Engine cleaning

Post by **GeorgeHurst** » Tue Jul 14, 2009 6:50 pm

I need to give my engine it's first ever (probably) clean before going in and painting the engine bay and tarting it up. Is steam cleaning advisable? I understand it can be bad for some engines?

Should I just get some elbow grease and Jizer, and do it myself?

Any thoughts on how to give it a thorough, gleaming clean appreciated.

Cheers,
G

Post by **PSL184** » Tue Jul 14, 2009 6:54 pm

Mr Muscle oven cleaner - Spray on - aggitate really thick dirty areas with a paint brush - leave for 30 mins (any more might start to take paint off) - then hose off - Simples

Post by **bmcecosse** » Tue Jul 14, 2009 11:24 pm

Jizer or Gunk - perhaps the oven cleaner - I haven't tried that - with a good old paint brush. But beware where all this filth is going to land when you 'hose it off'. Don't do it on the monoblocks! You should perhaps take precautions to keep moisture out of the dizzy - wrap it in a nice thick poly bag secured with a good 'Postie' rubber band. Same idea for the coil -although not as critical as the dizzy.

Post by **PSL184** » Tue Jul 14, 2009 11:33 pm

You should try it Roy - It's cheaper than the other stuff and far less hassle - Here's a pic showing the bit I tried it out on first...

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Post by **polo2k** » Tue Jul 14, 2009 11:53 pm

Ive had good results with oven cleaner but there is no substitute for pulling the engine out and getting giddy on it with a big steam cleaner!
for light much ive had good results with the bright yellow flash all purpose stuff. if its a bit dull after dont bother with T cut jump straight to a rubbing compond but careful you dont munch through the paint!
This is only possible once all the muck and nastyness is off.
I get brake cleaner from my local paint factors and its nitromoors based, as long as its not on the paint long it does a lovly job of bringing off the muck.
p.s. when you wash off the first "layer" of cleaning solvent use hot water from a kettle and this will help shift oils and grease.

Post by **8009STEVE** » Wed Jul 15, 2009 7:29 am

You should perhaps take precautions to keep moisture out of the dizzy

Or use a "Marigold" glove.

Post by **bmcecosse** » Wed Jul 15, 2009 9:12 am

PINK Marigold only please!
If I was seen using 'oven cleaner' I might get the oven to clean too!

Post by **GeorgeHurst** » Wed Jul 15, 2009 9:14 am

Right, elbow grease it is

Thanks for the advice.

Just had a thought, any ideas on how to bring back a nice shiny black colour to dulled/old plastic enclosures, i.e. distributor cap? 'Back to black' bumper spray?

Post by **PSL184** » Wed Jul 15, 2009 9:53 am

I used a rattle can of satin black from Halfords....

Post by **8009STEVE** » Thu Jul 16, 2009 8:36 am

As usual, my comment, this time about "Marigold" has been slagged off.
If you use a glove, it has 5 "fingers". This equates to 4 for the HT leads to the plugs and the fifth one covers the HT lead from the coil. It was an old trick for Mini's to stop water getting in when it rained.

Post by **LouiseM** » Thu Jul 16, 2009 9:18 am

I can't see any 'slagging off'? It might have been useful to explain at the time why you were referring to the marigold as it's a very useful tip but I've never heard of it before. I probably wasn't the only person who didn't know what you meant by the comment "use a marigold".

Thu Jul 16, 2009 1:16 pm

can i suggest a good way to clean a dulled dizzy cap.. is to put it in the bin and buy a new one

Post by **carlosramalho** » Thu Jul 16, 2009 2:03 pm

Hi Charlie
Is not fair!!!

regards
carlos

Post by **StaffsMoggie** » Thu Jul 16, 2009 4:24 pm

8009STEVE wrote:As usual, my comment, this time about "Marigold" has been slagged off.
If you use a glove, it has 5 "fingers". This equates to 4 for the HT leads to the plugs and the fifth one covers the HT lead from the coil. It was an old trick for Mini's to stop water getting in when it rained.

That brought back memories! All my old Minis had a rubber glove over the distributor cap, did it to my 1100 too, much cheaper than buying the plastic engine cover.