Cosmoline exorcism (update: valve cover done)

[GaryE30]

Cosmoline is a type of protectant put on our cars for when they were shipped from Germany to the United States. I believe it was supposed to protect the parts that were applied with cosmoline from the salt air/water.

[nando]

I spent like 4 hours cleaning mine with every chemical I could find, including that expensive shit from Zymol that's made for it. it's better than it was, but it's still not quite all off. very frustrating, even with it out of the car!

Don't be a waffleswaffleswaffleswaffleswaffles, wirebrush+drill=clean valve cover.

my valve cover is painted. also, I don't think I'm going to use a wire brush anywhere on my paint (struttowers, etc), thanks.

Wirebrush more for the cosmoline not just dirt, at least I hope you didn't reapply cosmoline after you painted the valve cover.

you don't get it. I cleaned and painted my valve cover a long time ago, there is no cosmoline on it. the cosmoline I'm talking about is covering my whole engine bay (shock towers etc). I'm not taking a wire brush anywhere near the body or paint.

also, cosmoline has been used on guns for a long time to protect the wood and metal from the elements. when I was searching for ways to remove it most of what I found was for gun restoration.

[Matto]

I spent like 4 hours cleaning mine with every chemical I could find, including that expensive shit from Zymol that's made for it. it's better than it was, but it's still not quite all off. very frustrating, even with it out of the car!

Don't be a waffleswaffleswaffleswaffleswaffles, wirebrush+drill=clean valve cover.

my valve cover is painted. also, I don't think I'm going to use a wire brush anywhere on my paint (struttowers, etc), thanks.

Wirebrush more for the cosmoline not just dirt, at least I hope you didn't reapply cosmoline after you painted the valve cover.

you don't get it. I cleaned and painted my valve cover a long time ago, there is no cosmoline on it. the cosmoline I'm talking about is covering my whole engine bay (shock towers etc). I'm not taking a wire brush anywhere near the body or paint.

also, cosmoline has been used on guns for a long time to protect the wood and metal from the elements. when I was searching for ways to remove it most of what I found was for gun restoration.

No I just thought you were talking about the engine not the entire engine bay.

[r75]

is there a consensus on what best removes Cosmoline from the engine bay?

[Collin]

Now I want to get to work on mine, looks good!

[Mystikal]

is there a consensus on what best removes Cosmoline from the engine bay?

4 years later. Nice.

The Simple Green Automotive degreaser is all I used for that. No more than 20 mins of work, IIRC...but that was a long time ago. lol.

[Jand3rson]

Holy fucking old ass thread.

[VAPORBLADE]

Holy fucking old ass thread.

X2 haha!

[SamE30e]

Holy bump...

[norcalE30]

whats with all these old ass threads poppin up again?

edit: yay 100!

[Wishno87]

whats with all these old ass threads poppin up again?

edit: yay 100!

people using the search function like they should

[jintermont]

dang ryan goin thru the old threads huh i have a few ideas i will tell you at work on tuesday

[scabzzzz]

Post pics of the E36!

[mintscorpion]

It looks pretty sexy.

[Collin]

people using the search function like they should

+1000