What can I use to clean caked on oily grime?

[donporfi]

Soak with Oil Eater rinse with hot water, connect a hose from your water heater if it is in your garage.

[hcoles]

Originally Posted by esses62

Orange oil based tar remover Karnak you can buy a spray bottle at your local Home Depot lowes where they sell the roofing materials works like magic

Thanks for finding this stuff - turning out to be a bit difficult to get a hold of.

FYI....
Home Depot shows they have a SKU 343863 but no stock model #709-QT in the store (or in a store within 100 miles) and it can't be shipped. I went to my local HD to double check and they can't order it. They said it is not available to them now - and often the web info. doesn't get updated. I sent a message to the Karnak Corp. asking where I can get this stuff near me.

[juanbenae]

id say burn it off.

[juanbenae]

Originally Posted by 911obgyn

When i use a pressure washer, i get an old piece of carpet and lay it under the car. It collects the greasy bits that fly off and i throw it away later. I pre treat with a spray bottle of paint thinner or diesel fuel. Safety glasses and a tyvec throwaway suit and rubber gloves.

the carpet is a great tip. noted.

[911pcars]

A shop cloth wet with ATF or Marvel Mystery Oil. Use with a stiff parts or paint brush (shorten the bristles). New vs old oils combine to loosen crud. Wear gloves and have a large pan under the area to catch excess lube, dirt, grease, leaves, stones, etc. Aerosol cleaners are a waste of propellant.

Sherwood

[Bob Kontak]

Originally Posted by jgerock

I recently removed the rear bumper from my 77 targa to replace the oil lines and exhaust. A leaking oil tank sending unit allowed dirt and oil to accumulate everywhere- especially inside the valence and bumper. I used a plastic scraper (putty knife) with Purple Power cleaner. I love the PP cleaner but you must be careful because it contains lye. I buy it in gallon containers from Walmart.

I like Purple Power. You can clean a carb with it but don't soak a carb in it as the lye (which I did not know until this post) will cause a reaction and you end up with a powder type film on the metal. Not so cool for passages.

On occasion, I use a product called ZEP A-LUME. You can buy it at large truck supply houses for under $25 for a gallon. It contains acid.

If you mix it about five to one with water and a spray bottle you have a vicious cleaner that will do most any deed you want it to, including eat the skin off your hands. Read up on it. It's scary but can get some things other cleaners wont.

Not meant for oil and grease but it can be used for stains in aluminum castings.

You need big water to flush as you clean.

[dynosoar1]

Originally Posted by Bob Kontak

On occasion, I use a product called ZEP A-LUME. You can buy it at large truck supply houses for under $25 for a gallon. It contains acid.

If you mix it about five to one with water and a spray bottle you have a vicious cleaner that will do most any deed you want it to, including eat the skin off your hands. Read up on it. It's scary but can get some things other cleaners wont.

I like liquid uranium....its radioactive but cleans great...lol...just messing with you.

+1 gunk...cheap and really effective

[Bob Kontak]

Originally Posted by dynosoar1

I like liquid uranium....its radioactive but cleans great...lol...just messing with you.

This stuff may be way more than OP is interested in. Just for hip pocket information.

ZEP Alum - Left Side Photo Gallery by 914-6 GT at pbase.com

[superninety]

I feel like I have used most the recommendations here. Pressure washing is a great first effort, and yes be careful with that. I find that Oil Eater works really well and is not so harsh. Also mineral spirits is great on the oil and fantastic kn cosmoline. I find Purple Power relatively harsh. Simple Green is OK. Both of those are risky on aluminum and need to be rinsed very well.

On bare metal, scotchbrite pads with the cleaners are very helpful, but very harsh on painted parts.

I bought a whole kit of plastic tools used for auto trim removal, any there are two or three in there that are incredibly useful for scraping thick oil sludge and cosmoline off.

It's a crusade...