Engine detailing... what to use
04-14-2002, 01:47 AM
#1
928 Engine Re-Re-Rebuild Specialist
Rennlist Member
Rennlist Member
Thread Starter
Engine detailing... what to use
Shopping at the local autoparts store I saw a bunch of cleaners, many of which indicated that they should NOT be used on aluminum.
Then I saw the Simple Green cleaner...is this safe to spray the engine and all around for a good cleaning? I want to spray it on, let it soak, and wash it down with a garden hose.
Never done this before, any suggestions are welcome!
Then I saw the Simple Green cleaner...is this safe to spray the engine and all around for a good cleaning? I want to spray it on, let it soak, and wash it down with a garden hose.
Never done this before, any suggestions are welcome!
04-14-2002, 02:23 AM
#2
Racer
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: Colesville, MD
Posts: 329
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Dave'
This has been a topic around the local airpark for a while since alot of guys were using Simple Green to clean their planes (made mostly of alum.) So I found this on Simple Green's site:
Aluminum - Is it safe to use Simple Green on aluminum?
Simple Green products have been successfully and safely used on aircraft, automotive, industrial and consumer aluminum items for over 20 years. However, caution and common sense must be used: Aluminum is a soft metal that easily corrodes with unprotected exposure to water. The aqueous-base and alkalinity of Simple Green or Crystal Simple Green can accelerate the corrosion process. Therefore, contact times of All Purpose Simple Green and Crystal Simple Green with unprotected or unpainted aluminum surfaces should be kept as brief as the job will allow - never for more than 10 minutes. Large cleaning jobs should be conducted in smaller-area stages to achieve lower contact time. Rinsing after cleaning should always be extremely thorough - paying special attention to flush out cracks and crevices to remove all Simple Green/Crystal Simple Green residues. Unfinished, uncoated or unpainted aluminum cleaned with Simple Green products should receive some sort of protectant after cleaning to prevent oxidation.
I would say it's ok to use as long as you don't leave it on to long and rinse it real good.
This has been a topic around the local airpark for a while since alot of guys were using Simple Green to clean their planes (made mostly of alum.) So I found this on Simple Green's site:
Aluminum - Is it safe to use Simple Green on aluminum?
Simple Green products have been successfully and safely used on aircraft, automotive, industrial and consumer aluminum items for over 20 years. However, caution and common sense must be used: Aluminum is a soft metal that easily corrodes with unprotected exposure to water. The aqueous-base and alkalinity of Simple Green or Crystal Simple Green can accelerate the corrosion process. Therefore, contact times of All Purpose Simple Green and Crystal Simple Green with unprotected or unpainted aluminum surfaces should be kept as brief as the job will allow - never for more than 10 minutes. Large cleaning jobs should be conducted in smaller-area stages to achieve lower contact time. Rinsing after cleaning should always be extremely thorough - paying special attention to flush out cracks and crevices to remove all Simple Green/Crystal Simple Green residues. Unfinished, uncoated or unpainted aluminum cleaned with Simple Green products should receive some sort of protectant after cleaning to prevent oxidation.
I would say it's ok to use as long as you don't leave it on to long and rinse it real good.
04-14-2002, 03:24 AM
#3
Drifting
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: Redondo Beach, CA>>>>Atlanta,GA
Posts: 2,015
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Big Dave,
If you have never used Simple Green Before I think you will find it is a great cleaner. I and just about every one I know uses it on the entire motocross bike including the engine (has really no electronics). It will really make rubber black too.
Be careful however using water on the engine of your shark. I wetted the engine recently and exploded the temperature sensor for the fan in the intake. Many will advise aganist this all together. I wonder if any one has ever experimented w/ a few well aimed cans of brakeclean.
<img src="graemlins/drink.gif" border="0" alt="[cherrsagai]" />
Andy K
If you have never used Simple Green Before I think you will find it is a great cleaner. I and just about every one I know uses it on the entire motocross bike including the engine (has really no electronics). It will really make rubber black too.
Be careful however using water on the engine of your shark. I wetted the engine recently and exploded the temperature sensor for the fan in the intake. Many will advise aganist this all together. I wonder if any one has ever experimented w/ a few well aimed cans of brakeclean.
<img src="graemlins/drink.gif" border="0" alt="[cherrsagai]" />
Andy K
04-14-2002, 05:01 PM
#4
Chronic Tool Dropper
Lifetime Rennlist
Member
Lifetime Rennlist
Member
Andy K wrote:
[quote] Be careful however using water on the engine of your shark. I wetted the engine recently and exploded the temperature sensor for the fan in the intake. Many will advise aganist this all together. I wonder if any one has ever experimented w/ a few well aimed cans of brakeclean. <hr></blockquote>
After a little experimentation, I recommend that you stick with the Simple Green or one of the citrus degreasers. The petro-based engine cleaners seemed to spot the paint on my formerly-pristine intake and cam covers.
Use plenty of water to flush any residue away after it's all cleaned too.
Standard warnings-- cover the distributors, sensors, etc, and don't spray the water hose directly on the exposed connectors. They are 'water resistant', but will succumb to high-pressure water sprays. For that reason, I'd keep the pressure washer away from the top of the motor.
Brake Clean is good for lots of things, especially related to degreasing metal parts. I can't imagine a use as a detailing material in the engine bay though. It's highly flammable, fumes are toxic, accellerates the deterioration of plastic and rubber parts, etc.
Hope this helps!
[quote] Be careful however using water on the engine of your shark. I wetted the engine recently and exploded the temperature sensor for the fan in the intake. Many will advise aganist this all together. I wonder if any one has ever experimented w/ a few well aimed cans of brakeclean. <hr></blockquote>
After a little experimentation, I recommend that you stick with the Simple Green or one of the citrus degreasers. The petro-based engine cleaners seemed to spot the paint on my formerly-pristine intake and cam covers.
Use plenty of water to flush any residue away after it's all cleaned too.
Standard warnings-- cover the distributors, sensors, etc, and don't spray the water hose directly on the exposed connectors. They are 'water resistant', but will succumb to high-pressure water sprays. For that reason, I'd keep the pressure washer away from the top of the motor.
Brake Clean is good for lots of things, especially related to degreasing metal parts. I can't imagine a use as a detailing material in the engine bay though. It's highly flammable, fumes are toxic, accellerates the deterioration of plastic and rubber parts, etc.
Hope this helps!
04-14-2002, 06:59 PM
#5
Banned
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: Ft. Lauderdale FLORIDA
Posts: 5,248
Likes: 0
Received 4 Likes
on
3 Posts
-On tough areas, I've often used quick spurts of fluoridated Brake-Cleen, which contains 1,1,1 trichloroethylene [not the late, lamented trichloroethane, which kicked-*** and took names....] and removes grease.
Simple Green was the first thought in my head when I first read this....great minds think alike, I guess!
-I always have a little bottle of Aluminum jelly from Wal-Mart in my garage to brighten the intake and the top of the radiator. After using, I wash it off carefully, and go at the intake spider tubes with a fine steel wool pad.
All the rubber and plastic parts, including the front of the timing belt covers and various wires/hoses are wiped down with a clean rag saturated in Armor-All. I like to do a few hoses and/or areas after each wash. A few squirts on the various areas of the firewall or in the front of the radiator near the healight driveshaft make these areas appear clean too.
NOW.....about spraying off that engine. I don't do this any more often then once per year- this really isn't good for many things, though I once had a mechanic tell me that if a light spraying with water once/year causes you problems, then you were driving with a problem to begin with. The long and short is that a car should be able to tolerate a little moisture under the hood. As dr bob said, cover the main areas, such as distributor and alternator, and try to avoid spraying directly on things like ignition and injector connectors. One problem that has occured in the past is that if water gets under the plug caps, it will be trapped- and when you run your car later, the water will turn to steam, build pressure, and actually pop your plug wire right off! Not as funny as it sounds....
Bon laver-
Normy!
Simple Green was the first thought in my head when I first read this....great minds think alike, I guess!
-I always have a little bottle of Aluminum jelly from Wal-Mart in my garage to brighten the intake and the top of the radiator. After using, I wash it off carefully, and go at the intake spider tubes with a fine steel wool pad.
All the rubber and plastic parts, including the front of the timing belt covers and various wires/hoses are wiped down with a clean rag saturated in Armor-All. I like to do a few hoses and/or areas after each wash. A few squirts on the various areas of the firewall or in the front of the radiator near the healight driveshaft make these areas appear clean too.
NOW.....about spraying off that engine. I don't do this any more often then once per year- this really isn't good for many things, though I once had a mechanic tell me that if a light spraying with water once/year causes you problems, then you were driving with a problem to begin with. The long and short is that a car should be able to tolerate a little moisture under the hood. As dr bob said, cover the main areas, such as distributor and alternator, and try to avoid spraying directly on things like ignition and injector connectors. One problem that has occured in the past is that if water gets under the plug caps, it will be trapped- and when you run your car later, the water will turn to steam, build pressure, and actually pop your plug wire right off! Not as funny as it sounds....
Bon laver-
Normy!
