Best engine degreaser/cleaner?

[bairjo]

I know there will be someone, I hope, that will respond with "this is the shit to use"...
This is a 2 part question kind of. 1. what is the best method/product you have found to degrease your Yaris engine. 2. I have torn down a 12.5 HP Briggs & Stratton tractor engine that has not run for 4 years...seems more of a challenge regarding caked on grime and staining. Is the degreaser in #1 the shit to use for #2 as well? I have been using Gunk degrease for years on the external and brake cleaner on internal issues but can't help but think there is something better out there...what say you? By the way, I wasn't sure where to post this so feel free to move it...

[LugNut]

I use Simple Green or Purple Power. Both etch soft metal, though. Then hot water.

For something with really caked on goo, gently scrape off most manually before using a chemical. And in engine bays, mask-off sensitive things before spraying.

When I tear down an engine, I use laudry detergent, hot water, and scrub brushes on the parts. And dry well immmediately, of course. My machine shop expects this cleaning on parts before they go to them.

[bairjo]

Thank you. I already scrape the thick stuff off of course, but I also will consider your suggestions. :thumbsup:

[CoryM]

For the Briggs, solvent is probably going to be your best bet. Soak with solvent, scrub a little with brush, blast with pressure washer (or just a hose). You can also just scrub it away, then wash with more solvent, wipe with rag and a little brake clean and you're done. Second way is easier to collect the greasy stuff to be recycled/disposed of properly.
For the Yaris, the best bet would be to fix the leaks :þ They are not prone to leaking, so if you fix it, that will be the end of the slimy stuff.
Cheers.

[soldout]

I wouldnt use simple green or purple power under the hood on any car. Those products are too stong for aluminum, rubber and painted surfaces.

I like to clean my wheels, engine bay and door jams in the garage before i roll it out to the driveway for the reat of the wash process.

Pop your hood and remove any leaves, sticks or debri from under the hood. I got a 4 hand held pump sprayers from HD for about 7 bucks each, I use one filled with water to spray down the engine.

I prefer to use Chemical Guys All Purpose Green cleaner, its safe to use on any surface on your car. Spray down everything under the hood. Avoid spraying directly on battery terminals, around belts and pulleys, and inside the altenator.

I use a few different brushes to work the dirt loose, come back and spray away the liftes dirt. Use a shop vac set to blow to remove all the left over standing water. Go find sonething else to do for 5 or 10mins while everything else drys come back and use a aerospace or back to black protectant on the valve cover, plastics and hoses. Spray wax under the hood and shock towers to keep them looking clean. Do this evey 1 or 2 months and youll have an engine bay clean enough to eat off of. If your only going to do this once a year or never before do it right after they stop laying salt on the roads, all that salt kicks up and makes it way under the hood.

[bronsin]

Having worked as a car and motorcycle I can heartily recommend you NEVER clean your engine with degreaser if that means hosing it off with water. Ive seen too many engines not run after doing this from water finding its way into an electrical connection. This is most difficult if not impossible to rectify.

I prepped a 96 BMW GS 1100 to ride to AK but had to sell it to someone contemplating the same trip. He made the trip and washed the engine off at a car wash after doing the dirtiest part of the trip. Sure enough he screwed up the Hall sensor and the engine wouldnt run making a 500 mile round trip flatbedding necessary which took a week to organize and get the bike so it ran again.

Uhg!

[bairjo]

I wouldnt use simple green or purple power under the hood on any car. Those products are too stong for aluminum, rubber and painted surfaces.

I like to clean my wheels, engine bay and door jams in the garage before i roll it out to the driveway for the reat of the wash process.

Pop your hood and remove any leaves, sticks or debri from under the hood. I got a 4 hand held pump sprayers from HD for about 7 bucks each, I use one filled with water to spray down the engine.

I prefer to use Chemical Guys All Purpose Green cleaner, its safe to use on any surface on your car. Spray down everything under the hood. Avoid spraying directly on battery terminals, around belts and pulleys, and inside the altenator.

I use a few different brushes to work the dirt loose, come back and spray away the liftes dirt. Use a shop vac set to blow to remove all the left over standing water. Go find sonething else to do for 5 or 10mins while everything else drys come back and use a aerospace or back to black protectant on the valve cover, plastics and hoses. Spray wax under the hood and shock towers to keep them looking clean. Do this evey 1 or 2 months and youll have an engine bay clean enough to eat off of. If your only going to do this once a year or never before do it right after they stop laying salt on the roads, all that salt kicks up and makes it way under the hood.


Thank you, I will check it out....

[bairjo]

Having worked as a car and motorcycle I can heartily recommend you NEVER clean your engine with degreaser if that means hosing it off with water. Ive seen too many engines not run after doing this from water finding its way into an electrical connection. This is most difficult if not impossible to rectify.

I prepped a 96 BMW GS 1100 to ride to AK but had to sell it to someone contemplating the same trip. He made the trip and washed the engine off at a car wash after doing the dirtiest part of the trip. Sure enough he screwed up the Hall sensor and the engine wouldnt run making a 500 mile round trip flatbedding necessary which took a week to organize and get the bike so it ran again.

Uhg!

Ok...i understand that...so your engine bay is never cleaned?

[bronsin]

I wipe off the plastic valve cover and other plastic surfaces under the hood every oil change and clean the leaves and pine needles from the air intake for the ventilation.

But no I don't degrease the engine.

When I can I'll post a picture of my wifes Camrys engine. 11 years old and 125k miles.

[soldout]

The trick is to not over due it on the water or the degreaser. The little pump spray bottles I use hold 56oz I maybe use 15oz total to water down the engine bay and then degrease it and force air dry the engine bay right away and either avoid spraying or cover sensitive areas under the hood.