Engine Degreaser.. the good stuff?

[Timp]

whatev's.

Accountable this...
they get more oil in the storm drains in 5 minutes from rain washing it off the road than they're gonna get from you cleaning your engine off. either way, from rain or from cleaning, it is gonna wind up in the drain.

So don't worry, be happy.
And nuke the gay unborn whales.

While it is true that collectively thousands of cars' various leaking fluids do get washed down to storm drains - you aren't doing yourself any favors to bring valid points to a discussion with things like 'nuke the gay unborn whales'.

After doing a bit of reading on this, apparently car washing bays don't empty into storm drains but go to treatment facilites. Just FYI.

[Onizukachan]

That's a ridiculous stance to take. It is the city's responsibility to clean up your mess? What ever happened to personal accountability?

whatev's.

Accountable this...
they get more oil in the storm drains in 5 minutes from rain washing it off the road than they're gonna get from you cleaning your engine off. either way, from rain or from cleaning, it is gonna wind up in the drain.

So don't worry, be happy.
And nuke the gay unborn whales.

[Timp]

Wow. Very impressed. Mind elaborating on the process? Any scrubbing involved? Was the engine warmed up?

[lambo]

Simple Green + just a garden hose

[Robotin]

no, get that purple power cleaner stuff at like the 99cents store. shit works like magic.

then JW welb the whole.

[E30 Memorial]

If you don't care what it does to the paint, glass or rubber parts almost anything works great. If you don't want it to do damage to the car, driveway, fish or sperm check out Oil Eater. Works great and available at Costco.

http://www.oileater.com/Household.html

[SlamedIAm]

let the city worry about it... and no, generally they do not go directly to water anymore.
if they do they are supposed to be be labeled as such.

That's a ridiculous stance to take. It is the city's responsibility to clean up your mess? What ever happened to personal accountability?

[slammin.e28]

Heavy duty oven cleaner and a power washer.

[Vivek]

I don't mean to hijack this thread, but what exactly does one do about the runoff created from using degreaser? For example, it was suggested that I spray down my entire engine block in nearly straight simple green/purple power/whatever and hose it down. While I did this, I noticed the greasy water just making it's way down the driveway, and then into a storm drain.

Often these cleaners are listed as 'biodegradable', but what about the crap that comes off with it? Don't storm drains go directly into natural sources of water?

Not wanting to guilt anyone about degreasing in the driveway as I've done it plenty of times - just genuinely curious.

I wouldn't worry about it. Even years and years of caked on grime is nothing compared to pouring a quart of oil down a drain. And it'll be a few fluid ounces at most diluted in gallons and gallons of water flowing down the drain.

[Hey_You]

It flows down to the energy drink factory. They can it, unfiltered, and sell it to you at a premium rate.

Explains the taste and effects anyhow.

I think I have been drinking someone elses waste, because I'm sure RedLine oil would taste better...although, it does have a correlation with RedLine energy drinks

[strang3majik]

It flows down to the energy drink factory. They can it, unfiltered, and sell it to you at a premium rate.

Explains the taste and effects anyhow.

[Onizukachan]

let the city worry about it... and no, generally they do not go directly to water anymore.
if they do they are supposed to be be labeled as such.

[Timp]

I don't mean to hijack this thread, but what exactly does one do about the runoff created from using degreaser? For example, it was suggested that I spray down my entire engine block in nearly straight simple green/purple power/whatever and hose it down. While I did this, I noticed the greasy water just making it's way down the driveway, and then into a storm drain.

Often these cleaners are listed as 'biodegradable', but what about the crap that comes off with it? Don't storm drains go directly into natural sources of water?

Not wanting to guilt anyone about degreasing in the driveway as I've done it plenty of times - just genuinely curious.

[5Toes]

I like CRC brake clean. engine degreaser is always disappointing.

I've got an oil pan I need cleaned, it's so nasty that neither simple green, purple power, nor brake cleaner would even break the surface. it's from Germany. So much for the Germans taking better care of their cars.. hah!

this

[Onizukachan]

Try easy off oven cleaner works great on gunk ...

Ditto on the oven cleaner. EZoff. not the low smell version either.
It's about all that will work when you have a ton of old dirt encrusted gunk. Add in some old carpet scraps as scrubbing pads, or a nylon brush and you can have it cleaned up and looking factory fresh in no time.

After rinsing with water, follow up with simple green.

As mentioned it isn't particularly great for SHINY paint, but if you wax, and get some on the fenders just rinse it off in a minute or two. It isn't going to make the paint suddenly bubble up and slide off like aircraft stripper... geez. at worst you'd merely have to rewax b/c it took some of the wax off.

I used to take my suspension apart and do the wheel wells with it to get rid of all the gunky buildup once a year.


it never hurt my aluminum parts, plastics, etc, and i've been doing it for 20 years.