Best way to clean VERY oily engine bay (1 Viewer)

[Riverbankannie]

Not our MH but MG car. The contents of the engine are now on the outside not the inside. Now a repair to the offending oil pipe has been done we are left with a bit of a mess, the battery is sitting in oil in its tray and oil has got into some places difficult to clean

Has anyone got any good tips for us ?

 

[scotjimland]

Gunk de-greaser , brush on, wash off with water

http://www.halfords.com/motoring/en...eaner-degreaser/gunk-engine-degreaser-1-litre

or steam clean

 

[Hollyberry]

Had a mishap with my car in France where I left the oil cap off and drove it for a few days before the warning came up.
Soaked up as much oil as I could with paper towel and tissues ( you can squish the tissues into crevices and tweek them out again) Then local garage steam cleaned the engine and inside of bonnet. Luckily, no harm done and my friend's husband is still driving the car nearly 6 years later.

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[Riverbankannie]

Gunk de-greaser , brush on, wash off with water

http://www.halfords.com/motoring/en...eaner-degreaser/gunk-engine-degreaser-1-litre

or steam clean

We have some degreaser, gosh I hate that smell, it gets in clothes and comes in the house!

 

[Riverbankannie]

Talking about a 50 year old car here, any problems steam cleaning it?

 

[funflair]

Second for Gunk and it smells nice as well.

Martin

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[rod_vw]

GUNK age old remedy but be aware that it may leave all parts totally oil/grease free and encourage rust. There are de-greasers available that leave a protective film for this very reason.

Sorry 'Riverbankannie' I think it's a wonderful smell, but that may come from being brought up in a mechanical / agricultural environment when cars were DIY friendly.

Rod

 

[DBK]

Talking about a 50 year old car here, any problems steam cleaning it?

Keep the steam away from electrics and be careful. Used too enthusiastically steam cleaners melt grease out of bearings and may not do rubber bits much good either.
The Army used to use them but went over to hot water washers a long time ago because of the damage done by steam cleaners

 

[Popeye]

When I was an apprentice mechanic we always used Gunk applied with a stiffish brush to get in all the nooks and crannies and then a high pressure hose ie NOT Steam,

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[Bartyfixedit]

Jizer smells better

 

[The Wino]

Don't park it on your block paving when you do it or it will never be clean again!!!

 

[WSandME]

The trouble with using solvents or detergents is the run-off. It will be nasty, and could land you in trouble with the neighbours/authorities/environment.
I would attack it in stages - mop up first, then mop up again, then maybe detergents. Solvents as last recourse.
However: do you want a concours finish, or just clean enough to prevent oil fires? If not concours, leave it oily - then it will match what it's expected to look like, and keep it rust free .

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[Riverbankannie]

Thanks for all your comments, steam cleaning out, primarily because of collateral damage to electrics and block paving.
Now a bit of dissembling going on to extract heater and battery as both sit in trays full of oil. Some oil has been sucked into heater blower pipe and got inside the car though.
He has plenty of paper towel and luckily sun is shining today. Gunk degreaser will be used sparingly So hopefully not to completely degrease and remove protection and also not to get drips on said block paving. Will (try and persuade) him to put something underneath first, in fact I am going out there now to check!

 

[Riverbankannie]

Phew, its in the garage.

The trouble with using solvents or detergents is the run-off. It will be nasty, and could land you in trouble with the neighbours/authorities/environment.
I would attack it in stages - mop up first, then mop up again, then maybe detergents. Solvents as last recourse.
However: do you want a concours finish, or just clean enough to prevent oil fires? If not concours, leave it oily - then it will match what it's expected to look like, and keep it rust free .

Not concours but of our 2 MGs it is "tidy" and won best in show at Shepton Mallet Classic Car show a few years ago.

 

[filopastry]

You could always gunk it and then a very light "mist" spray of WD40 or something similar to add a fine film

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[WSandME]

Seriously, though, I would not expect corrosion protection to rely on a greasy / oily film.

 

[Robinpompey]

what vehicle is it? Just interested as I have a very early MGB Roadster Jan 1963.

 

[Riverbankannie]

what vehicle is it? Just interested as I have a very early MGB Roadster Jan 1963.

That is early. We had a '69 MGC once, but this one is a 1275 Midget.

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[Robinpompey]

Brilliant little car. I hope you are not in the situation that we are. In the motorhome, not in the MG!

 

[Enword]

Get a degreaser with rust inhibitor From an auto factors

 

[Riverbankannie]

Brilliant little car. I hope you are not in the situation that we are. In the motorhome, not in the MG!

Sorry @Robinpompey but not sure of your situation apart from needing a new garage light??
Hubby has just fitted extra lights in house garage though

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[Enword]

Comma hyperclean with rust inhibitor,
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Comma-Hyp...5L-/281827759083?_trksid=p2385738.m2548.l4275

 

[mitzimad]

most bmc engine leak oil thats why youve never heard of a rusted front subframe on a mini

 

[pappajohn]

We have some degreaser, gosh I hate that smell, it gets in clothes and comes in the house!

Strip off outdoors maybe ?

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[pappajohn]

most bmc engine leak oil thats why youve never heard of a rusted front subframe on a mini

Shame they didnt fit a second engine in the rear subframe....

 

[Riverbankannie]

Strip off outdoors maybe ?

Unfortunately he won't step outside without at least 5 layers on. No chance of clothes bring left outdoors. Nice thought though!

 

[Neckender]

When I was an apprentice mechanic we always used Gunk applied with a stiffish brush to get in all the nooks and crannies and then a high pressure hose ie NOT Steam,

@Popeye Long long time ago.

John.

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[Late Starting]

Try Brake cleaner it will wash off most oil deposits does not require water to get it off as it is air dry able can be bought in 5ltrs or galls used in pump up spray bottle lots of it used by mechanics etc at workshop were son is a mechanic.
Cliff

 

[Charlie]

G101.... Cheaper than gunk..... works better than gunk....... doesent smell like a dead badger in the hedge......

Spray on neat if the engine is really filthy allow to dwell for 5 to 10 minutes. Warming the engine first helps.

 

[Riverbankannie]

Thanks for all your replies. All parts that could be removed and cleaned up by hand have been done with combination of lots of paper towel for mopping up, degreaser and would you believe it Motorhome cleaner on the underside of the bonnet. The hard part was getting the bonnet back on and lined up. It's quite heavy and awkward to hold at the correct angle (hold it still, hold it still, is still ringing in my ears !)

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