TheSamba.com :: View topic - Cleaning up an old engine. What is best to use?

Wed Oct 22, 2008 2:48 pm

Hello

I am in the process of rebuilding the top end of my 1300 SP engine to a 1600 TP. So far I have striped the engine down to the bare block and removed the heads barrels and pistons. Before I begin rebuilding the engine I thought it would be a good idea to clean up the crank case a bit as it is incrusted with a mix of old oil and dirt. As a brush does not seem to do any good is there any sort of chemical which will loosen the oil?

Thank you

Freddie

Wed Oct 22, 2008 2:53 pm

i like to use brakleen or carb cleaner.

Wed Oct 22, 2008 3:55 pm

Parts washer + diesel = clean

Then again it also took 10 hours and delicate scrubbing of ALL oil galleys but if you want it completely clean...

Wed Oct 22, 2008 4:01 pm

bon2198 wrote: i like to use brakleen or carb cleaner.
Carb cleaner shouldn't be used on your magnesium case. (Eats away at it.)

A lot of soap and water would work better.

Wed Oct 22, 2008 5:10 pm

Come on guys, it's an engine, hes gonna need to buy 10+ cans of that stuff to get it all out.

You really need to take it to a local shop and have them put your case in a hot tank. No amount of brushing can match those results. Most do it cheaply too.

Wed Oct 22, 2008 6:52 pm

why not just soak it in a hot "bath tub" of soap and water. I found that if you just let it soak, keeping the water at a temperature of about 175 and for just a few hours, it cleans it rather well. Just make sure its as stripped down as possible.

Wed Oct 22, 2008 7:04 pm

I like to use the dishwasher (when the wife is away) :shock:

Actually I have had good luck with simple green.

Wed Oct 22, 2008 7:06 pm

There's a spray foam, I think Gunk makes it, that's good stuff and safe for magnesium. I used 2 cans. Good stuff.

Wed Oct 22, 2008 7:08 pm

Ditto. I pressure wash it first, which often gets rid of the majority of the crud first. Then, soap and water for the tough stuff, with some stiff fibre brushes, then pressure wash again and blow out the internal passages with compressed air :)

Wed Oct 22, 2008 7:10 pm

Dishwashers work very very well. They keep a constant temperature and it adds soap on its own. Just dont use regular dish soap. One of my buddies back in cali who owns a vw shop(my 65 is parked ou there) uses an older dishwasher for degreesing.

Wed Oct 22, 2008 7:19 pm

simple green or mineral spirits

and wire and plastic brushes

Thu Oct 23, 2008 5:09 am

I recently rebuilt a gunk-encrusted engine for my 69. I just happened across this stuff at Pep Boys.....

The gunk just melted away from the engine and left a nice, clean engine.

Had previously tried the various Gunk products, and Advance Auto's brand of engine cleaners. They just wouldn't cut the grime. And brake cleaner sets off my asthma, which the CRC stuff doesn't do.

Thu Oct 23, 2008 3:04 pm

If you use the spray-foam type of product and spray it off with a garden hose afterwards, I strongly recommend you wear goggles- water will shoot off a part and hit your face; if any of the grit or detergent gets into your eyes before you can blink or turn away...
:(

Thu Oct 23, 2008 9:51 pm

Rome wrote: If you use the spray-foam type of product and spray it off with a garden hose afterwards, I strongly recommend you wear goggles- water will shoot off a part and hit your face; if any of the grit or detergent gets into your eyes before you can blink or turn away...
:(

word.

and lots of the engine degreasers are pretty toxic...the fumes are almost unbearable sometimes. use a mask.

Thu Oct 23, 2008 10:04 pm

Simply Green is safer and works well. Or Combat by Rochester Midland available at janitorial supply stores. The best and safest degreasers and other cleaning supplies are available to the public at janitorial supply stores and their prices are good and the staff knowledgeable.

I clean carbs and baked on carbon with Combat. Need soaking and brushing though as friendlier products do mean more work.

jim

Thu Oct 23, 2008 10:09 pm

think about it :wink:

Fri Oct 24, 2008 12:21 am

Im currently cleaning my engine up after almost 40 years of service to some old dude.

What i did was to use "degreaser" -(direct translation from swedish)
Spray it onto the grime encrusted areas and let it "cook" for half an hour or so.
Afterwards you can pretty much wipe it off with some old ripped up blanket or anything.

To clean carbs and such i use diesel and a toothbrush, this also works very good for small details such as the "Zundfolge" stamp on the generator neck, if you want to get things completley flawless that is. ;)

Here you can see the result of the degreaser - diesel procedure on one of my useless forest-racers when i changed the membrane in the carb, I dont have before and after pictures, but you could compare it to the surrounding parts.

Hope this helped you out!
Good luck