Degreasers - whats best?

[Foggy]

Hi, i've just picked up a v8 S1 disco that has been seeping oil for some time. As a result it needs a BIG degrease, top and underneath. Any product suggestions or process tips would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Mark

[goingbush]

Standard elcheapo $2 a can spray degreaser is good for me

Avoid stuff thats comes neat & says corrosive, otherwise your alternator and other alloy bits will grow a white powder like youve been driving in saltwater

[manic]

I used a couple of ramps, drove up em (not on my driveway!) got underneath and sprayed the crap out of the underside engine/gearbox with cheap degreaser from the auto store. Drove off the ramps, threw em in the back and drove the long way to the jet wash, where I mounted the ramps again and sprayed high pressure hot soap at the sucker then rinsed... worked well enough.

[Blknight.aus]

My favorite degreaser is sum1elzsLbo-Grease

Magic stuff, Ive never had to crack a sweat when applying it.

[vnx205]

My favorite degreaser is sum1elzsLbo-Grease

Magic stuff, Ive never had to crack a sweat when applying it.
:D
No, but I bet they did? :D

That option isn't available for people at the bottom of the pecking order.

[Tombie]

:D
No, but I bet they did? :D

That option isn't available for people at the bottom of the pecking order.

Got kids? :twisted:

[Blknight.aus]

:D
No, but I bet they did? :D

That option isn't available for people at the bottom of the pecking order.

thats easy, dont be at the bottom of the pecking order.

Its kinda like evolution, I didnt evolve my way to the top of the food chain to eat what my food eats.

[Roverlord off road spares]

Chemtech CT14 mixed with Kero instead of water. $10 buys a litre concentrate, spray on leave to soak and use a dustpan brush , then hose, no strenuous effort needed, 1 up from the bottom of the pecking order

[Ratel10mm]

R11. But it's highly carcinogenic & effectively banned. And it's a refrigerant so you couldn't just turf it into the environment anyway.

Ezyrama showed me a trick - ordinary clothes washing powder. I can't recall if the brand matters, sorry.
I made up a thick solution in a sprayer & applied. Just make sure you rinse it off well.

[Michael2]

For baked on grease, I've found oven cleaner very effective. Be sure not to leave it too long on aluminium. 10min seems to be okay, and if it's really heavy, do it in stages, so it doesn't sit on raw alloy too long. A good rinse neutralises the solution at the end.

[Blknight.aus]

DONT leave that to sit on aluminium.

At work we use truck wash
at home I use simple green,
for very delicate stuff, i use a 50/50 mix of the wifes handwash detergent and hot water.

[trobbo]

another vote here for the $2 a can super cheap spray degreaser. works a treat with no effort.
Just dont forget to put some paper under your car if you leave it to soak for a few minutes to sve yourself from oil stains on the concrete.

[ramblingboy42]

dieso or kero and a couple of brushes

[Chucaro]

The $2.00 spray pack is awesome!

[superquag]

Amen to the $2.00 can from super-whatsis. - I bought my last lot by the carton a couple of years ago. (owning Jap cars makes them last longer....:angel:)

I use the local wash-place, up on the 4WD ramp for easy access and a can or two will do the Rangie. Leave to soak for 5 minutes or more...

Then wash off with one cycle of the pressure-washer.

[crash]

If you can warm the part up or the degreaser first also helps.

[DiscoMick]

I just use the cheap stuff, but I do it while the engine is warm and it seems to work better. And you could use a bucket of hot water to rinse it off, and then the hose to finish the job.

[scarry]

R11. But it's highly carcinogenic & effectively banned. And it's a refrigerant so you couldn't just turf it into the environment anyway.




Now that brings back some memories,we used to get it in 44 gallon drums.

A fantastic cleaner.......:)

We used it to clean inside contaminated refrigeration systems as well,blow it through with R22.:o

Those days are long gone..........

As for the car or anything else that is clogged with grease such as a condenser coil at the local take awa y shop,i use the spray cans from super cheap or autobarn.
Occasionally they are on special for $1 each,i then by a carton of them.:)

[rick130]

[snip]

Ezyrama showed me a trick - ordinary clothes washing powder. I can't recall if the brand matters, sorry.
I made up a thick solution in a sprayer & applied. Just make sure you rinse it off well.


Re the washing powder, I've used it to clean the splooge out of a two stroke muffler. (chainsaw that hadn't been fed the right mix)

Let it soak o/night and did an amazing job.

[DiscoMick]

Amyway's LOC multi-purpose cleaner is also good, particularly if mixed in hot water. I used it to clean spilt oil off the carport slab and it did a great job.

[rick130]

If you want a solvent based cleaner that's good but a little exxy, I sometimes buy 4 or 10l of Castrol degreaser, but mostly just the cheapy stuff in a spray can as everyone above does.

[superquag]

Late last century... when I was a Lithographic Technician, I would sometimes use an oily, solvent-like plate developer (Dissolves the un-exposed photopolymer from Offset plates) called 'MaraDev'. Savage stuff would take out the fat from your hands over time. Left mine looking like fine white fur.!

An an engine degreaser it was superb. - Leaving the metal so clean...that it would start rusting as it dried!

Sometimes I'd use another (printing industry) super-strength detergent called 'Non-a-Det' to wash off the smell of MaraDev - Whilst I still had a sense of smell.....

Never got around to trying out the 1,1,1, Trichloroethane (spelling may be rong) as by then I had bought my first New Car.

[lebanon]

dieso or kero and a couple of brushes

Diesel! definitely not. Only if you are looking to destroy all your rubber parts.

[Ratel10mm]

LOC!! I'd forgotten about that stuff! As I recall it's excellent - never found a grease situation it couldn't clean.

[Tank]

A proper steam cleaner can't be beat, Regards Frank.

[B92 8NW]

Don't forget to spray it back with something after its all dry though...

[Jeff]

I use Brake Cleaner for most jobs. I get given a similar thing called chain clean from a sponsor and it is nearly as good. Most of the things I clean are motorbike related, but I always get under my Land Rovers at rego time with a can or two of Brake Cleaner and it looks clean for inspection, and you don't need to hose it off. If it's really thick I use a toothbrush to work it in, but even at $15 a large can, it is a great time saver and the can lasts quite a while.

Jeff

:rocket:

[superquag]

I'm in a heretical mood today...:twisted:

Every suggestion above will work, - and work better if you can spend a little time to scrape and wipe off the excess oil/grease/grunge.
Use old rags, or even newspapers scrumpled up. - Side benefit is using less of (whatever floats your boat) your favourite mixture.

[komodo]

I spray everything with CRC/RP7 first. The thinner solution seems to emulsify the grease and allows degreaser (your choice of flavours) to penetrate better and do a better job.

Also works well to "refresh" the insides of cupboards on your rental properties where the tenants haven't used the exhaust fan when cooking greasy foods ;)

After I'm done degreasing and cleaning I also like to give everything a nice coat of a penetrating oil (penetrene is my pick) let sit for 24 hours then coated with CRC again let site for 24 hours then hosed down with very quick once over with a high pressure wash to prevent dirt build up but still allow oil to cover the parts that need protection.
How ever I have a 4 post hoist so that makes my life easier ;)

Been doing it this way for years. I find it a lot easier and enjoyable to work on a clean car than a dirty one. I also have a fetish for cleaning parts that I'm swapping out - OCD maybe?

Steam is good but be VERY careful. It will get places that even water wont get and will then turn into water in electical plugs etc. Can cause all kinds of headache if your not careful with it.

As for the brake cleaner - it works well again be careful with the surfaces you spray it on. Like wise MAF sensor cleaner does a wonderful job (and always a good idea to have as it cleans inlet manifolds and carbys really well too)

[Saitch]

Aerosol carby cleaner works a hoot as a degreaser!

[UncleHo]

G'day Folks :)

El-cheapo Export degreaser is the go for me,spray on give it 3 minutes,(don't want it drying) then hose off with a garden hose fitted with a brass nozzle wound back to give a very fine fan spray :) works a treat,I don't like to have a dirty motor, so I can spot leaks and problems early,once it is clean it should be easy to keep it that way,my only problem on the RRC is a leaky steering box :( not bad enough to replace,just top up the reservoir.

cheers

[DEFENDERZOOK]

carby cleaner can and will eat most plastics......i personally would avoid using it as degreaser under the bonnet.....
brake cleaner on the other hand is alot friendlier to plastics.....


the cheap degreasers vary in quality.....
the ones from super crap arent bad.........but some of the really cheap ones hardly do anything.....
whereas with the quality ones you can see the grease just melt and start to run off straight away.....

the only real way to tell which are good and which are not so good.....is by trial and error.....


its also a good idea to wrap a plastic bag over the dizzy and also any alarm that may be fitted BEFORE hosing the engine.......