Questions about cleaning engine bay

[Enigmatic]

I am getting my engine bay ready for my new engine (you can't put a pretty engine in a dirty bay). I have some questions about how to clean some really heavy caked on grime on the frame and brake metal brake lines. I have gone through several cans of engine degreaser, brake clean, soap and water with a stiff bathroom brush and still this stuff remains. I first thought it was just rust but I can scrap it with a screwdriver and see its grime. I know I can scrape and scrub till my fingers bleed and get it off...but I was hoping maybe one of you fine Sirs could point me at something that will cut the scrubbing time to a minimum. I thought about oven cleaner (avoiding any wires or rubber) but not sure.

 

Help me FGMCC, you'er my only hope!

[7tonemonte]

Oven cleaner does work, but try some of that degreaser your using with a gray scotch brite,scrubbing it in to the lines and stuff. It helps cut it down, the oven cleaner thing helps too with a scotch brite, but your starting to get into nasty chemicals there. If your gonna do that, you might as well use laquer thinner and a scrubber! Use some gloves, its heck on your hands

[502ci]

Do you have access to a pressure washer? After spraying it with some type of degreaser those things work wonders. Something with over 2,000 psi would work pretty good.

[wallaby]

Pressure washers cut through the stuff pretty good, but sometimes remove paint as they go. They also only remove the stuff you can shoot directly...everything on the back side remains.

 

I'm a big user of mineral spirits. It's cheap and comes in gallon cans at Home Depot for something like $3.00/can. It doesn't have the fumes that come from laquer thinner, and it evaporates much slower...meaning it will soak longer on your parts to soften the crud. Don't get me wrong, there's still plenty of hand labor involved.

[MGD72Monte]

Here is what I do.

Step 1: Turn on the radio to your favourite station and settle in for a while.

Step 2: Using a small metal scraper, I like a 1" blade for its ability to get in tight areas, start aggressively scraping off the sometimes thick layer of caked on grime/grease.

Step 3: Use a toothbrush and some paint thinner to clean off the remaining layer and those areas you could not reach with the scraper.

Step 4: Using a high power hand held grinder with twisted wire cup, clean up the layer of rust (this will create a cloud of dust so mask and covering up areas you don't want to have to clean helps.)

Step 5: Using a vacuum or compressed air, clean up the area including the wire brushed surfaces

Step 6: Final cleaning of surfaces to be painted (use fresh paint thinner and a clean toothbrush)

Step 7: Once dry, prime and paint (I use an easy to apply rust paint which needs no primer and is easy to apply.) For the frame, if you want to avoid the fumes, a small 2-3" paint roller works and looks great. The firewall is better done with spray paint for a smooth look.

Step 8:

 

Enjoy

[Canuck]

Here is what I do.

Step 1: Turn on the radio to your favourite station and settle in for a while.

Step 2: Using a small metal scraper, I like a 1" blade for its ability to get in tight areas, start aggressively scraping off the sometimes thick layer of caked on grime/grease.

Step 3: Use a toothbrush and some paint thinner to clean off the remaining layer and those areas you could not reach with the scraper.

Step 4: Using a high power hand held grinder with twisted wire cup, clean up the layer of rust (this will create a cloud of dust so mask and covering up areas you don't want to have to clean helps.)

Step 5: Using a vacuum or compressed air, clean up the area including the wire brushed surfaces

Step 6: Final cleaning of surfaces to be painted (use fresh paint thinner and a clean toothbrush)

Step 7: Once dry, prime and paint (I use an easy to apply rust paint which needs no primer and is easy to apply.) For the frame, if you want to avoid the fumes, a small 2-3" paint roller works and looks great. The firewall is better done with spray paint for a smooth look.

Step 8:

 

Enjoy

 

 

I used a 1 inch metal scraper for the caked on grease areas and then used wire brushes and tooth brushes for those little areas. Simple Green was the cleaner I used. Not as strong as thinner, etc but no bad fumes either. Worked well doing my whole engine compartment in the 70 (many people think i actually pulled the engine) and I've degreased and painted the 72 engine. It certainly takes time to get it all but the results are worth it.

[Enigmatic]

Thanks for the help guys, that at least points me in the right direction. One last question for you. What is the putty/caulk tht is at the top of the firewall (where the firewall meets the cowling). Mine is pretty brittle and breaking away and want to redo it before I paint that area and put everything back together.

 

Thanks guys

[7tonemonte]

That is typical, I scraped all mine off and replaced it with a body seam sealer, Fusor, by Lord. There is several colors to choose from. Basically any slightly flexible seam sealer body caulk will work. Just go to any autobody supply company and tell them what your trying to do. They will point you in the right direction

[Enigmatic]

You guys are awesome!!! EZ off and a pressure washer later and not only is my frame cleane but so is the tranny and cross member. Went to English Color and got some seam sealer and about to start that in a few min. Soon as the rest of the frame and tranny are dry its time to paint. Pics will be posted in about 48 hrs. Again you guys rock!

[7tonemonte]

Glad to hear your continuing to move forward!! That oven cleaner is some good stuff, kinda scary you can use it in your oven