Cleaned your engine?

valerie · Post by **valerie** » Sun Jan 01, 2006 8:21 pm

Some IDIOT (who shall remain nameless)

left the oil cap off her pick-up. Drove to the grocery

store and back with it like that. Cap fortunately didn't

move from where said IDIOT left it on top of the air filter

so that's good. BUT there is mega oil all over everywhere

inside the engine compartment. IDIOT put down cardboard on

the floor of the garage, but would really like to "steam"

clean the engine. IDIOT knows enough to dry off the

distributor cap but is there anything else to watch out for

when doing this? I worry because a couple times in the

past there's been some transient electrical anomalies

(yeah, yeah, that's what they are!) with this truck.

Advice, anybody? For the IDIOT, of course.

CARLA · Post by **CARLA** » Sun Jan 01, 2006 8:26 pm

If it is done right this shouldn't happen.. It really depends on the car, if it has happened before it will happen again..!! You could have the wires wrapped before steaming it. Sound wierd but I did it once and it worked great..:-2 It all dries out sooner or later..!! :-5 Don't feel bad Valerie I did the very same thing once.. Could of kicked myself.. kept wondering why all the smoke..:wah: :wah:

I worry because a couple times in the

past there's been some transient electrical anomalies

(yeah, yeah, that's what they are!) with this truck.

Nomad · Post by **Nomad** » Mon Jan 02, 2006 7:43 am

Messy stuff that oil. 1st your electronics and wire harnesses should be fine with water because theyre wrapped in insulated connectors. Wipe off as much of the excess with rags as you can, detail it. You can do this yourself. Go to the "stall" car wash and spray degreaser over the areas you cant reach. Let it soak for 10 min. then spray off but dont use full force as you dont want iddly biddly things coming apart. You might have to repeat the process but it should clean right up. Every couple of months Ill spray down my engine just to keep it dust and grime free. Ive never had a problem. (Although VW's have an engine cover, I always leave that on)

Be sure to kick that "idiot" for causing you so much grief ! :p

The Red One · Post by **The Red One** » Mon Jan 02, 2006 8:22 am

This is going to sound bad, but......I have this household cleaner that I buy at the Dollar Tree (where nothing is over a dollar until they add taxes) and on the bottle it tells you what you can clean with it. It claimed it could clean engines and we put it to the test on my truck (I know I know, very bad idea) and after two minutes we went out and sprayed it off with the water hose. The engine came clean and nothing was messed up from the cleaner. All rings, or whatever they are (not mechanically knowledgeable here), are fine. It didn't hurt my engine at all, if anything, it helped it. My engine ended up looking like it was brand new. I now clean EVERYTHING with that cleaner. It gets candle wax off anything, oil, grease, grass stains, ANYTHING. I love this stuff. Someone once told me I'd make a good spokeswoman for the cleaner. :wah: Me, talking to a group of people face to face...... :yh_rotfl

CARLA · Post by **CARLA** » Mon Jan 02, 2006 8:38 am

OK RED ONE what is the name of this magic stuff.. I have a dollar tree on my way to work, I will pick some up..

Val Nomad covered the process.. ~~ I will add if your car is old, like mine still wrap the wires...Insultion or not if they get wet you could be sitting there for hours..:wah:

This is going to sound bad, but......I have this household cleaner that I buy at the Dollar Tree (where nothing is over a dollar until they add taxes) and on the bottle it tells you what you can clean with it.

The Red One · Post by **The Red One** » Mon Jan 02, 2006 9:15 am

CARLA wrote: OK RED ONE what is the name of this magic stuff.. I have a dollar tree on my way to work, I will pick some up..

Val Nomad covered the process.. ~~ I will add if your car is old, like mine still wrap the wires...Insultion or not if they get wet you could be sitting there for hours..:wah:

It's called Awesome. I swear it is too!!!!!

jennyswan · Post by **jennyswan** » Mon Jan 02, 2006 9:18 am

That's mans work. Gosh I might brake a nail :p

CARLA · Post by **CARLA** » Mon Jan 02, 2006 9:18 am

Well I shall put Awesome to the test..!!

It's called Awesome.

valerie · Post by **valerie** » Wed Jan 04, 2006 2:57 pm

Well, gang, here's the deal:

25 THOUSAND dollar fine for using engine de-greasers at the

coin-op car wash!! Little sign even listed the EXACT de-greaser I had

just bought at Kragen!!

Oh well. Back to the ol' drawing board!

:(

abbey · Post by **abbey** » Wed Jan 04, 2006 3:33 pm

:-2 e-erm..what's engine de-greaser.

valerie · Post by **valerie** » Wed Jan 04, 2006 4:08 pm

Abbey, it's stuff you can spray on that will break up the grease and oil

and then you can hose off. Problem is it's not good for the environment.

I'm totally okay with this, though, because I don't want to put anything

down any drains that shouldn't be there.

Far Rider has been a big help, though!!

:-4

abbey · Post by **abbey** » Wed Jan 04, 2006 4:22 pm

valerie wrote: Abbey, it's stuff you can spray on that will break up the grease and oil

and then you can hose off. Problem is it's not good for the environment.

I'm totally okay with this, though, because I don't want to put anything

down any drains that shouldn't be there.

Far Rider has been a big help, though!!

:-4 Cheers Val, dunno if we use it here or not, sounds like a good idea though.

wizard · Post by **wizard** » Wed Jan 04, 2006 4:27 pm

sounds nasty.....................no good asking me my car's poorly i'm getting a new one on friday :driving: