Engine Cleaning

[GoatBeard]

I know a lot of you guys have some experience cleaning engines and especially engine compartments/components...  What's the trick to it?  I see a lot of engine bays that are dripping with Armorall, and I have no problem with goin' that route as I've noticed that Armorall covers dirt well.

The block itself looks like it could clean up good -- but it had been leaking oil from every gasket when I got it, so it's fairly dirty.  I started workin' on it a little until I got some "cleaner" on my manifolds which dang-near caught fire when it was eventually started and got hot.    

Anyway, can you guys post some engine compartment and block cleaning tips and tricks? 

Thanks!

[choptop]

oven cleaner works good on cleaning engines and engine bays, just be careful not to breath the fumes. I Dont recommend Armor all on an engine, it will actually make it hold more dirt, and look like crud later down the road. Clean it thoroughly, and if you have to have eveything shiny, an old carlot trick is to clearcoat everything. Wont last a long time, but will look okay for a while.

[GoatBeard]

Are there any issues with the oven cleaner actually taking the paint off of the block (like "overcleaning" it)?

I was thinking about using the Armorall on the rubber hoses and such -- you are saying that's not a good idea?

[Donut]

I've been using Castrol "Super Clean" for all my greasy parts.  For me it actually seemed to do a better job than oven cleaner.

Spray it on, scrub the heavy build-up with a stiff brush, rinse, repeat.

[jefferias]

i like to  use brak-kleen myself. i am pretty careful with it and it evaporates fast so damage is minimal  and it just works awesome on all dirt and grease.  if you want a nice shiny clean use some sort of silicon spray after cleaning all of it.  just my .002$

[Lt.Del]

carb cleaner and WD40.  Takes grease right off.  I used to clean up my stangs before car shows in Concours divisions and used that.  I little engine touch up paint and she was good as new, won many trophies. 

[VileZambonie]

Gunk it down with engine brite and let it soak in. Then pressure wash everything. Cover your distributor and other vital components you don't want to get wet. Simple green removes residue pretty good too...

[73c10Shorty]

Gunk it down with engine brite and let it soak in. Then pressure wash everything. Cover your distributor and other vital components you don't want to get wet. Simple green removes residue pretty good too...

What are the "other vital components" that need to be covered? I'm not mechanical at all, and when I opened my hood to go to work with the egine brite all that I saw was all kinds of tubes and wires covering the engine. I quickly closed the hood and went back inside the house before I broke something. LOL!

[Dragon]

Other vital componets that should be covered, is anything that really doesn't like being wet, another words electrical parts or connections(mainly distributor,alternator,battery, etc)....

Prolonged exposure to brakekleen, super clean, and oven cleaner can and will strip paint....  Also note, long term exposure to Brake Kleen, and super clean, has also been know to dry out or dissolve rubber parts as well....

I will jump on Viles bandwagon for GUNK Engine Brite as being good stuff, but again keep it away from electrical pieces, and don't go too nuts around the belts, as they will either squeal or jump(<-reasons why I won't use Armorall on an engine either)....

[Blazin]

I would say pressure wash, with a hot water machine first. Then use Castrol Super clean with a medium bristled brush. I also keep one wool type wash mitt for this job. I douse Super Clean right onto it, then scrub down the whole engine bay.