How do you guys clean your engines?

[Marco Perez]

I am planning on cleaning / decreasing my engine. I was wondering how do you guys do it? Any tips or tricks you guys have ?

Thanks

 

[Kern Dog]

I use gasoline in a spray bottle.
I put the car on the lift and spray down the oil and grease, then wipe it down with rags. No matter what I do, I have yet to get this engine to be totally leak free.

 

[QOTHL]

Are you going to a show or just want basic cleaning?

 

[QOTHL]

 

[Marco Perez]

Just a degreasing not for show or anything and thanks again

 

[65-440]

Use a mild orange cleaner to get the heavy stuff off then keep up with it using tub-o-towels..

 

[Durandal25]

I use gasoline in a spray bottle.
I put the car on the lift and spray down the oil and grease, then wipe it down with rags. No matter what I do, I have yet to get this engine to be totally leak free.

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I do this too, but wipe only.....no spray. Gas will dissolve grease easily and not harm the paint if applied with a shop towel.

 

[440Coronet500]

Engine degreaser, spray it down, let it soak, and spray it off. 440'

 

[R413]

Castrol Super Clean and a hot water car wash. What doesn’t come off do it again after a week of driving the car, hot and cold cycles.

Spray it on and remove within 5 minutes. If you have any nice aluminum parts, cover them up and rinse with water right away.

It will take the color out of spray can paint or cheap paint. Doesn’t bother the factory paint on the car body.

Gunk engine cleaner just makes it smell bad, doesn’t clean much.

 

[ChryslerKid]

I prefer to pull the motor, dissasemble every single piece and clean them all individually with wire brushes and a sandblaster then i procede to put it back together 98% of the way and leave it sitting in my driveway for months.

 

[QOTHL]

Use a mild orange cleaner to get the heavy stuff off then keep up with it using tub-o-towels..

Be careful with orange cleaner, it will remove paint.

 

[bandit67]

I prefer the Purple Stuff, or Purple Power, it has several names. Spray it on, scrub any heavy spots you wish with a brush and hose it off, water hose or pressure washer. Be careful with the pressure washer, it can get paint off easy enough.

 

[QOTHL]

The Chrisfix video is pretty good and you can get really nice results in 2 hours.

 

[Ranger16]

Pressure washer works for me.

 

[Mebsuta]

Years ago I would use foaming engine cleaner and hose it off. Now I don't want water on anything and leave all the grease and oil. It prevents rust.

 

[65-440]

Be careful with orange cleaner, it will remove paint.

Been doing it like this for a long time...you must have found some really strong orange cleaner!

 

[mrhemi]

50/50 mix of Lestoil and water. Spray on and let soak for 15 min., then rinse with garden hose.

 

[themechanic]

Skip to the last product if you don't want to watch the entire video.

 

[themechanic]

Most engine bay cleaning videos are for modern cars. If you search for classic car engine bay cleaning you'll find more relevant videos.

 

[Lefty71]

Pressure washer works for me.

I use a low pressure hotsy...and just be careful near the distributor, wires and carb. Grease/oil residue are gone...

Of course, my motors not too nasty anyway, or I would prevent the goo from going all over the ground.... kinda sensitive water table here.