Easy engine cleaning
 

The first time I clean my engines, I use one of the foamy engine cleaners to get as much off as possible. Now, every time I was my truck, I wet the engine, spray it with 409 household cleaner, then fill the wash bucket, and wash out the engine comparment with the hose end sprayer. This seems to keep my engines clean, and continues to clean anything not gotten in a previous was. 409 also works great for cleaning the white outlines on the tires.

Does it have any effect on polished aluminum? For ones with that stuff some cleaners can cause big problems. I have trouble with water spots.

DONT use Castrol Superclean on aluminum or painted parts...

I learned that the hard way. =(

Gunk Foamy Enginge Brite is safe tho.. and works very well.

do any of these products hurt the paint on the engine?

well i know Super clean will if you don't dilute it first.

but the foamy Engine bright? or 409? or Simple green?

Tire foam works great too.

Just this past weekend i had to clean a REALLY GUNKIE engine up. I was planning on rebuilding it. Found out it was freashly rebuilt. iT was 30 over, new pistons, crank and what not. So I use that foamy stuff, didn't do nuffun to the grease. Sent out sons girlfriend to pick up some EASY-OFF oven cleaner, man did it do the trick, claen as a bell. Once all the gunk was off and i saw the green engine I also saw that the BLOCK WAS CRACKED.MURPYS LAW AT ITS BEST.

Thanks John

I know for a fact Simple Green will etch polished aluminum. Been there, done that.

I use the kerosene based engine aerosol cleaners and a parts cleaning brush. Start with the engine warmed up just a bit. After I get as much loosened as I can, then I hit it with a spray nozzle on the hose. If it's really bad, I take it to the coin-op car wash and use the high pressure sprayer. Repeat as necessary.

For routine maintenance cleaning, I just use some Dawn dishwasing liquid in a bucket of hot water.

Re: Easy engine cleaning
 

The 409 solution mentioned above works well. Try going to a carwash and soaking engine and compartment w/the presoak (if the have it). Then use the high pressure soap function. Westley's Bleach white and 409 works well also. And for grease caked parts (brackets and stuff), if you don't like to use chemicals, mix up about a cup of dawn dish soap in a 5 gallon bucket and let your parts sit for a week. Keep the parts covered in water as some will evaporate, but after a week, you can pull your parts out and all that grease/oil has turned really soft and mushy. Use high pressure to rinse or a soft bristle brush to remove.