Pelican Parts Forums - What can I clean My engine with?

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What can I clean My engine with?

Well i want to clean my engine so that it can match my new paint job heh....its a dirty ***** and i was wondering what I can use to clean the manifold and everything else?

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85.5 Porsche 944

go to auto zone, wal mart, kmart, or advance auto and get a big spray can of "Engine Degreaser" and follow the directions on the back of the can. It says to warm your engine up a bit before you spray it down. This is very important, and if you do this stuff eliminates the need for any kind of scrubing. Afterwords make sure you reapply grease to your headlight linkage joints and hood hinges, and hood latch, etc...

Engine degreaser works...Very fine steel woll on the delicate stuff to shine it up...maybe fine steel wool on the really dirty stuff that the degreaser won't take out.
Put the degreaser on and let it sit for a while, go do somethin else for an hour and come back, or however long you want, the longer the better.
Remember that when you spray the degreaser off with water to watch out for electrical stuff.
Might hafta use a blow drier if you know that you accidentially sprayed water in somewhere, like your alternator!!!
Disconnect the battery !! http://www.pelicanparts.com/ultimate/wink.gif

What about the Alumanim Engine Paint for the Cylinder manifold? Cause its discolored and I saw on a 911 targa site that he used it on his.

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85.5 Porsche 944

I use simple grean, gets everthing real shiny.
Have a look
http://members.rennlist.com/martintaylor/

I have used several products but feel the "simple Green" is the best. My biggest concern was to not introduce and petroleum type solvents onto the exposed gasket edges and to not damage/remove and factory markings or decals etc. I was also worried about over-spray and splash getting onto my outer bodywork and stripping the wax. On my most recent "clean" binge, we put a heavy coat of wax on the front fenders and nose and then hung towels on the windshield etc. With a fresh paint job, you should be worried about this.

With the "Green" in a hand pump spray bottle, I was able to wet a section and using a small washcloth, to move and loosen the grung without much effort. Some places needed a second spray. Instead of just blasting things with a hose, I used a large cup of water to rinse things off. I have also had great success with some of the "Orange" cleaners.

To freshen up the cam tower cover and the intake runners, I use a small brush, kinda like a tooth brush, that is made of brass (A wire brush) I find the brush cuts right thru the oxidation and brings back a nice even color. When I was done with the rinse job, I used a leaf blower to make sure I had no water puddles in the compartment and that all was blown dry. I also spray some silicon spray or WD40 onto a rag and wipe down my hoses and exposed rubber lines. I have seen folks use "Armorall" for this but it collects dust and looks to shiny.

During this process, I was concerned for my drive way and did not want to grease up the place. We cut open a large cardboard box and placed it under the car... when we were done, we folded up the box, plastic bagged it and placed it in the trash... what a wet mess but it was worth it.

We have also used the "green" to clean up the rear but that's a different adventure.

Basic guidelines
- Disconnect the battery
- Dont spray cleaner or water into or onto the...
Alternator
Belts
Coil
Power-steering reservoir
Dist cap
Throttle body
Electrical plug connections

Wear grungy shoes
Wear gloves (be safe, live longer, no mutant children)
Have LOTS of rags and towels
Consider eye protection or wear glasses
Wash the whole car when done and to expect some strange smells for the next few trips

I have to agree with Martin here... Simple Green rules as long as your engine isn't disgusting. I've had some not so happy experiences getting engine de-greaser were it shouldn't be...delicate rubber pieces, paint and eyes to name a few... The stuff is stout!

Erik