Cleanliness=Godliness

Post by **matt993fod** » Sun Feb 03, 2008 8:32 pm

Just how do all of you guys keep your engine bays soooo clean?!

All of the A series powered minors we have ever seen or owned have all had pretty filthy engine bays, and every one leaves a drop or two of oil on the driveway to 'mark its territory'! In our experience, If an A series doesnt leak oil, the sump is empty!

I try to keep mine as clean as possible, and I virtually live under the bonnet, with a rag and a bottle of white spirit! Even after this it still gets grimy.

So how DO you guys do it??

Post by **aupickup** » Sun Feb 03, 2008 8:35 pm

simple really they dont use them everyday

Post by **les** » Sun Feb 03, 2008 10:18 pm

I knew a guy once, he used to do odd jobs on cars for friends, but if he lifted the bonnet and saw a dirty engine, he wouldn't touch it. He went up in my estimation that day! Start from the top and work down with a petrol soaked rag, or if you're into health & safety; white spirit.

Post by **AndrewSkinner** » Sun Feb 03, 2008 11:17 pm

even simpler! Fix the leak!

all the grime has to be coming from somewhere! If its simply muddy road grime a simple sponge down when you wash your war will do! If its a greasy gunge then the oil has to be coming from somewhere! find the leak and try and seal it

Post by **bigginger** » Sun Feb 03, 2008 11:24 pm

I dunno, some people spend ages removing the visible oil, then ages filling the box sections with the stuff... ;)
a

Post by **AndrewSkinner** » Sun Feb 03, 2008 11:26 pm

bigginger wrote:I dunno, some people spend ages removing the visible oil, then ages filling the box sections with the stuff... ;)
a

Otherwise we wouldn't have anything to clean

Post by **RogerRust** » Mon Feb 04, 2008 6:31 am

On the 948 the dipstick just slots into a hole. Does anyone know if you can seal it at all? I want to stop the oily fumes messing up my clean engine!

Post by dp » Mon Feb 04, 2008 10:50 am

You could try some self-amalgamating electrical tape around the dipstick at the appropriate point to make a diy rubber bung

Post by **dunketh** » Mon Feb 04, 2008 11:23 am

Just how do all of you guys keep your engine bays soooo clean?!

Personally, I don't.

Its a mugs game.

Car engines are not supposed to be places of great cleanliness. Shut the bonnet and ignore it til it smokes, rattles or stops working.

Post by **Kevin** » Mon Feb 04, 2008 11:54 am

Does anyone know if you can seal it at all?

I dont know Roger I assume you are worried about overpressurising the crankcase if you do seal it, could be worth seeing if there happens to be a grommet that would fit and then see if there are any problems.

Post by **matt993fod** » Sun Feb 10, 2008 8:51 pm

I spent ages cleaning bits of that engine that I'll be damned the day I let it get dirty again!

Post by **MoggyTech** » Sun Feb 10, 2008 9:00 pm

RogerRust wrote:On the 948 the dipstick just slots into a hole. Does anyone know if you can seal it at all? I want to stop the oily fumes messing up my clean engine!

Felt washer slid up the stick against the flange on the stick. Just make sure your crankcase ventilation is ok, or the stick can fly out like a missile.

Post by **bmcecosse** » Sun Feb 10, 2008 10:24 pm

Aye - if it's blowing oil fumes out then the crankcase is pressurised and it will leak everywhere. Simple answer - make sure a breather is connected to the inlet system somehow - either at the carb or in extremis - I have used a 1/8" hole in a plug fitted to unused servo point on the inlet manifold - which easily coped with a 1340 Mini engine that was determined to vent fume and leak oil.