wet belts that slip until they warm up, there's never been an issue with water getting where it shouldn't. The 3FE is not "sensitive" in that respect. It pretty much doesn't give a crap what you do.

 

[devildogcruiser25]

Give the guys over at quality auto care a call. They are off pat booker near randolph. I called them and got a price for a steam clean, but I cant remember what it cost. Includes an exterior detail because they say it gets so messy.

 

[Aggiesdm]

Thanks all for the input. I have a lot to process now and will try to make a decision soon. I like the steam clean idea and will give The Quality Auto Guys a call for a quote. I also like just hooking up a garden hose to my hot water heater and trying that. I have 2 x 50 gallon water heater in my garage, so it should be pretty easy.

I'll report back upon completion of my experiment. Hopefully with good results.

 

[ewillis]

High pressure steam is the only way to go...I challenge you to find a 20 year old Land Cruiser engine bay cleaner than mine

 

[WarWagon]

Where and how ewillis!?!?

 

[NLXTACY]

EWILLIS, where in the heck did you find a place to do steam cleaning?!?!?

Closest place I found was near San Diego. F that.

 

[MrMoMo]

Castrol Super Clean. period. Took 25 years of grease and sludge off my backhoe in one go. Spray it on dry, let it sit for a few minutes, hose it off (pressure washer if you have one) Repeat if necessary.

You won't be dissapointed.

http://www.acehardware.com/product/index.jsp?productId=1451528

 

[ewillis]

I believe it was called Pacific car wash on Foothill in Upland. I'll double check the name next time I'm down there.

 

[Reelitchy]

I need to tackle this also. I was wondering if I should cover up the hood insulation and stay away from the firewall blanket. Do they hold up good against water or pressure washing?

 

[Aggiesdm]

I've tried to find a steam cleaning place around San Antonio and haven't been successful yet. Any help?

 

[Howard705]

Oven cleaner is Lye (sodium or potassium hydroxide) and dissolves grease and will eat into aluminum. Some of the degreasers you can buy at hardware stores etc are too so get them off quick-I'd imagine they can damage the paint too.
If you spray close up on the insulation with a pressure washer it will damage (cut) it.
The detailers will use the pressure washer on it too then usually douse it with some silicone shiny tire dressing type crap -if they do it for used car lots anyway.

 

[UniquE]

I would give it try with dry ice cleaning. Call a dry ice blasting company and ask if they offer the cleaning as well. Here its 150€ for the engine and isnide of the car. Best thing is, no water is used which means no harm to electrical components.
Works for every part of the car.
Look here
Oh yea, switch of the volume. At 1:18 they show the engine.

 

[NLXTACY]

"I believe in angels!"

Crank it up!!!

 

[MrMoMo]

How the heck does that work? Never heard of dry ice blasting.

 

[JCruse]

How the heck does that work? Never heard of dry ice blasting.

Well, dry ice is carbon dioxide and what they do is.... umm... uhhh.... I have no idea.

 

[devildogcruiser25]

I've tried to find a steam cleaning place around San Antonio and haven't been successful yet. Any help?

..... quality auto lol.

 

[1973Guppie]

definetly find a place with a lift to do a steam clean, I plan to do this when I do my engine work coming up, there are several places that will do it, I had to search around a bit, around $120 bucks for the whole undercarriage and engine bay as I remember.....

 

[LINUS]

Not some exotic thing, but when I have ooooold gunk in a bay to clean (do a lot of old muscle cars, stuff w/ 3/8" crap in crevices - I put diesel in a weed sprayer & hit everything cold, let sit for a day, then put the sprayer in the trunk & park right over the grate at the self - wash joints & do another spray after driving right to the place (15 mins) - a quick hit again, stash the sprayer in the trunk & go for it on hot water in the pressure washer, starting high & work to underside.

I bring a pair of cans of foaming engine stuff to finish rinse - carb'ed engines I leave running, most fuel injection ones I'll turn off unless it's a car that I know is going to be a bizzatch.

 

[Aggiesdm]

..... quality auto lol.

Oh yeah. Sorry, I've gotten a lot of info and it's getting mixed up now. I have Quality written down now. Call them tomorrow.

 

[Copenhagen1]

.....I also like just hooking up a garden hose to my hot water heater and trying that. I have 2 x 50 gallon water heater in my garage, so it should be pretty easy.....

Do yourself a favor BEFORE you try this. Go to a hardware store and purchase a brass cap that has hose type threads. It should come with the little rubber ring on the inside for a tight seal.

On the bottom of your 50 gallon hot water heater, there should be a hose bib that is there for draining the sediment out of your tank. Most people never do that so the packing in those valves get old and set in their ways. When you turn the water off after washing your engine, there is a pretty good chance you will not be able to close that valve without it dripping. That is when you will be glad you have the previously purchased brass cap.



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