gsport
Well-known member
in your opinion, what's the best engine degreaser? i just used a pressure washer and it's still needs more cleaning... or am i just stuck with alot of elbow grease now?
engine degreaser...
- Thread starter gsport
- Start date
stroked93
Well-known member
purple power, or greased lightning
chevelle64
Well-known member
I use the orange Zep degreaser, I get it from Home Depot. Just spray it on, let it sit for a minute or two, and rinse it off.
krusty the clown
Member Emeritus
kerosene...
dustin19
Banned
break parts cleaner
mikey535im
Well-known member
Careful with the amount of time that simple green stays on aluminum and any citrus cleaner on plastic, they will discolor those items if not rinsed well and often.
M!ke
M!ke
CarCrafter
Well-known member
The best and the cheapest I've personally found thus far is oven cleaner. I used to use stuff like engine degreasers, simple green, Castol Super clean and what have you. Nowadays, I just head to the local dollar store and pick up a few cans, spray down whatever I need cleaned, let soak for as long as I can, and head to the local car wash with a fist full of quarters.
ron in sc
Well-known member
My favorite too
ZRX61
Well-known member
Shadowdog500
Well-known member
I degreased an engine with that for the first time today when the oil filter feed line blew on my Willy's Jeep and coated my engine with oil. It blew while plowing my neighbors driveway and he brought the Zep out, squirted the engine and underside of the hood down, then we rinsed it off in a couple of minutes and all of the oil and crud was gone.
Kerosene, is what I usually use and it also works pretty good.
I use break clean on small un-painted parts that I want to be spotless.
I don't like pressure washing assembled engines because high pressure water can blow out thick cork gaskets on older engines. Besides, a good degreaser, a scrub brush and a hose work just fine.
Whenever I have machining done to a block or heads, I wash it down with hot water with Dawn dish soap and a scrub brush. I also scrub out every oil passage with long brushes from Eastwood. Then I pressure wash the engine with hot water. I come up with metal shavings every time, and the Dawn gets the oil off to the point that the engine is ready to paint. [Note] don't put hot water through your pressure washer unless it is rated for hot water, or has been upgraded to handle hot water.
Chris
tonydanzah
Well-known member
oven cleaner is pretty good
I wouldn't let a real pressure washer anywhere near my engine or transaxle.
The last time I used engine degreaser, I wished I'd taken it to one of those public car wash places. I could smell the stuff on my concrete for weeks.
The last time I used engine degreaser, I wished I'd taken it to one of those public car wash places. I could smell the stuff on my concrete for weeks.
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Vinko
Well-known member
I've only used the Zep Purple and Gunk in a can. But I've started using the Wurth stuff in a can and it's pretty good.
scrape the heavy stuff off then I use Gunk Super Concentrate (have to order it from Oriellys as they don't stock in the local store) mixed with kerosene per directions on can.
Follow this with Purple Power or similar, then if cleaning to paint, hot water and Dawn.
I sometimes use the pressure washer to rinse.
Follow this with Purple Power or similar, then if cleaning to paint, hot water and Dawn.
I sometimes use the pressure washer to rinse.
Vinko
Well-known member
I've seen some good results from this http://www.autodetailingsolutions.net/d10832.html
It's concentrate, so you get quite a lot for the money.
It's concentrate, so you get quite a lot for the money.
sberry
Banned
HD has 2 different things, the pressure washer stuff and the industrial purple which is a stripper/degreaser/ Purple will bleach paint off if put on full strength and left to sit. We use it pre-paint for equipment, gets it near sterile when pressure washing with hot water. Care needs to be used with pressure and acid type cleaners. I try not to blast pressure in sensitive areas. Ideally is to physically clean first.
I like the price on purple from there, hard to buy it at that rate even in drums. Nice to be able to get it only 5 gals at a time. Zep makes some of the best cleaning products, industrial compared to scrubbing bubbles found in super markets. Tile cleaner, mold cleaner, all work extremely well.
I like the price on purple from there, hard to buy it at that rate even in drums. Nice to be able to get it only 5 gals at a time. Zep makes some of the best cleaning products, industrial compared to scrubbing bubbles found in super markets. Tile cleaner, mold cleaner, all work extremely well.
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crashbumper
Well-known member
Either Purple Power or Castrol Super Clean.
Sprayed on, washed off with hose after a few minutes soaking. NO SCRUBBING.
Sprayed on, washed off with hose after a few minutes soaking. NO SCRUBBING.
72maro
New member
I agree purple power is awesome,i use it so much i go to advance auto and buy it by the 5 gal bucket 23.00 bucks cant beat it.
crashbumper
Well-known member
I agree purple power is awesome,i use it so much i go to advance auto and buy it by the 5 gal bucket 23.00 bucks cant beat it.
Yeah, I get the jugs from Autozone. A bottle is around $4 and the large jugs are only $10.
Amazing stuff!
38Chevy454
Well-known member
The $1 oven cleaaner work great, just don't breathe the fumes. Does not leave the smell like Gunk engine cleaner does.
It will only etch aluminum, not dissolve it. Unless you have polished surfaces, it just makes the surface a bit duller.
It will only etch aluminum, not dissolve it. Unless you have polished surfaces, it just makes the surface a bit duller.
Scotto
Well-known member
Purple Power works great, but make sure you dilute it pretty good. I"ve had it melt paint at full strength, or close to it. I also don't scrub it at all because it'll screw up the paint.
rocketman
Well-known member
Purple Power will cause a rash on your skin too. That stuff is pretty nasty but it does the job.
nate379
Banned
Why?
I wash the engines on all my stuff when I wash the exterior (couple times a year). Been doing it for at least 10 years and no problems.
I wash the engines on all my stuff when I wash the exterior (couple times a year). Been doing it for at least 10 years and no problems.
Scotto
Well-known member
My hands turned "white" for about a week after degreasing a bunch of parts with bare hands. Definitely use latex gloves if you're gonna use the stuff full strength.
T VETTE
Well-known member
I just bought a Honda Quad that the guy used where there was some red dirt and it must have been wet. I still see a trace of it on the aluminum engine and trans along with some other plastic parts after using gunk and Eagle one wheel cleaner, the mild stuff not for raw wheels.
Will purple power and or oven cleaner help me. Sounds like it is worth it to get rid of some of the red stain, it's not bad but I don't like the slight red tint.
Will purple power and or oven cleaner help me. Sounds like it is worth it to get rid of some of the red stain, it's not bad but I don't like the slight red tint.
38Chevy454
Well-known member
Oven cleaner is a caustic - sodium hydroxide specifically. It cuts grease and caked on grime really good. Washes off with water. If your red staining is just on the surface it should come off, but will make the alum surface a duller etched appearance. The sodium hydroxide will not hurt the plastic for short term exposure during cleaning. An old toothbrush works good to help work it in and provide a little scrubbing action to help the chemical action.