Cleaning an automotive engine

[JGardy_781]

All -

I've got someone I work with who has an older BMW 3-series they're trying to hang onto, and are fighting what appears to be a few oil leaks. The leaks are difficult to locate, since the block is pretty much a grimy, oily mess since the leak has apparently gone on for a while. Last time I had an older car (going back a decade plus...), I used to have the engine steam cleaned periodically to keep the engine bay and all of the running hardware under the hood clean enough to spot any new fluid leaks (much as try to do by hand with my bikes now)...

Question is, is this something that's still done, and is there somewhere I could take the car in the greater Northern Virginia area specifically that anyone here has experience with? Other than that, does anyone have anything else they'd recommend to do the same in absence of commercial cleaning? I've seen engine cleaning solvents from places like Griot's, but don't have direct experience with them...

Thanks in advance for the non-motorcycle related assistance...

Jason

 

[darkstarmoto]

Hey Jason,
You can use EZ-Off oven cleaner or Brite Engine cleaner on the cruddier parts of the engine. Just be sure not to spray it on any parts like pulleys, belts, alternator and the like. Just on the block and oil pan areas. Agitate it with an old tooth brush or parts brush if you have one, wear safety glasses to prevent getting it in your eyes. Then rinse with the hose at low pressure...don't go in blasting it everywhere. Also, don't do it on your asphalt driveway...if it's concrete no problem, otherwise in the yard over a patch of grass you don't like to mow.

Rob

 

[JGardy_781]

darkstarmoto;38690 wrote: Hey Jason,
You can use EZ-Off oven cleaner or Brite Engine cleaner on the cruddier parts of the engine. Just be sure not to spray it on any parts like pulleys, belts, alternator and the like. Just on the block and oil pan areas. Agitate it with an old tooth brush or parts brush if you have one, wear safety glasses to prevent getting it in your eyes. Then rinse with the hose at low pressure...don't go in blasting it everywhere. Also, don't do it on your asphalt driveway...if it's concrete no problem, otherwise in the yard over a patch of grass you don't like to mow.

Rob

Cool - thanks for the advice.

/j

 

[Emerson]

I clean a lot of engines and i use grease-off (its in a yellow container) like darkstarmoto said dont put it on any belts or the alternator or distributor. this stuff is amazing i just let it sit and then put a pressure washer to it and it makes engines look like new.

 

[Drewbie]

I have had good luck with simple green too. I dont water it down.. just straight from the concentrated bottle.

 

[JGardy_781]

Thanks again for the info guys...

Jason