Gunk your engine clean??

Try searching under cleaning, etc. To get you started check out #132 by Spasso. http://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/showthread.php?t=23638&page=7

 

I have used wheel cleaner(acid type) on a my engine when cold. I only spray it on metal parts not painted stuff and wash it off immediately.

Ive never had any problems.

 

I use soap and water with a big sponge and brush when necessary. I've never had problems and my engine always looks great.

 

Simple Green works great on really dirty componets.

 

I recommend against using Griots engine cleaner. It ruins the finish on pretty much anything it has come in contact with under the hood.

 

GUNK is bad stuff. I use soap and water and then spray everything down with WD-40.

 

Thanks for the tip John, good to know as I use several of their other products. As you saw on Saturday, I could stand to clean my engine, at least it sounds good though!

 

I use brake cleaner on non painted surfaces.

 

Search for all the threads and you'll find plenty of information.

Caution on some of the cleaners as they can corrode aluminum and strip plating. Castrol's product is one NOT to use.

Simple Green has worked very well for me for many years. Flush with water. Engine warm not hot before you do anything. Blow as dry as possible with compressed air imeadiately. Take it for a good drive at once.
Don't clean and then park it in the garage.

But go read all the threads and you'll figure it out. Other than some real problems with some products out there it's mostly common sense issues.

Bob S.

 

Bob S. is right on.

I have used Simple Green for years with no problems. When you buy a bottle or quart sprayer they tell you the proper dilution to use and the concentration that is in the bottle you bought. Follow their directions and then rinse and dry. Too many just did not follow directions and there were problems when stuff was used at high strength for long periods.

Simple Green worked with Boing and others to get a cleaner that could not be misused on aluminum and Extreme Simple Green was born. It is available any place folks work on aircraft or sell flying gear. Available in some Auto Parts and Industrial Parts houses. Price a little higher but you know that the stuff meets Boing Spec. D6-1748P. Been out for more than a year and works. Starting to see in hardware stores.

Take your choice, follow the directions and use the original or use the stuff designed for aircraft and precision cleaning. Still a good idea to follow the directions.
John

 

I degreased my engine today, I just cleaned it with a high presure cleaner, no chemicals just water, came up great

 

Simple Green to clean then finish with a spray of WD-40. Wipe the WD-40 down a bit after spray and the engine looks great.

 

Better put your flame suit on!...... [The general consensus is that you should *never* pressure clean an F-car engine....]

 

Simple green, P21s total auto wash/ cycle cleaner, few bushes, and a hose. I never use high pressure, mostly because I don't find it necessary. Faster absolutely, but with a little extra time and light muscle I find I can get the same/ better results. What is really important is that you cover anything that is water sensitive. Most current cars are pretty well sealed, but distributor cap, coils, optispark, fuse box I would covered just in case. Those are easy to give a quick cleaning with a damp cloth if you desire.

 

Simple Green, WD-40, 10 cans of degreaser, 5lb box of Tide, 8 toothbrushes, 3 in 1 oil, 5 boxes of Johnson & Johnson Q-tips #750 count, pressure washer, fine steel wool, scotch brite, scrub brushes, Simple Green Wipe Towels, 20 rolls of Brawny paper towels, 2-dozen rags.

And lots of elbow grease!

Great thread!! I see so many of you out there with georgeous, clean engines, and have always wondered how the rest of you get them so clean.

 

I've found that the siphon feed pressure washers that work off of your air compressor are fantastic. I've been using this for 30 years on my Alfas, Lancias, Maserati's and Lamborghini.
Use common sense, USE COMMON SENSE! and you won't get into trouble. This is nothing like the pressure washer you use on your patio or house and you can dial the air pressure to what ever you like.

Short story ...

Many of you know what horrible stuff CV grease is. Well I had the boots let loose in my Bora which has a fantastic restored engine compartment. It did this so many times I lost count. I can assemble a CV joint blind folded now. But the why this happened is another story for another time.

So I had one h*ll of a mess to clean up. Judicious use of brake clean, paint thinner, diluted simple green followed with fresh water and lot of compressed air then a drive always yielded terrific results and zero problems.

I always pulled the plug wire ends and covered them. I did not blast the dizzy. The car was warm not hot first and I was anal about blowing out anything left behind.

If you start shooting water or whatever into areas full of electronics or places you can't dry out with certainty then I don't that's using common sense. Every car is different.

Bob S.

 

One product that I've found does a great job AFTER the engine is clean and dry is Griot's Undercarriage Spray. I've sprayed it on, let it set for a few seconds and then wipe it off. It gives the engine bay a nice clean finish and lasts much longer than anything else I've found.

 

Dear Ferraristi

I use Simple Green full strength. First, I wet the engine down then spray. On the aluminum, spray and leave. With painted parts, I spray with simple green and use Joy soap in a wash mit and immediately rinse off. After the painted surfaces ( surrounding engine bay) I then go back on the engine. For grease (NOT on my engine ) I spot spray full strength Purple stuff and use my favorite tool....old tooth brush. ( I did say old....as in don't brush your teeth with it again )

Pay attention with the Purple Stuff...don't let it hit painted surfaces and dry...it will streak!

Shamile

Freeze....Miami Vice !

 

I'm going to warn people to avoid the Castrol Purple stuff in the engine bay. On driveways it's ok. It will destroy plated and aluminum surfaces very easily.

Bob S.

 

Dear Ferraristi,

I don't think we're talking about the same thing. This is called "Purple Stuff"....engine degreaser from discount / advance autoparts. It is absolutely safe on metal engine surfaces.

*** Just went to the garage....cleaner is called "Purple Power", make by Aiken chemical co.

....I could have sworn it was called purple stuff....have used it for years and years.

OK...

....there is this cleaner called Purple Power.....you can get it from...um...ah....Discount / Advance Auto

....have used it for years.


Shamile

Freeze...Miami Vice !

 

Shamile,

Is that made by 'Power to the People Performance Products'?

John

 

Mineral Spirits

 

Yup, different stuff then. Avoid the Castrol crap.

Bob S.

 

Bike wash. From your friendly chopper shop. There are several brands on the market, including one that is heavily advertised. I have found Spectro ZL-1 to be the best. I get it in 5 gallon pails; I hate running out to the store and it is cheaper in bulk. Cut it with water per the directions, spritz on a cold engine, wait a few minutes, hose off well, blow dry. You can blow dry with shop air, but it is more gentle to use a leaf blower. (This is what you would use on a custom bike, where you don't want to risk flaking an expensive paint job.) I have an electric leafblower that is dedicated to blow-drying cars and bikes.