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Cheapest most efficient way to thoroughly clean engine bay/parts

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    Cheapest most efficient way to thoroughly clean engine bay/parts

    Hey guys,

    Been tearing down my e30 over the winter in an effort to make it more reliable come spring. I have a good amount of parts off of my car. My question is how do I go about cleaning this stuff? I don't want to be buying several bottles of spray on degreaser if I can just get a big old tub of some sort of chemical. I can't really bathe all my parts, so that is not what I am going for.

    What sort of towels/rags do i use? Currently, I have been tinkering around with straight up excess paper towels I had laying around. And they suck, they rip almost immediately and become saturated almost as soon as I use them!

    What can I do to actually clean the block/rear subframe that is better than this? Should I get some wire brush pads? What kind of whole sale chemicals can I get for this job? Or is a bottle of engine degreaser really the way to go?

    Looking for tips from people who have done this, as it's disheartening to make so little progress as i move along at my own pace...

    Here is what I am dealing with:

    Engine grossness looked like this before I started cleaning:



    Been able to clean it up a little bit so far..... but it's still very gross.





    Not really sure how to address where the dipstick enters the block/oilpan



    ps pump is super dirty



    Intake mani is pretty gnarly:


    #2
    That's not too bad. I only degreased the exhaust side of my engine because the intake side looked like the Exxon Valdez.

    I believe jlevie had a decent writeup on how to go about degreasing your engine.

    The best thing to do is to break the crust of the crap using some plastic scrapers, removing as much of the gunk as possible. Once you do that, the degreasers can go in and be a lot more effective at their job. A can of foaming engine degreaser and a can or two of regular engine degreaser should be enough.

    Some of the crud you have there is cosmoline, and it's a lot tougher to remove that stuff. A lot of people use aggressive solvents to do that.

    Originally posted by whysimon
    WTF is hello Kitty (I'm 28 with no kids and I don't have cable)

    Comment


      #3
      Originally posted by FredK View Post
      Some of the crud you have there is cosmoline, and it's a lot tougher to remove that stuff. A lot of people use aggressive solvents to do that.
      The cosmoline stuff is the anti-corrosive material on the block yes? I'm not sure how I want to tackle that. I'm probably aiming to get that as clean as possible, aka the crud off of that, not that off the block completely. My cherry picker has a busted seal so i can't actually get the engine onto a stand ATM. Which is how I would want it if I'm truly re-coating the block. Not planning on separating the head from block or the engine from the tranny.

      Guess I'll just have to scrub as hard as I can manage. I'll post some updates once I go at it with a wire brush (hopefully later tonight) and some elbow grease!

      EDIT: What about these wire brushed scuffing up the metal itself? Do I need to worry about that?

      Comment


        #4
        Hot tank


        1989 325is l 1984 euro 320i l 1970 2002 Racecar
        1991 318i 4dr slick top


        Euro spec 320i/Alpina B6 3.5 project(the never ending saga)
        Vintage race car revival (2002 content)
        Mtech 2 turbo restoration
        Brilliantrot slick top "build"

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          #5
          So, back in the day when I worked in a kitchen, we had this stuff, it worked great. CRC Hydroforce Industrial Strength Cleaner. Its non-hazardous and biodegradable. I had another one that required a little more time to do its thing, so I used it to soak parts in, still made by CRC I believe. can use it full strength or diluted.

          I'd use it, let it sit for about 5-10 min, wash it off, then hit it again and use a cheap toothbrush for crevasses and really bad areas. Wash it off and usually I'd be good to go; maybe some spot cleaning to make it perfect.


          Intake Side




          Exhaust Side


          -89' 320iT, Brilliantrot
          -15' 320i, Glacier Silver Metallic

          Comment


            #6
            Originally posted by ThatOneEuroE30 View Post
            Hot tank
            Thanks for taking the time to read through my actual post: "I can't really bathe all my parts, so that is not what I am going for."

            Originally posted by crash n' burn View Post
            So, back in the day when I worked in a kitchen, we had this stuff, it worked great. CRC Hydroforce Industrial Strength Cleaner. Its non-hazardous and biodegradable. I had another one that required a little more time to do its thing, so I used it to soak parts in, still made by CRC I believe. can use it full strength or diluted.

            I'd use it, let it sit for about 5-10 min, wash it off, then hit it again and use a cheap toothbrush for crevasses and really bad areas. Wash it off and usually I'd be good to go; maybe some spot cleaning to make it perfect.
            that's impressive!

            Comment


              #7
              Cheapest most efficient way to thoroughly clean engine bay/parts

              Not all hot tanks bathe them. The on i use puts parts on a rotisserie and blast it with hot water and a cleaning solution.


              But if you don't wanna do that go and get brake clean from Walmart and green scotch bright pads. The Walmart brake clean is really high pressured and peels the grime off and then you can get the tough to reach places with the pad


              1989 325is l 1984 euro 320i l 1970 2002 Racecar
              1991 318i 4dr slick top


              Euro spec 320i/Alpina B6 3.5 project(the never ending saga)
              Vintage race car revival (2002 content)
              Mtech 2 turbo restoration
              Brilliantrot slick top "build"

              Comment


                #8
                whoa, that cleaner did a great job!

                The cast iron block won't get damaged by a steel brush. I'd exercise a little caution with the intake or oil pan to ensure it doesn't get scratched up. I mean the oil pan won't get hurt at all, I used a stiff steel brush to clean my engine, but if you go hard enough you could gouge the aluminum.

                As far as the cosmoline, it's the yellow waxy looking stuff that's mainly on top of the intake.

                Originally posted by whysimon
                WTF is hello Kitty (I'm 28 with no kids and I don't have cable)

                Comment


                  #9
                  Originally posted by FredK View Post
                  whoa, that cleaner did a great job!

                  As far as the cosmoline, it's the yellow waxy looking stuff that's mainly on top of the intake.
                  ah I see what you mean. I did notice that and was wondering what that was. After I clean the intake manifold and valve cover of legit crud, I will most likely have it sand blasted and then send it out to be powder coated.

                  Ill try out some of those walmart pads euro, there happens to be one relatively close to where i work.

                  Comment


                    #10
                    I've been cleaning my M52 project motor. Brake clean. Works everytime. It eats grease and grim with ease and the rest can be rinsed off with water.

                    Comment


                      #11
                      Originally posted by amcp View Post
                      I've been cleaning my M52 project motor. Brake clean. Works everytime. It eats grease and grim with ease and the rest can be rinsed off with water.
                      just have to be careful on aluminum surfaces. make sure you're using stuff that isn't caustic or it'll oxidize it. that stuff I used is alkaline heavy, so I also followed it up with a mild vinegar solution, then washed it all down. I've made the mistake of not doing it on some suspension parts and about 3 months later it looked like shit.
                      -89' 320iT, Brilliantrot
                      -15' 320i, Glacier Silver Metallic

                      Comment


                        #12
                        I use mineral spirits, I.E. paint thinner. It's petroleum based, has a high flash point and is cheap. Buy a solvent tank for small parts, then use a spray bottle for large items.

                        Comment


                          #13
                          Guys, what are you thoughts on how to degrease the undercarriage of our cars? I ended up taking quite a fair bit off the bottom of the car so I want to take the time to make sure everything is A ok down there, and give it afresh coat if possible.

                          Generally it is pretty good, but there are small spots that show some sort of rusting. The worst part is 100% the fuel evap line route/tube that goes through the body. Apart from that there is some on the hand brake cables and rear brake lines but I am replacing all of those. But apart from that, for the botom, what tools would i be able to use to scrub off the layer or grease without compromising the layer of protectant underneath? The protectant seems to be soft (ish) and that it would be easy to scrape off accidentally (maybe).

                          I was thinking simple green and a soft brush and lightly scrub it/wash off with water. and then rust covert those areas, then recoat with another rubberized type undercoating from a rattlecan. Obviously want to check temp ratings and so forth near exhaust?

                          Pics of what I am dealing with:

                          where subframe was - brake lines + parking brake cables will be replaced:



                          pass side fuel tank (the through body lines have since been removed)



                          drivers side:



                          expansion tank area + that damn hole rust:




                          Thoughts? I am recoating my subframe and cleaning up my tank. Want bottom to be all perty

                          Comment


                            #14
                            Soap and water and a rag. Maybe a plastic bristle brush.


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                            1987 325e Lachssilber w/ MarkD chip and late bumpers, Zender EVO spoiler, s3.25 LSD

                            Originally posted by nando
                            I don't think there's really strong evidence that ZDDP harms cats.

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                              #15
                              For the undercarriage I know a lot of detailing guys use an APC (all purpose cleaner), bristle brushes, and water. Most APCs (like Meguiar's) are not designed for heavy oil or grease, but you could always hit those patches with a stronger degreaser if need be.

                              Also for a parts soak or wash, plain ol' unleaded works very well and is the cheapest thing out there. Just don't use it anywhere near heat or electricity, and only use it outside (I wouldn't even use it in a garage with the door open personally). Oh and wear good, thick disposable or rubber gloves :)

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