EClancy

Seems like a silly question, but i'll ask for anyones recomendation.

What is the best was to degrease the engine and front axle of our trucks? My engine is pretty dirty, and my front axle is just disgusting from 14 years of getting driipped on.

What kinds (brands) of cleaners work best? ive tried enginebrite, but that didnt seem to work too well. It sucks, but i do not really have access to hot water, just pressurized cold water.

Thanks in advance

whereswaldo250

I went to a local auto house and they had this can of "Gunk" works well and it is cheap. Spray it on and wait then wash it off, looks good! It is in an orange and white can.

BearKiller

DAWN ultra heavy duty dish detergent, applied heavily with a cheap paint-brush.

Let her soak a while, then mist with water, just enough to dampen, and soak some more.

After some soaking, get after it with a pressure washer.

Sometimes, coin-operated car washes will have hot soapy water that is better than cold, just sneak in when no one is around.

NukleusX

I am pretty sure I used the same stuff (dont have it handy, its down in the garage, but it is in an orange and white can) It worked very well, and was relatively quick.

Ilikebikes

You could also try some the strong degreasers above and then hit it with a pressure washer. That should get all the gunk off!

NukleusX

I was going to use a pressure washer but it was all buried in the mess of crud my dad keeps in the garage, so I settled to just let the stuff I used soak in for a good 10-15 mins, and the regular hose with a spray nozzle took everything off first try. Did not even have to resort to using the pressure washer.

Jim Lane

How I keep my engine clean...
I have a Karcher high pressure live steam cleaner for when it is real bad or when I do something major but after it is clean then what I use is I have a spray bottle and fill it with 100% Simple Green.
I spray it on a warm not hot engine and then wait a few minuets then I hose it off with a high pressure stream from the garden hose. I also use a commercial product from Waxxie called Mean Green; this is like Simple Green except way stronger.
Then after I hose it off I use compressed air and dry off all of the engine and electrical connections. I re-grease the connectors with dielectric grease then start up the engine to finish drying it out.
I clean it on a cold engine so I do not get cold water on a hot turbo and do any thermal shock to damage it.

I know this might sound a bit excessive but I usually clean the engine compartment every time I wash the truck so it never really has a chance to get very dirty. Last week when I had a fuel leak it really got sloppy under the truck and I have not yet gotten under the truck to clean it.

Do NOT use and kind of an OVEN cleaner to clean your engine, they are made for porcelain and stainless steel. It will eat up the finish on anything aluminum like your valve covers and alternator.
It is also very caustic and bad to breathe the vapors.

Also what ever you use be sure to keep it off your paint unless you want to remove the wax.
Jim

EClancy

Great tips, thanks. I was going to take my truck to work where we have a diesel fired hot water pressure washer, but i was in a car accident last sunday and brke my leg and ankle, so i am kinda laid up for a while. By the time i will be able to drive again, the washer will be put away for the winter.

Our stupid car wash in town does not have hot water available anytime. Plus i can actually get more pressure out of a garden hose hooked to a small 110v pressure washer than the car wash puts out.

I'm really looking forward to doing this, as my truck really is a disgusting mess of oil and grease, as i am sure it has never been cleaned. I'm finally starting to get some loose ends tied up, and this is one of them.

BC847

While not the most environmentally friendly, I've had very good results with simply lightly spraying the soiled areas with plain old kerosene. Ideally spraying lightly after dinner. Then again just before bedtime. Let it soak over night.

A very light re-wetting in the morning and then let it have it with the garden hose.


In all seriousness, you may want to spray some WD40 or the like on those items that you don't want to rust afterward as the above treatment takes all the oils off.

Geico266

Simple Green works great.

andyr354

At the local store you can also get another product Dawn makes. "Power disolver" works awesome. It comes in a smaller spray bottle and will eat off even baked on deposits. I have used it and castrol superclean both with good results.

I think that "gunk" brand cleaner is diesel and a few other solvents mixed together, probably not much different than the sugestion of kerosene above.

Andy

BearKiller

When I was a kid, many many years ago, we had a siphon-gun-gizmo that had a hose that was stuck in a jug of kerosene, and a coupler for an air-hose.

It had a pistol-grip and air-trigger.

It also had about a two foot nozzle.

You pointed it at the grime and squeezed the trigger for a high-pressure blast of kerosene.

Man, you talk about dissolving gunk and grime!!

If I ever see one for sale, I am going to buy it.

Jim Lane

Get your money ready...
Are you talking about an air siphon cleaning gun?
I have seen them at Home Depot where the air tools are.

http://www.campbellhausfeld.net/weba...egory_rn=10566

Jim

EClancy

That is cool, i can myself getting one really soon

BearKiller

That is almost exactly what we used to have.

I guess I will have to put my money where my mouth is and hunt up one at the Campbell-Hausfeld dealer.

Thanks.