Engine cleaning without the mess...

**steveG** · 17th November 2013, 06:44 PM

Anyone got a good suggestion for engine cleaning inside the shed without creating a huge mess?

On removed engines in the past I've used a sheet of plastic with some kitty litter on it and a few cans of degreaser combined with a scraper and paint brush for stubborn areas. Does a pretty good job and the mess is reasonably under control.

I need to clean the engine bay and dead 300tdi in the 130 I'm working on.
I spent about 30 mins at the car wash on the way home, but lack of light and access combined with the crappy car wash engine cleaner meant I didn't achieve much.
Would love to push it out on the driveway and hit it with some commercial engine wash and the Gerni but SWMBO would kill me if even one spec of grease made it inside on the new carpet. Probably not very environmentally friendly anyway

I'm thinking along the lines of a large drip tray and a kero gun would deal with most of it.
Any ideas for a large/cheap drip tray (or a better suggestion)??

Steve

**Homestar** · 17th November 2013, 07:06 PM

Quick and easy will usually mean messy...

Some degreaser, old paint brushes, scrapers, etc will minimise how far the gunk gets...

One of the reasons I have hard floors throughout my house - easy to clean up before SWMBO sees what has happened.

**BreakingBad** · 17th November 2013, 09:04 PM

What about a toddlers pool?

And maybe lay it on some cardboard so it's easier to drag out afterwards.

**slug_burner** · 17th November 2013, 09:17 PM

Oven cleaner, kitty litter on plastic sounds ok.

**steveG** · 18th November 2013, 07:55 AM

Originally Posted by BreakingBad

What about a toddlers pool?

And maybe lay it on some cardboard so it's easier to drag out afterwards.

Now there's an idea

I'm thinking one of those blue plastic "shells" from Bunnings that normal people use for kids paddling pools etc.

Will take a drive at lunchtime.....

Steve

**Judo** · 18th November 2013, 10:27 AM

Originally Posted by steveG

Now there's an idea

I'm thinking one of those blue plastic "shells" from Bunnings that normal people use for kids paddling pools etc.

Will take a drive at lunchtime.....

Steve

And come back to the office with a pool?

I have the biggest shallow plastic tub I could find at Bunnings that I leave under the engine area while doing general works. It's been good and caught a lot of the "UH OH" fluid spills. It is roughly 1/3 the size of the engine bay and it's a nice rectangle shape, so you could probably have 2 side by side and get good coverage. It's roughtly 10cms deep. They also stack if you have more than 1.

I imagine the shell pool will be bigger than my tub, however the odd shape might be annoying.

A bigger version of what I have would be good I think. 2 of these side by side perhaps?

Bell 80ltr Under bed Rollaway KITB80L-UBR

External Dimensions(L x W x H): 1000 x 500 x 178mm

**superquag** · 18th November 2013, 10:13 PM

I used to bring home the flat cardboard boxes that our offset printing plates came in, along with lots of packaging tape to bend, fold and mutilate said box into a shallow tray. A few sheets of cardboard on the bottom to soak up the oils etc, when in "dirty" phase, remove the soiled ones and use another for "clean & re-assemble" time.
Everything in one spot, make the tray to suit the need, then bin it when finished.

Opened up boxes also good to lay on instead of raw concrete...

Price was right

**Judo** · 24th November 2013, 09:51 AM

Did you buy anything Steve? Watching TV Bunnings are advertising a "Clam Shell Sandpit" for $12.50!! 950 x 1100 x 200mm.

**steveG** · 24th November 2013, 10:31 AM

Originally Posted by Judo

Did you buy anything Steve? Watching TV Bunnings are advertising a "Clam Shell Sandpit" for $12.50!! 950 x 1100 x 200mm.

Funny you should ask, I was meaning to update this thread today.

Picked one up earlier in the week and it works brilliantly. Nothing even comes close in terms of price for the size.
Large enough to extend past both chassis rails, and since it curves in at the bottom you can throw a bit of kitty litter around it to catch anything that does happen to drip over. Once you're done just scoop up the kitty litter and throw it in to soak up the gunge.
Its also high enough so you don't get any splashes coming back out, but not so high that it won't slide under the diff. Being curved at the bottom it should be easy to wipe out afterwards.

Still not finished, but engine is now clean enough that I could actually find the sump bolts. Clam shell looks a bit different from when I bought it though

Steve

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