Engine compartment cleaning

cuda

cuda

Member
Does anybody know if Simple Green will hurt paint? I want to clean up my engine compartment while I've got the hood and radiator off. My restoration is 30yrs old now and still in excellent condition. I'm worried about ruining the paint at all. I've also thought about using some Gunk engine cleaner. Thanks for any advise.
 
I have never had a problem with simple green taking off paint. Let it soak about 15-20 min then rinse it off. I have a hot water pressure washer that I can adjust the pressure at the wand, using the hot water just helps clean things even better. The pressure washer is more of a problem taking off the paint than the simple green.
 
Do not use gunk it will due the engine green.
if you use simple green i would dilute it 50 50
I use a steam cleaner straight water

mike
 
I clean my engine and chassis with WD40. Spray it all over, mush it around with an old paint brush, wipe it dry with blue paper towels. The engine and chassis in my woody has been painted since 1974 and still looks great.
 
I've used acetone on a paper towel and no problem w/paint. Another option is AMAZING, it is, sold in most dollar stores, .......only a buck!!
Paul in CT
 
Full-strength Simple Green MIGHT soften your paint. It certainly softens latex paint! Gunk Engine-Brite has always worked OK for me. WD-40 is nice for spot cleaning. Gunk and WD-40 will leave an oil film, which is good- if you used a strong degreaser to clean everything under the hood, a lot of things would be vulnerable to rusting.

Doug
 
1931 flamingo said:
I've used acetone on a paper towel and no problem w/paint. Another option is AMAZING, it is, sold in most dollar stores, .......only a buck!!
Paul in CT
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1931 flamingo .....................
The product that you are thinking of, truley is amazing, but the name is actually, AWESOME.
 
cuda .................
For years, I have been using an ole fashioned bucket of HOT water with some detergent (dish-soap) and amonia mixed in. This does a great job ! All you need is an old paint-brush to scrub the engine. I've used this on my old cars and newer ones too. You don't even have to rinse or wipe it down, but you can.
MIKE :)
 
If you use Gunk as supplied by Harley Davidson shops/stores, it cleans very well, leaves no stains, won't hurt paint and best of all, it leaves a keen smell. It is different than the Gunk you get at auto parts stores.
Different perfume.
 
Thanks everyone for all the input! I really appreciate it. I got some simple green and will probably dilute it first. I'm not starting with a really grimy engine so I don't need a lot of strength. I also like the dish soap and amonia idea from Mike. I'll be getting into it this weekend and will let you know how it goes.
 
cuda said:
Thanks everyone for all the input! I really appreciate it. I got some simple green and will probably dilute it first. I'm not starting with a really grimy engine so I don't need a lot of strength. I also like the dish soap and amonia idea from Mike. I'll be getting into it this weekend and will let you know how it goes.
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I always start with the mildest cleaner that might work, if it doesn't, then step up to something SLIGHTLY stronger.
Hate it when I've used something TOO strong & screwed up the paint.+*%^&#$@+ Bill W.
 
I ended up using simple green diluted to 50/50 with water. It certainly didn't hurt the paint but it also didn't get everything off I was hoping for. I was trying to get off some fuel drip stains around the sediment bowl. I decided not to try anything stronger as it got clean enough.
 
for future refrence a product that we sell here at the Harley Dealership called S100 total cycle cleaner is unbeatable!
 
I use Tuff Stuff in the yellow and red aresol can at Walmart and some others. This is a foam type cleaner that works really good and has never harmed any surface that I have ever used it on. I even use it as a pre wash hand cleaner. Works good on upholstery and roadster tops as well.

Here is a good example of where it is needed. The front grease fitting on my daughters coupe got over greased, here is the results on the firewall!!!
IMG_0016.jpg
 
Old paints are hard to guess. Acetone is a risk on older finishes. To remove old grease and oil related stains without worry, old school hand cleaner. The smelly "GoJo" type is mild on finishes and removes old black oil stains like magic. Let is sit a bit, help it with a bristle paint brush, it even leaves a nice shine when rinsed. It also removes oxidation from old paint. You'll have to work it a bit, but the old shine comes right up and chalky res comes right off. I used old terry towels for that. And yes, the gritty fast orange will leave scratches. The grit's tougher than you'd think.
 
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