best cleaner or degreaser you have used on your car.

[illvialuver]

Okay I am doing a over haul of my motor and engine bay, and I use this stuff called PURPLE POWER. This stuff is great. it is cheap, like two gallons for ten bucks, and it works better than that oxyclean stuff that you set and forget and cleans your metal parts like new.
but if you use this wear gloves because it will dry out your hands worse than anything. Make your hands like sandpaper, and I know that could effect some peoples love lifes.

if anyone has used this or something better just post what it is and about how much it cost and where you get it.

i get the purple power at autozone.

[ILoveMyRHS13]

I personally LOVE Simple Green. You can buy a 30:1 concentrate at Walmart for $7; it makes 15 gallons or more. I also heard that throttle body cleaner eats away at grease, but I wouldn't use that.

[rb25_s13*CHUKI]

It's baller but it works.. Brake cleaner Like $6 a can but it's kinda worth it. Or if you don't care about your paint get a pressure washer and Easy off oven cleaner..

[94eghatch]

Have used Engine Bright for when the motor is out of the car, $5 for can at Ricerzone. Will have to try this stuff.

[!Zar!]

Simple Green.

Some times Greased Lightning if I don't give a damn.

[240=180]

yep simple green or rc motor spray lol

[smurfgcr]

simple green concentrate mixed with sclading hot water and an engine cleaning gun ftw.
plus the smell just makes me all happy inside too for some reason

[rightcoastimports]

i've always been afraid to powerwash my engine... because of the electronics. Any suggestions?

[smurfgcr]

you can tape things off, or just be very careful ive never had any problems after washing the engine/bay and im pretty careless

[rightcoastimports]

maybe its better to do it with the car running too.. think i've heard that one before.

[duffman1278]

I vote for simple green as well, I love that stuff.

[240=180]

just dont wet your ignition coil or distibutor...... oh yea and dont spray water into your intake lol

[S14DB]

Methyl Ethyl Ketone, cleans up EVERYTHING...

[slidewaysmn]

Umm...i just use engine degreaser...

[neoninja]

Methyl Ethyl Ketone, cleans up EVERYTHING...


I'm with him, MEK destoys all.

[trsilvias13]

dawn, joy, any dish washing fluid. they actually break down grease, but at the same time dont get it on your waxed body panel as they will remove that too.

[downshift_sideways]

Brake cleaner.

[LS240]

I've used Purple power as well, and the Walmart generic version. They work great but as the OP said, they will eat your skin. I got some in a small cut and it burned like no other. My friend tried using it without gloves and it actually ate his fingernails. They were almost as soft as skin afterwards.

The lesson is children: Wear heavy duty gloves.

Oh and I can't verify it but I heard from someone today that vinegar and cream of tartar(you can find it in the baking aisle at grocery stores usually) just destroys grease.

[SexPanda]

Dawn Dish Soap...

Wash it real good, wax it, call it a day.

[Bigsyke]

The simple green at homedepot that says "safe for carbon fiber" is the strongest stuff ive used.

However it took the paint right off the engine bay with some light scrubbing. Only use it on aluminum.

[illvialuver]

if you wanna remove paint get that aircraft remover, and I like the simple green but the smell reminds me of cheap hotels, and bar room bathrooms.

[DataXUnknown]

Wheel cleaner...used that shit to was all the greasey hand prints that simple green left behind!

Trust me guys...my buddy told me about it, I tried it, and it worked so well. Any kinda wheel cleaner, like Armorall wheel cleaner or somthin. Then after that use Nu Finish to wax and your car will look like new.

[Smurf_240SX]

orange Citrus Easy off oven cleaner...and a nice scrub.

[Fonix36]

Fabuloso lol na gunk is the shit but fabuloso smells better

[mrmephistopheles]

Castrol Super Clean (dunno if they sell it anymore) always worked well for me.
Going to try Purple Power soon. Good to know it's wicked on skin.

[ThatGuy]

http://img380.imageshack.us/img380/5248/sgproducts41md0.png
Simple Green :rawk:
I like the fact that they are non-toxic, biodegradable, and environmentally safe.

[fromxtor]

I'm glad I ran across this thread, I need to clean/degrease/remove oxidation off this alum block. We will see what dishsoap, purplepower, and simple green do mixed w/ hot water.

I will be wearing gloves and a respirator.

[xplicit240]

i vote for engine brite foam and brake cleaner.

[gregfarz78]

MEK is the shit but can you buy it at a auto parts store? I used to work at a place that had huge drums of it I would take some every now and then lol I've been using greased lighting but I have to try that simple green

[240trainee]

Purple Power isn't as good as the old Castrol Purple shit.

but it does the job.

[first240sx]

Castrol Super Clean (dunno if they sell it anymore) always worked well for me.
Going to try Purple Power soon. Good to know it's wicked on skin.
Castrol is awsome, they still sell the stuff purple power is good stuff too.

[S14DB]

MEK is the shit but can you buy it at a auto parts store? I used to work at a place that had huge drums of it I would take some every now and then lol I've been using greased lighting but I have to try that simple green

Paint isle of the Hardware store next to the Acetone. The butterscotch smell is just your brain cells popping. Gloves/respirator are recommended.

[carnagexxxx]

I bathe in Simple Green after working on the car :naughty:. I also used it to clean the garage floor, tools, and just about anything else needing a degrease.

Brake cleaner rocks but if you aren't in a well ventallated area you can kill some brain cells really quick. Matter of fact, they card you at Wal-mart in my area when you try to buy it because kids huff that nasty stuff :loco:lol.

[mehsilvia]

Actualy, ive found a product better than simple green.

DP Engine Degreaser.

Its not VOC, bio-deg, and safe on ALL parts with the exception of Aluminum.

You dont want this shit to "stay" soaking on aluminum, it causes spots.

But its safe on all other metals, hoses, rubber, plastics etc . . .

It did wonders on my motor and trans that were sitting in a dirt yard for over a year.

Just spray this shit on (comes in a spray bottle), aggitate heavy grease areas with a cloth or brush, and wash away with water.

I have never seen anything clean grease, oil, gas, and brake dust like this stuff. Ive used Simple Green, Brake Cleaners, Nasty Fucking Engine Bright Shit - none have the breakdown power of this stuff.

I even used it to clean the shop floor (not recommended for the $$).

Check it out. You will NOT be disapointed.

DP Engine Degreaser (http://www.autogeek.net/dp-engine-degreaser.html)

[SixSpeedSleuth]

Another vote for simple green. I clean my engine bay about once a month with it, and it works flawlessly. Plus, as was mentioned, it's non-toxic as well.

[Mangudai]

So you just just spray down the whole engine bay then go to work with a pressure hose?

[SlideWell]

Ardex all-purpose. used i at the Honda dealership in florida. i would kill to get my hands on some more.

[idriveattz32]

i used purple power back in the day, been a while since i've had to revisit it...I just bought a beat 92-civic with oil all over the engine, I was thinking of using my simple-green BBQ cleaner first since i still have plenty left. i was amazed at what it did to a used grill i bought.

as for MEK, I would be worried about getting it on certain plastics

[Flicktitty]

Brake Cleaner, or engine degreser

[devonkyle77]

so judging by this thread i can just go buckwild with simple green in my entire engine bay and have no qualms about it?

[Phlip]

So you just just spray down the whole engine bay then go to work with a pressure hose?
I cover my air filter and distributor with a plastic bag and secure it with a rubber band, and I don't use high pressure water.

[twotone89]

Purple Power isn't as good as the old Castrol Purple shit.

but it does the job.

purple power took some of the shine out of my fmic :-/ but it did a jod job on that stuff in between the throtle body intake mani :)

[SixSpeedSleuth]

So you just just spray down the whole engine bay then go to work with a pressure hose?

I normally cover the Tps, Maf, Ignitor chip, ect with aluminum foil or saran wrap, start the car. Spray everywhere in the engine bay, grab the hose and rinse it off. Turn off the car and dry the engine bay with the air nozzle connected to my compressor. Clean and dry in about 15 minutes total time from start to finish.

[DohcKA]

cleaned up my engine bay on my ae86 yesterday with some stuff worked good... subframe is less gunky and shiny... she's clean and ready for install yeee well after i do my oil pump but yea i also used a little bit of simple green... works good... next is the 240 when i pull the motor... the 240 is way more gunked up than the 86

[DreamN]

http://img380.imageshack.us/img380/5248/sgproducts41md0.png
Simple Green :rawk:
I like the fact that they are non-toxic, biodegradable, and environmentally safe.

oh hush you damn tree hugger :rofl:


I use it too :keke:

Actualy, ive found a product better than simple green.

DP Engine Degreaser.

Its not VOC, bio-deg, and safe on ALL parts with the exception of Aluminum.

You dont want this shit to "stay" soaking on aluminum, it causes spots.

But its safe on all other metals, hoses, rubber, plastics etc . . .

It did wonders on my motor and trans that were sitting in a dirt yard for over a year.

Just spray this shit on (comes in a spray bottle), aggitate heavy grease areas with a cloth or brush, and wash away with water.

I have never seen anything clean grease, oil, gas, and brake dust like this stuff. Ive used Simple Green, Brake Cleaners, Nasty Fucking Engine Bright Shit - none have the breakdown power of this stuff.

I even used it to clean the shop floor (not recommended for the $$).

Check it out. You will NOT be disapointed.

DP Engine Degreaser (http://www.autogeek.net/dp-engine-degreaser.html)

This sounds great. I don't think I'll try it with an engine in the car, but if I was building an engine I'd probably clean it with this.

I cover my air filter and distributor with a plastic bag and secure it with a rubber band, and I don't use high pressure water.

That's all you cover? I cover up my alternator, battery, distributor, intake, and the ignition coil. Is all I'm doing really not necessary?

[Phlip]

That's all you cover? I cover up my alternator, battery, distributor, intake, and the ignition coil. Is all I'm doing really not necessary?
I am pretty adept at avoiding the other stuff, pointing the hose to where I want it, then pulling the trigger, even though I am pretty sure that other stuff can get wet in a hard rain... I only really WORRY about the distributor and the intake... If I didn't have a cone filter, I wouldn't worry about the intake.

[ThatGuy]

oh hush you damn tree hugger :rofl:


I use it too :keke:

Hahaha, I got a trunk you can hug. :fawkd:

[aNskY]

i use extra strenth GUNK degreaser in my engine bay. spray it on, soak for 10-15, rinse. flawless.

[mehsilvia]

This sounds great. I don't think I'll try it with an engine in the car, but if I was building an engine I'd probably clean it with this.

This is actualy designed for an engine in the car. That why its advertised as such, being safe for plastics, hoses, electical wires, etc.

If you like simple green, you will LOVE this stuff.

It makes all surfaces in the engine bay grease & grime free. I also used it to clean the cross member and PS lines, it broke down the caked grime and washed away with a simple rinse.

I even used it to clean my hands after handling the oilpan, brake components, etc . . cleaned very easily, felt safe to use it in the sink, and its got a wonderful orange smell to it - LOL

[PANDATECH]

in my location therse a dollar store thats sells a degreaser called "AWSOME".... its yellow bottle concentrate and i gotta say, ive spent all kinds of cash on different stuff and this damn bottle only cost 2 bucks and is the best.... all u do is spray it and instantly and all the crap comes off!!! wash down with a normal water hose or a light preassure wash and done! i cleaned my whole engine compartment with this stuff and ill never use anything else.. my engine bay was literaly black when i first bought it and my end result came to this...
http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q99/knightkid_2006/IMAGE_009.jpg
and i did it with this...
http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q99/knightkid_2006/homepage.jpg

i also use it to clean parts and removes oil stains from clothes as well...

[boske]

in my location therse a dollar store thats sells a degreaser called "AWSOME".... its yellow bottle concentrate and i gotta say, ive spent all kinds of cash on different stuff and this damn bottle only cost 2 bucks and is the best.... all u do is spray it and instantly and all the crap comes off!!! wash down with a normal water hose or a light preassure wash and done! i cleaned my whole engine compartment with this stuff and ill never use anything else.. my engine bay was literaly black when i first bought it and my end result came to this...
http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q99/knightkid_2006/IMAGE_009.jpg
and i did it with this...
http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q99/knightkid_2006/homepage.jpg

i also use it to clean parts and removes oil stains from clothes as well...

I forgot about that stuff, I used their "Awesome Carpet Cleaner" which I think might be the same thing in a different bottle, and its the best thing for cleaning grease/whatever stains out of carpet! I picked it up at the dollar store for a buck and it beat everything else I tried. I usually wouldn't even try something from the dollar store but I was desperate, I literally tried everything wal-mart had before I found this stuff and nothing compares. That engine bay looks pretty clean to me also. I would recomend a pressure washer for REALLY heavy grease. I used a cheap electric deal with just water to get a rear end looking like new again, no degreaser required.

[ZenkiKid]

simple green, but if its something harsh.. Powertron 600

[PANDATECH]

Yeah that "awsome" works great... To get the realy bad stuff out, i recommend using the liquid and let it set for about a minute, then scrub with a bursh or even a broom.... Then power wash if needed.. It dont take much effort at all and it works really well....

[nsn240]

We have "Oil Eater" at work... took a spray bottle home, soaked engine bay and powerwashed (no motor in) bling bling

[SR2Zero]

I'll post a pic of what I just cleaned my engine bay with tomorrow at a more decent hour.. I poured it on pressure washed... Spotless.

(No engine of course)

[98koukile]

I use an attachment I found at home depot for my air compressor to mix gunk and soapy water in a 2 part rinse for my engine bay... let gunk sit then spray real quick with a heavy dose of the water, then turn down the concentration slowly until I'm just using air to dry everything important off. Works really good on a hot summer day, and if it doesn't I use some simple green