Engine and engine compartment cleaning question.

[LAGrunthaner]

I've done some reading but I could use some tips on the best products and preparation to clean both the engine and the engine area on my bus. I will most likely remove the battery to clean under the tray and remove the rear apron.
Prep:
Besides wrapping with plastic: the carburetor and the distributor cap, wires & various connections what else should I protect from water? Should I wrap the generator?
Product:
I've used Gunk engine cleaner (recently used on a lawnmower but now it leaves a white film) but I would like to use something better that leaves a clear protective film on the paint and the engine. I'll do a tuneup once dry.

This picture is before I replaced the carburetor in 2020, it's filthy.

I would also like to spray under the engine area near the heater boxes.

I'll install the deck lid seal when dry.

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[Lind]

Simple green for the easy stuff, then wax and grease remover for the harder stuff.

Nothing will protect your engine from becoming dirty. Bus engine compartments are dirty places. The oil comes from your engine, and the dust and dirt comes from the road. You can seal up your engine to reduce the oil content off the surfaces in your engine compartment, but there is nothing you can do for the dirt (other than buying a dusty conditions truck or an Australian bus)
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Wanted:
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[Tizian]

I cleaned my engine with a dry ice blaster. Works perfect. You can clean the complete underside, too. I would protect the flex lines though. The oily dirt, etc. just freezes and falls off. And the best thing is - no liquid remains...

[aa390392]

My 55 had 66 years of grime..I went with the big guns after trying weaker substitutes,
Try PURPLE POWER EXTREME POWER..works great..that and patients. $18.00 a gal.
Goes along way. Follow instructions.
Tomas
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getting grumpy & less tolerant!


55 ragtop
56 delux sedan
56 Kabriolet

[Clara]

I wash the engine compartment of every bus I get going. It makes it much pleasanter to do a tune-up.
If you have a well maintained engine, it doesn't get too gross in there. But it does get some dust and some oily ooze.
I wash my engine compartment again from time to time, maybe every few years.

I would avoid purple power, I've seen it affect the original paint.

I use SIMPLE GREEN. Spray generously everywhere the engine is dirty. spray engine lid, roof of engine compartment, by crank pulley, around oil sender, just everywhere.
Spray by axle boots under the bus, and everywhere oily under there. look at brake backing plates, etc. spray simple green at thermostat, underside of cylinders
Wear something you don't mind getting dirty.
Drive to self serve car wash.

Do not clean it with an uncapped distributor. Put a cap on it, or an aircleaner. You don't want to get water in there.
It's okay to leave the battery in place.
It's okay to leave it running. Or shut it off.

The water will spray back out you.
Take your glasses off, tie your hair out of the way.

I use $10 of quarters at the self serve car wash.
Ignore anyone who wants to talk to you while the machine is eating quarters.

Do the underside first. Get up at the push rod tubes,/underside of cylinders, bottom of case, underside of tranny, inner side of RGBs, insides of rims.

get the roof of the engine compartment.
avoid hitting paper hoses.
it's okay to blast the generator,
at above the gas tank, in both corners
get down by the crank pulley
If you get water into the distributor, then you have to pop the cap and dry inside the cap with a clean dry cloth to get it to start.

The brakes may be bad when first driven after this, if you get water in the brakes. Pump the brakes a few times and it'll be okay. Test brakes before getting on the street.

The test drive of this bus was to the car wash:
we had not yet installed the bumper or apron.

get the jackpoints:

wash the doglegs out:

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[Clara]

It wants a rubber grommet where the metal brake line goes through the tab bolted by the RGB

You can also spray simple green and pressure wash up inside the wheel arches.

Bus looks sweet!

[aa390392]

All good advise, I use purple power on tin with engine out. So yea my bad.
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getting grumpy & less tolerant!


55 ragtop
56 delux sedan
56 Kabriolet

[LAGrunthaner]

Thanks Clara, that is an old picture, I did replace the rubber grommet on the brake line bracket several years ago as per suggestions here, which I am grateful for the observation. I will use Simple Green even though it never seemed strong enough in the past. Perhaps I just didn't leave it on long enough? Maybe I need to hose it with water first before applying and the leave it on a bit longer? One of my biggest concerns is getting water where it shouldn't be. I'm going to do it in my driveway until my tuneup is completed. I have a pressure washer at home and I'll be careful to only use that unit on the underside to prevent too much power of water where it shouldn't be.

[Clara]

[cru62]

Instead of plastic I like to use Aluminum Foil. It conforms well to odd shaped surfaces, especially Distributors.
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