Technique to detailing engine?

[santo]

Hi Folks,

I want to detail my engine. It's dusty right now because of a new subdivision and I had a leak in one of my oil cooler hoses down below which I don't think is noticable from above but I was wondering if I can just spray on "Simply Green" and hose it off and that's good enough or if there is some other way of doing it. Do I spray it on and wait a little while? Should the engine be stone cold? Do I need to worry about getting anything wet? Should I be very cautious when I rinse off the engine bay?

Any help is much appreciated.
Santo

 

[snampro]

I know this isn't going to help now, but I just keep it from getting dirty by wiping it down every time I clean the car.

 

[DanAuito]

Try to keep your ignition components from getting wet at the very least. I personally spray and wipe to limit foriegn fluid *********** of components!

Hey that statement above reminds me of a Tee Shirt I saw in Key West, It Read: Remember Colonel ****** says: The A$$hole is an exit not an entrance!

Has nothing to do with this post but is worth remembering just the same. Heh Heh Heh

 

[ACR steve]

diluted simple green works well but I wipe it on and off as opposed to spraying it and having to hose down the whole engine.A tooth brush and Que tip with Simple Green on it to get into groves helps.Also "Flitz" works great for polishing up stuff without being abrasive

 

[Andrew/USPWR]

When the engine is cold, I'll spray it down with the hose and wipe it down. That normally keeps it pretty clean.





2005 Silver SRT/10
2000 Steel Gray GTS (sold)

 

[Newport Viper]

Lots of good stuff here.

Some of the before and after's are amazing!

http://meguiarsonline.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?s=&forumid=69

 

[29OUTLAW]

I was a boater for many years. In the boating community, it's believed that Simple Green is corrosive to aluminum but I can’t confirm that.

Also - I used to use Simple Green to clean the transom on my last boat. After
4 years, the rubber hoses for the hydraulic steering exhibited symptoms of dry rot. It's impossible for me to say whether the Simple Green had anything to do with it, but steering lines like that should last longer than 4 years - especially since they were very well cared for and rarely saw sunlight.

 

[Saint_Spinner]

I was a boater for many years. In the boating community, it's believed that Simple Green is corrosive to aluminum but I can’t confirm that.

Also - I used to use Simple Green to clean the transom on my last boat. After
4 years, the rubber hoses for the hydraulic steering exhibited symptoms of dry rot. It's impossible for me to say whether the Simple Green had anything to do with it, but steering lines like that should last longer than 4 years - especially since they were very well cared for and rarely saw sunlight.

You are right. Simple green is corrosive towards aluminum and metals, hence many people dilute them or wipe down the material with a damp cloth afterwards. Just spraying and leaving on Simple Green is a no-no. Simple GReen is an acid and will eat through eventualy.

 

[PDCjonny]

You are right. Simple green is corrosive towards aluminum and metals, hence many people dilute them or wipe down the material with a damp cloth afterwards. Just spraying and leaving on Simple Green is a no-no. Simple GReen is an acid and will eat through eventualy.

Do you know this for a fact, or is it hearsay? Simple green is touted as the most enviormentally safe degreaser there is compared to strong chemical based ones. Is there any factual data to back this up?

 

[vipernate]

I just use soap and water just like washing a car. Works great!!

 

[ACR steve]

I have been using Simple green on my boats and cars for years and never had a problem.I think its worse to spray it all over the engine and then hose it off,I prefer spraying on towels and clean with the towel.I think water itself may do more harm then good to motors.I then usually wax the areas or apply a UV protectant.Dry rot on boat hoses could be from just the heat itself.I think the key in what ever you use is to do it with dilution and test an area first.

 

[PhoenixGTS]

I had great luck at the standard do-it-yourself coin operated car wash. Started with the "engine degreaser" setting whatever that is. Wow that stuff works. Then went to soap, followed by lots of rinsing. Stayed away from directly spraying PCM and took a can of compressed air (like you use to clean the computer keyboard) and sprayed out the injector connectors. Car started and ran like a champ.

Problem is how do you get to the car wash without the car getting hot. I got lucky in that I had the AC charged at a shop right next to a car wash, so I let the car sit there all day after they worked on it in the morning,then picked it up, drove it 100 yards into the car wash, and got to work on it while it was not hot.

 

[twinturbo3150]

I had great luck at the standard do-it-yourself coin operated car wash. Started with the "engine degreaser" setting whatever that is. Wow that stuff works. Then went to soap, followed by lots of rinsing. Stayed away from directly spraying PCM and took a can of compressed air (like you use to clean the computer keyboard) and sprayed out the injector connectors. Car started and ran like a champ.

Problem is how do you get to the car wash without the car getting hot. I got lucky in that I had the AC charged at a shop right next to a car wash, so I let the car sit there all day after they worked on it in the morning,then picked it up, drove it 100 yards into the car wash, and got to work on it while it was not hot.

I just bought a power washer from sam's club about 6 month's works great, 399.00 and has a seperate holding tank to hold the soap, 2300 psi. No more car washes for me.

 

[TSR6]

I can back up Simple Green being corrosive to AL.

I soaked an Aluminum part in Simple Green to degrease it a couple years back. It really dulled the finish on the part, and you could tell the texture of it changed.

I had to take an AL polish and a buffing wheel to it....and a lot of elbow grease to get it back to it's previous condition.

Mind you though, this did soak for HOURS.... I would think soaking parts for a couple minutes wouldn't hurt - but i would most definately rinse it off!

 

[Saint_Spinner]

You are right. Simple green is corrosive towards aluminum and metals, hence many people dilute them or wipe down the material with a damp cloth afterwards. Just spraying and leaving on Simple Green is a no-no. Simple GReen is an acid and will eat through eventualy.

Do you know this for a fact, or is it hearsay? Simple green is touted as the most enviormentally safe degreaser there is compared to strong chemical based ones. Is there any factual data to back this up?

Simple Green is environmentaly friendly, but it is still acidic (just like that natural orange degreaser crap). Its both hearsay and experience. I sprayed some wheels from my older car with simple green because, well, everyone said simple green eats through brake dust. They were right. But I didn't rinse it off or anything....
A couple days later I looked at my wheels and they seemed to have dulled/blemished and what seems like oxidation...there was splotchy white residue all over them. The only way I could get the shine back was through some elbow grease and a longe time buffing using a rotary buffer and some metal polishes.


*edit: I just realized TSR6 went through the exact same thing I did....

 

[SNAKE BITE]

Is using the simple green on my stock 94 wheels(painted) OK to help with the brake dust?

 

[plumcrazy]

simple green will do THAT to anything if left to dry on it.

just make sure to rinse it well and you're ok

 

[Saint_Spinner]

Yup. Like Plumcrazy said. Just make sure you rinse it off. I wiped mine off with a paper towel, but I guess the water in a damp cloth helped remove excess Simple Green.

 

[TSR6]

Simple Green is environmentaly friendly, but it is still acidic (just like that natural orange degreaser crap). Its both hearsay and experience. I sprayed some wheels from my older car with simple green because, well, everyone said simple green eats through brake dust. They were right. But I didn't rinse it off or anything....
A couple days later I looked at my wheels and they seemed to have dulled/blemished and what seems like oxidation...there was splotchy white residue all over them. The only way I could get the shine back was through some elbow grease and a longe time buffing using a rotary buffer and some metal polishes.


*edit: I just realized TSR6 went through the exact same thing I did....

Luckily mine was just a cheap part I could have replaced if nessisary. It wasn't an expensive set of wheels!

Simple Green is great in that it is bio friendly, and it's cleaners break up when rinsed into the environment. It's just that it's still a somewhat harsh cleaner...

 

[AZTVR]

Simple green is corrosive towards aluminum and metals, hence many people dilute them or wipe down the material with a damp cloth afterwards. Just spraying and leaving on Simple Green is a no-no. Simple GReen is an acid and will eat through eventualy.

Do you know this for a fact, or is it hearsay?..... Is there any factual data to back this up?

Although it is actually an alkali and not an acid, it would appear that the observed effects on aluminum are backed by the FAQ on the manufacturer's website http://consumer.simplegreen.com/cons_faqs.php
Scroll down to the heading: "Aluminum"

 

[SNAKE BITE]

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.

 

[Newport Viper]

Is using the simple green on my stock 94 wheels(painted) OK to help with the brake dust?

Dish Soap would be safer and works very well on Motor or Wheels.

 

[santo]

Thanks for the opinions and the warnings. I was hesitant to try a power washer but I just may go this route (I have one) and see how it goes (I'll cover the PCM and terminals). If this is not good enough, next time I'll try diluted Simply Green and make sure to wash it off immeduiately.

Thanks again,
Santo