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llamas1 Samba Member
Joined: July 27, 2003 Posts: 237 Location: Houston, TX
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Posted: Wed Aug 27, 2003 7:25 am Post subject: Engine Cleaning |
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I'm going to clean/degrease my enging this weekend. Take it to a coin-op car wash, spray on some degreaser and blast it off.
I'm going to cover the distributor and coil with plastic. any other components I should avoid? |
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NeverHadaBeetle Samba Member
Joined: October 08, 2002 Posts: 442 Location: Missouri
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Posted: Wed Aug 27, 2003 9:46 am Post subject: |
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Carb if you have one. The most important places to degrease are underneath the engine. Remove the tin (one on each side) that goes from the heater boxes to the block and degrease this area very well. Make certain to go all over the block and as much of the transmission as you can. You are going to get very dirty, wet, and greasy so take a towel to cover your seats on the trip back home. Good luck. _________________ "Well, we shot the line and we went for broke
With a thousand screamin' trucks
An' eleven long-haired friends a' Jesus
In a chartreuse micra-bus." |
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crofty Judas of the North
Joined: August 09, 2000 Posts: 19670 Location: Land of Whine and Phonies
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Posted: Wed Aug 27, 2003 10:11 am Post subject: |
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STP makes a degreaser than comes in a purple bottle that works awesome. Spray it on and let it sit for a few minutes then blow it off. _________________ Your Vanagon sucks, Stop waving at me.
HamburgerBrad wrote: |
I slept on crofty's tent once. I passed out drunk from two bottles of Everett's brother's wine. |
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llamas1 Samba Member
Joined: July 27, 2003 Posts: 237 Location: Houston, TX
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Posted: Wed Aug 27, 2003 12:06 pm Post subject: |
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I hadn't thought about degreasing underneath the engine. Will this help with the cooling? |
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bljones Resident Wit
Joined: February 08, 2002 Posts: 2377 Location: ontario canada
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Posted: Wed Aug 27, 2003 1:02 pm Post subject: |
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yep. greasy, cruddy cooling fins don't work nearly as well. _________________ OG JHC
Author of Original Rant #1
"It stingd itself to dead... now that is control on you"
2% |
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Randy in Maine Samba Member
Joined: August 03, 2003 Posts: 34890 Location: The Beach
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Posted: Wed Aug 27, 2003 1:19 pm Post subject: |
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I like to go under there with a stocking hat and safety glasses (before it is all wet) with a screwdriver to remove the "fin tin", a putty knife and a steel brush to loosen the crud. If you have one, a air powered die grinder with a steel brush tip, works great. Do the transaxle also.
I like to spray on the Purple Stuff from Castrol (I buy it in the gallon size at WalMart for about $7 and put it in a spray bottle) and work it around really good. If you are afaraid of the mess, do it in you neighbor's driveway.
I have one of those "Thunder Guns" that work off both the air compresser and the garden hose to do mine, but going to the car wash is better because they have a grease trap.
A clean engine is a happy and a cooler engine. Not only can you find the oil leak that made the mess in the first place, but it is easier to work on. |
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ratwell Samba Member
Joined: April 26, 2003 Posts: 8717 Location: Victoria, BC
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Posted: Wed Aug 27, 2003 1:21 pm Post subject: |
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Using the powerwashing wand inside the engine compartment is a big risk in my opinion cause it's so powerful. I would take as much as you can off the engine and just labor over it or wait until your next engine pull. I know it probably doesn't look pretty right now...
You need to remove all the grease and mud from the aluminum fins on the bottom of the case to get effective cooling. It's also a good idea to remove as much crud so you can easily see where leaks are coming from.
I would remove the two deflection plates under engine and degrease and wash them by hand. Any degreaser will do even simple green. Use a scrubbing brush you plan to throw away.
The aluminum fins are narrow and anything you spray will want to drip off right away so I'd also recommend a gentle scraper and toothbrush (also plan to throw it away ;-) _________________ '78 Westfalia CDN
'76 Doublecab
Read the Baywindow FAQ |
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EverettB Administrator
Joined: April 11, 2000 Posts: 69733 Location: Phoenix Metro
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Posted: Wed Aug 27, 2003 1:28 pm Post subject: |
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Ditto on the purple stuff, it works great.
I use it in my front yard since it's biodegradable but I found out the hard way this doesn't mean it won't kill your plants.
Try to not let the engine get too hot on the way over to the booth, cold water + very hot engine = bad idea _________________ How to Post Photos
Everett Barnes - [email protected] | My wanted ads
"Water is the only drink for a wise man" | "Communication prevents complaints"
Stop dead photo links! Post your photos to The Samba Gallery! |
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llamas1 Samba Member
Joined: July 27, 2003 Posts: 237 Location: Houston, TX
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Posted: Wed Aug 27, 2003 1:59 pm Post subject: |
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Ya see that's why I come here. For good info just like that.
Thanks all |
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chabanais Samba Member
Joined: July 27, 2002 Posts: 4866
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Posted: Wed Aug 27, 2003 2:28 pm Post subject: |
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Isn't steam cleaning the best option? _________________ "I spud therefore I yam." |
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Bajatacoma Samba Member
Joined: August 05, 2003 Posts: 675 Location: the Great State of Denial
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Posted: Wed Aug 27, 2003 3:02 pm Post subject: |
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Steam cleaning is best, but more expensive- unless you have access to one and if you do I'll be over this weekend with my dirty old Land Cruiser _________________ '78 Westy
Who is the happier man, he who has braved the storm of life and lived or he who has stayed securely on shore and merely existed?
Hunter S Thompson |
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crofty Judas of the North
Joined: August 09, 2000 Posts: 19670 Location: Land of Whine and Phonies
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Posted: Wed Aug 27, 2003 3:35 pm Post subject: |
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I stand corrected, it was Castrol not STP. I agree with Everett, let it cool a bit too; cold water+hot heads=time for new heads! _________________ Your Vanagon sucks, Stop waving at me.
HamburgerBrad wrote: |
I slept on crofty's tent once. I passed out drunk from two bottles of Everett's brother's wine. |
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TimGud Samba Member
Joined: March 03, 2002 Posts: 6459 Location: Rio Rico Arizona
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Posted: Wed Aug 27, 2003 6:27 pm Post subject: |
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I wouldn't steam clean it or pressure wash it. It's too easy to do more harm than good. I also use purple power or super clean. Just keep the stuff off your hands as it will turn them all slimey and it will peel off the next day. It also removes the cheap spray paint and paint that isn't prepped good. |
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NeverHadaBeetle Samba Member
Joined: October 08, 2002 Posts: 442 Location: Missouri
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Posted: Wed Aug 27, 2003 6:38 pm Post subject: |
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The purple stuff by Castrol is great and I use it in my driveway at home, but for the really dirty jobs like an engine I use Gunk or similar store brand engine degreaser. I use the "flammable" stuff as opposed to the non-flammable versions and it is the most powerful stuff you can use bar none. Unfortunately, it isn't environmentally friendly so I always take it to a car wash. Car washes usually drain back into municipal sewer systems so this water gets treated, but the water in your driveway goes straight back to the environment. I'm not a rabid environmentalist or tree hugging hippie, but I still admire a nice healthy and happy beaver from time to time. Let's all do our part to make every beaver a healthy and happy beaver. _________________ "Well, we shot the line and we went for broke
With a thousand screamin' trucks
An' eleven long-haired friends a' Jesus
In a chartreuse micra-bus." |
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