What the best cleaner/degreaser to clean over 235K miles of oxidation and grease for the engine?

 

Sandblasting?? j/k.....

I've used Simple Green with good results, but not on an engine with 235K. I've heard of a 2 step system available at Auto Zone and the like. Can't recall who makes it, but it's a cleaner and engine gloss type product. Some guys here have liked it.

 

When I worked at a body shop, I used to wash cars after they had been repaired. I'd usually clean the engine bay as well. I saw some nasty looking engine bays, particularly cop cars. We used Simple Green as a degreaser for the engine bays, and it worked pretty well. Many times though, I would have to put some Simple Green on a rag and scrub the hoses/other parts that had lots of dirt and crap on them.
As for the metal parts of the engine, I'd recommend Mothers mag/aluminum polish. After several hours of elbow grease (you can spread this time out over many days), my metal parts in my engine bay shine like they're brand new.
Here's a pic for ya.



The CAI and FSTB were already chromed, so just pay attention to the valve cover/timing chain case.
Sorry I don't have a better close-up of the valve cover and timing chain case.

 

Yeah I'm gonna put in a few hours tomorrow. My car doesn't have much dirt but I know that the engine bay can be silver again. It's more of a oxidized/bronzish color. All I'm gonna work with is a wire brush some of that Simple green then I may put a chrome finish on it.

 

i think gunk have the "2 step" system
don tknow how good it is though

 

Here's a better picture showing the timing chain case and valve cover.



BTW, to polish, I only used a few terry cloth towels and Mothers polish, no wire brush. I was afraid it would scratch up the metal. If you use a wire brush, let me know how it goes as far as scratching the metal parts.

 

Hey guys, im new to detailing, even though ive been on the org for over a year now. Just wondering if anyone has used a wire brush without scratching, as mentioned above...

 

Wire brushes are pretty stiff/abrasive, so I would assume that they would scratch. If your engine bay's metal parts are clean, but scratched to hell, do they really look better?

 

I got some engine degreaser from Wal-Mart for $1. All you do is spray it on and hose it off. Your engine may take a few cans, but it' only a dollar. Check out the pics (mind you that the engine had never been cleaned and was around 122,XXX miles):

 

Wow! That loods great, BensMax93!

 

yea that does look real good. for my next break i am using Simple Green as suggested to see how it works, and ill hold off on the wire brush. Just need to wait for Thanksgiving...

 

for you 4th gen guys or others, what parts did you cover besides the battery terminals and intake before you hosed it off?

 

CAI only (including MAF). I didn't cover anything else and had no probs whatsoever. Others will tell you to cover all kinds of stuff, but I didn't. Other possibilities are alternator, battery, belts, spark plugs, etc... You can cover all that stuff if you want, but I don't think it's necessary.

 

hmm okay well ill do it anyways just to be safe. thanks.

 

A budy of mine uses one of them hand steamers like on tv (The big red one) and a solution of 1/2 water 1/2 SGreen and his engine bay looks fantastic.

 

What was this stuff called exactly? It isn't called "Awesome" is it?

 

I don't think it had "awesome" on the can. Im pretty sure it just said "Engine Degreaser" and was silver, black, and blue.

 

How the HELL did you get them chrome? They're ugly grey on mine. Damn, that is an amazing job. So simple green and what kind of brush/whatever?

Awesome job.

 

If you like the brushed aluminum look, use a wire brush to brush your aluminum... it doesn't look "scratched to hell" unless you rub in a circular direction or somethign random. I'm using a wire brush to get the corrosion off my valve cover and it works well and fast. I plan on moving to various grits of sandpaper next to end up with a polished VC. Keep in mind the parts won't look polished if you just clean with degreaser and then apply polish, because they weren't highly polished from the factory (especially the intake manifold on the 4th gen, which has extreme texture from the casting process).

 

It's their house brand "Supertech". I use it too, only I buy it when it's on sale for $0.75

 

man that's a clean VG...wished mine looked like that

 

Believe it or not, mine were a disgusting grey color once too. All I did with the metal parts (timing chain case, valve cover...) is wash them with a rag and soapy water, and then go to it with the Mothers mag/alum polish and a bunch of terry cloths. It takes time, but you can see that you can really make them look quite shiny if you work at it long enough.
I don't think Simple Green would have any effect on removing that dull gray look. Only a polish can reveal the shiny metal underneath all that dull color.