Engine Cleaners?

[fishunterx]

Has anybody used any of the engine cleaners out there and have you had any success, I would like to clean up mine. When I pulled my valve cover off I cleaned it and now everything else looks really crappy.

 

[rangerbum]

By engine cleaner, are you talking about Oil and fuel additives? If so, so the only ones worth the bucks is Marvel Mystery Oil, and Seafoam. Based on my experiences.

 

[fishunterx]

actually probably both, I have a high carbon buildup in my TB from the EGR that could use cleaning, I took care of some with some carb cleaner but need to go at it more. mainly I'm talking about the outside to clean all of the gunk off. But I definatly need to do both.

 

[KELLY88]

I use seafoam to clean out carbon deposits once in a while. Also cleaned up the throttle body with throttle body cleaner. As for degunking the outside of the engine there are quite a few options. Some people have claimed good success with Simple Green.

 

[JoeVR5]

I think Simple Green is great. First, cover up your alternator and any other exposed electronics.

Spray the Simple Green all throughout the engine compartment and let it sit for a while. Use a medium/tough-bristled brush to brush in all the nooks and crannies of the engine. Rinse it out with the hose.

Repeat if needed.

Simple Green is really great.

 

[Sunk]

Yeah, Simple Green is the shit. I've washed whole cars with it before. It made my chrome wheels real shiny. Plus it smells good.

 

[gotmudd]

super clean, spray it on full strength, cover your electronics first

 

[KELLY88]

What's a good way to cover the electronics? Just wrap all the connections in duct tape?

 

[Sunk]

super clean, spray it on full strength, cover your electronics first

Careful, that stuff will eat your skin. I had a bottle of it on the tailgate of my truck and my girlfriend knocked it over and sat down without noticing before it soaked through her pants. It gave her a chemical burn on her ass and she still has a mark from it, 4 months later.

 

[JoeVR5]

I just put a ziplock bag over my alternator and also covered up some of the exposed stuff in a similar fashion.

You just don't want to spray it directly with the hose.

 

[lil red]

pro-tech foaming engine degreases
its the shizzi

 

[fishunterx]

Careful, that stuff will eat your skin. I had a bottle of it on the tailgate of my truck and my girlfriend knocked it over and sat down without noticing before it soaked through her pants. It gave her a chemical burn on her ass and she still has a mark from it, 4 months later.

I'll call on that one. I used to work for a lawn care company washing spray trucks. The only thing that we could use to get this one chemical off was super clean. I used to hand scrub an entire tank on a truck with super clean bare handed and never had a problem. I've even been accidentaly sprayed in the face with it and no harm done. Burned my eyes as any soap would.

Your girlfriend probably had an allergic reaction to it just like my girlfriend will have an allergic reaction to tide. Big difference between that and "burning" your skin.

 

[OilPatch197]

But I KNOW the "PEELER" clearcoat remover will burn.

I think the BEST method to clean a engine(outside) is just using the electronics cleaners like you use on starters and alternators. That way if it gets in a connector, or on a wire thru cracked insulation, it won't do you any harm.

and really the only engines I've seen that need outside cleaning are OLDER vehicles with oil leaks.

 

[fishunterx]

only had the truck a couple months, and replaced the valve cover gasket so i had some leakage which is why I want to clean.

 

[OilPatch197]

Yeah, it is nice to clean that stuff off before it gets to collecting dirt and 1/2" deep!

That is some great preventave maintaince keeping your engine clean, really if it's just got a little oil leakage(you didn't let it leak for 15 years) really anything should work.