Engine Degreasers

[1988GTU]

I would like to know what would be your best choice of engine degreaser(s) that you'd want someone else to use on an engine when it's on an engine stand? I am looking for something that is great for taking off 15-18 year old baked/caked on grease off a block. I understand that if anything I'll have to scrub somewhat in certain areas, but I just dont want to be the main ingredient. I was going to go with Super Clean made by Castrol, but I cannot seem to find it any where in a local store.
Also, when I read the back of the container, most of them state that you must have the engine warm and/or run it after you're done cleaning it.  Well it's kinda hard to do so when you have the motor out of the car and on an engine stand.
Thanks for the info.  

[rweatherford]

What is your plan for the engine?  Is it coming completely apart or what?  What is on it right now?

[Asylum]

Exactly,

If you are taking it apart, don't worry about it. The machine shop will take care of all the cleaning before they do anything else.

If you are just making it pretty and putting it back in, or if it's a replacement engine, varsol and a pressure washer works pretty well, but it's going to be messy.

[1988GTU]

I am not having the block done by a shop.  The heads are off it. Timing cover off.  Trans is off...

[berettaspeed]

i found that  mineral spirits work really well. and doesn't stick and you can rinse off with water. cheap too. Gas works too LOL but EPA may come for you LOL

[Racing_Rush]

I am a huge fan of Castol Super Clean as you mentioned before.  I havent bought it in a while so I better check to see if they still sell it, you got me worried now.

Whatever you use make sure you have a big bucket to catch all the oil and cleaners so it doesnt make a huge mess.  I like to use two Rubbermaid storage totes the 18 gallon ones.  I grab two and put them on both sides of the engine stand with a peice of plastic connecting them.  Works good ÂÂÂ

I would not worry about getting the engine warm it just might take a few extra treatments to get the same results.  The best trick I found is an engine cleaner its something like an oxy acetolene torch and you run compressed air in the main and it pulls an engine degreaser from a small tube.  Then you can blow off all the dirt and grease.  Its worth about $15cnd and you will use it a lot.  You would have to buy an engine degreaser in a big can but its worth it.

Oh yeah wear shitty clothes, cover the floor and the walls of your garage with garbage bags, wear goggles and cover your mouth with a mask (like doctors) cause its messy, oh yeah you might try a mineral spirits like it was suggested on this fourm as long as its not flammable.  Just remember if you do find a flammable degreaser air+petrolum products+cigarettes= news at 6:00

[1988GTU]

I am doing this cleaning outside in the driveway.  I used a few scrap 2x6's of wood and anchored down some bisqueen (plastic) to make kind of a tub effect.  The object is about 8' by 8' .  I was going to use kerosene, but wanted to know of a better solution.  I don't smoke, so I probably will not be on the six o'clock news,  lol .

[Guest]

We have a enormous dip tank with spirits in it and a sprayer and i had a set of heads from a 1971 torino and after 3 days the grease and sludge came off quite well actually

[Racing_Rush]

http://www.azproducts.com/enginecleaner.htm

This is a link to show you what I mean.  I used gassoline with the compressed air (yeah I know) I was also in the country with no ignition sources around other than the air compressor turning on.

I cleaned everything from the engine to the rearend and balljoints.  The stuck on stuff you just soak in the degreaser (spray for a little) then work on another area and come back.  It works great cause you can get into hard to reach places and you dont have to scrub anything down.  

After checking out that mineral spirits I didnt see a flammable sign on the pictures so I think that it would definatly be the way to go.  If you don't want to spend before buying I would gladly try it out and let you know.

[1988GTU]

I think I am going to try for that kerosene, but if it does not work...  Then I am trying the Simple G then moving down the list.  Although, if that mineral spirits works I might try that, but it might be cheaper to go with kerosene.


Thanks

[Racing_Rush]

I just picked up some mineral spirits the other day, I will give them a shot for you and let you know later tonight.  I paid like $6cnd for 4 liters so thats pretty good.

[Racing_Rush]

Ok I was using my engine cleaner and it works not to bad.  Not as great as gasoline but it works pretty good.  just make sure that you wear a chemical resporator and gloves cause I am sure that its not very good for you (my hand is tingling right now, related?).

I cleaned the top end of my sisters new cavalier (1995) it was already pretty clean so there isn't much to compare but I could even clean all the AC stuff (cause its oil) that was a little dirty around the fittings. I also cleaned 2 driveshafts, the one was covered in wet oil and it just blew all the oil and grease off.  I would have to say 1 thumb up (vrs. two)

[Guest]

This is gonna sound stupid, but are you using kerosene while the motor is run-able, in other words are u using kerosene to clean the motor up, then an hour or 2 later driving to the store?? because for some reason this doesn't sound safe to me

[docrodg]

This is an old topic but this may help others on engine prep :

Super Clean is still available, and works so good I don't use anything else.  As for kerosene, not a good idea, it leaves a residue that will burn off and is a dangerous anyway, not to mention that any petroleum product is not permitted to go down a drain.  Mineral spirits makes a good final rinse tho and evaporates off clean.  Also try Acetone for a rinse.  To be safe NEVER allow super clean to sit long on an aluminum part, makes it "hairy", 15 minutes is a good soak time tho.  There is a great solvent available at hardware stores that you should NOT use, MEK (Methyl Ethyl Ketone), it takes the fat out of your skin and is a regulated hazardous waste.  Super Clean is however safe, can be poured down the drain, and is even biodegradable.

A pressure washer can do a good job too but really makes a mess.

To keep the engine nice I put super clean in an insect sprayer and spray off the engine every oil change then rinse with a hose, does a decent job and the wand gets in all the hard to reach places a can doesn't.  Some call the sprayer a "Hudson Sprayer", you fill up the jug and pump air into it with the ol biceps and then spray.  

If you have the engine out you may want to paint it too.  Select a good dark color to help rid it of heat faster.  Altho chrome looks great on engines it keeps in too much heat.  All the drag engines I do have flat black on them to really rid the heat and they run cooler.  If you are in the Northeast where they use salt on the roads get VHT paint for headers and use that, it lasts longer than other paint.

Also, the heads being off gives you a great opportunity to help oil flow by painting the insides where the rocker arms are with a paint called "Glyptol".  Also paint other areas of oil flow you can reach.  It is oil and acid resistant and makes the oil flow back to the pan faster giving your pump more to work with.  A couple of coats and you can tell the difference just by feeling the paint, slick as snot.  It is available at Eastwood.  That and a high flow pump and the engine will last forever.  Pressure is not as helpful as flow in oil's case, you just want a film, not a hydraulic piston.  Boosting the flow will keep things coated with clean oil and prevent bearing washout, something that happens when you have too much pressure.  Also, a high flow pump doesn't rob power as much as a high pressure.