Cleaning underneath the car ??

I am looking into cleaning underneath the car ... what chemicals/utensils should I use (especially around the engine).

If anyone has taken on this task and would like to share their experience - I would really appreciate it !

Darren

'82 SC

The best way I have found is to go to your local equipment rental shop and rent a steam cleaner. Not a pressure washer, but a steam cleaner. The steam cleaner is a device that heats water (with gasoline) to and extremely high temp, then shoots it out of a wand at low to medium pressure. The result will melt away any crap under your car. Put your car on ramps or stands and get under it the best you can. Rinse with water when complete. It will probably take you about 8 hours to do a good job.

Safety precautions: It will burn the hell out of you. Wear long sleeves, long pants, gloves, eye protection.
Environmental precautions: all the crap under your car is usually an environmental hazard. Be mindful of where the water runs and try to collect as much debris as you can on visqueen.

------------------
Mark Howard
'88 Carrera
'62 356/B
'75 914 1.8 resto

depends on how much filth you have under there! I cleaned mine for concours last week and started out with a light degreaser. I DID NOT use a pressure washer as I did not want to remove the undercoating. If that doesn't get it move on to an engine degreaser and brake cleaner. Use a brush to scrub loose the stubborn stuff and don't let the cleaner dry. Rinse it off and re-apply if neccessary. Carburator cleaner works well on the metal stuff-spray it on and wipe off-then rinse well. Makes quite a mess on the driveway so do it somewhere else or prepare your work area well. Good luck-the finished product will make you proud and you will be able to find any fluid leaks easily afterwards.

I took my car to the local self service car wash. It cost me about 6 bucks in quarters but I got the bottom clean enough to work on underneath. Not nearly as thorough as the 8 hour steam bath but I was able to remove maybe 90% of the grime.

GB

Thanks guys - I'll try the service station wash first - as I don't think it's that bad. But what about the area around the engine,Gearbox etc.??

Most detail shops will do the engine bay and tranny cleaning, just check things over real well when you get it back, make sure they did not knock anything loose...

Randy

------------------
Friends don't let friends drive RICE!

1978 911 SC

Before I realized how much damage fuel-based solvents can do to the enviroment, I used to use lacquer thinner in spray bottles to remove grease and grime-but now, in my enlightened years, I find Simple Green works great full strength on heavy deposits (even better when it's heated up a bit).

------------------
Clay McGuill '66 912, '97 Jeep Cherokee www.geocities.com/the912guy

Remember, Simple Green by itself is not harmful, but when mixed with the grime underneath your engine, it becomes hazardous and toxic. So don't let runoff into the drain, even if you are using 'enviro-friendly' degreasers...

-Wayne