It's about time to clean up the engine compartment (when it warms up a bit). Between the vacuum pump leak and road grime it's gotten pretty dirty. This is my first diesel so I wanted to check opinions before I broke out the pressure washer and Simple Green. Obviously, you need to watch electronics. What do you think?

 

I use Simple Green and a garden hose. I don't like the idea of high pressure water with all the electrical connections under the hood.

MikeyB

 

I worked In detailing a while back and we always used purple power and a pressure washer on all sorts of cars, trucks, etc for years with no problem

 

I don't know how dirty the engine is but I just get a big spray can of WD40 and elbow grease. A small brush (like a toothbrush) helps also. Electrical components and water don't mix well.

 

Maybe dangerous...But I use Varsol with a engine wand, connected to my compressor.You don't want to run the engine till all the varsol evaportes..

 

I use Castrol Super Clean and a garden hose.
The stuff works so good I hardly ever pull out the pressure washer any more.

 

I use Simply Green ,and a fine spray nozzle when I get brave. My buddies new Firebird got toasted a few years back because of one of those detail shops using a pressure cleaner on it. The thing caught on fire a few miles down the road from being cleaned. It took about 7months to get the detail shops insurance to pay up, it was totaled out.

 

I use biodiesel in a spray bottle and let it soak in for an hour, then I spritz it with the glycerine and hit it with a hose. Gets most of the rough stuff off.

 

Purple power kicks butt over simple green. When I rebuild my engine I cleaned the pistons and tested 3 different cleaners. The purple power took all the crud off the pistons with no wiping. I can't remember the second best one, but the Simple green was a waste of time and they all cost about the same. The ones I cleaned with Simple green got finished with the purple power.

 

Simple green/garden hose.....works for me too.

Haven't tried the purple power yet....but may check it out. Thanks Checkmate.

..

 

I've always used Simple Green on everything. Never really cleaned (or needed to) the Cummins. I've owned the truck for a year and a half. Used to keep my Tacoma pretty clean but I sold it. Simple Green does great on loose/fresh dirt and oil. I think I will try some of the Purple Power stuff. Its going to be tough to get in the spots where the vac pump has been leaking.

 

If it's the Purple Power I'm thinking of be careful around aluminum. It will corrode the snot out of aluminum if left on for too long. I found out the hard way.

MikeyB

 

Simple Green does that also.

 

where can you get purple power?

 

Pretty sure you can get it at any store (Auto Zone, Lowes, local hardware store, etc.) that sells Simple Green and other popular cleaners.