how do you clean the engine exterior

My "new" 71 super has a filthy engine. It has a layer of sooty grease
all over it. I see all these show VW's with clean engines so I figure
there must be a proper way to do it. I was wondering if anyone has any
recommendations as to how to clean it. Products to use, should I use a
pressure washer or not? Any cautions other than the obvious would also
be appreciated.

--
They have the internet for computers now?
-Homer Simpson

I use Castrol Super Clean. It's about $5 a gallon and really cuts
through the grease. It's water soluable. One thing though, if your
engine is that dirty on the outside, maybe your oil cooler has as much
dirt restricting your air flow. Also, the upper portion of your
cooling fins may have a significant layer of dirt as well. I always
like to pull the engine on a "new to me" car just to make sure things
that are supposed to be clean, are. - Robert

Rev Turd Fredericks wrote:
> My "new" 71 super has a filthy engine. It has a layer of sooty grease
> all over it. I see all these show VW's with clean engines so I figure
> there must be a proper way to do it. I was wondering if anyone has any
> recommendations as to how to clean it. Products to use, should I use a
> pressure washer or not? Any cautions other than the obvious would also
> be appreciated.
>
> --
> They have the internet for computers now?
> -Homer Simpson

Robert wrote:
> I use Castrol Super Clean. It's about $5 a gallon and really cuts
> through the grease. It's water soluable. One thing though, if your
> engine is that dirty on the outside, maybe your oil cooler has as much
> dirt restricting your air flow. Also, the upper portion of your
> cooling fins may have a significant layer of dirt as well. I always
> like to pull the engine on a "new to me" car just to make sure things
> that are supposed to be clean, are. - Robert

Nah, it's not *that* dirty. I'm no clean freak, but it would be nice to,
say, check the fuel line tightness without having to wash my hands.


>
> Rev Turd Fredericks wrote:
>> My "new" 71 super has a filthy engine. It has a layer of sooty grease
>> all over it. I see all these show VW's with clean engines so I figure
>> there must be a proper way to do it. I was wondering if anyone has any
>> recommendations as to how to clean it. Products to use, should I use a
>> pressure washer or not? Any cautions other than the obvious would also
>> be appreciated.
>>
>> --
>> They have the internet for computers now?
>> -Homer Simpson
>



--
They have the internet for computers now?
-Homer Simpson

How about steam cleaning? Sounds like you just want to do top and
bottom of the engine. Shouldn't be that expensive, and you won't get
dirty while cleaning either I am not sure if your's has fuel
injection. If so then don't steamclean.

Anton

On Jan 22, 12:41 am, Rev Turd Fredericks >
wrote:
> Robert wrote:
> > I use Castrol Super Clean. It's about $5 a gallon and really cuts
> > through the grease. It's water soluable. One thing though, if your
> > engine is that dirty on the outside, maybe your oil cooler has as much
> > dirt restricting your air flow. Also, the upper portion of your
> > cooling fins may have a significant layer of dirt as well. I always
> > like to pull the engine on a "new to me" car just to make sure things
> > that are supposed to be clean, are. - RobertNah, it's not *that* dirty. I'm no clean freak, but it would be nice to,
> say, check the fuel line tightness without having to wash my hands.
>
>
>
> > Rev Turd Fredericks wrote:
> >> My "new" 71 super has a filthy engine. It has a layer of sooty grease
> >> all over it. I see all these show VW's with clean engines so I figure
> >> there must be a proper way to do it. I was wondering if anyone has any
> >> recommendations as to how to clean it. Products to use, should I use a
> >> pressure washer or not? Any cautions other than the obvious would also
> >> be appreciated.
>
> >> --
> >> They have the internet for computers now?
> >> -Homer Simpson--
> They have the internet for computers now?
> -Homer Simpson

> I was wondering if anyone has any
> recommendations as to how to clean it.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Stand the engine, pulley-up, in a shallow pan supported by three or
four wooden blocks, small tin cans (upside-down, please) or whatever.
A disposable turkey-roaster pan works good.

Plug all openings with paper towels or aluminum foil.

Using Diesel fuel or mineral spirits, commence pouring the solvent over
the engine, allowing it to drain back into the pan.

As the residues soften, take a cheap paint brush and cut the bristles
to a length of about one inch.

Start scrubbing.

For serious crud you may use wooden scrapers. Bamboo skewers are handy
for getting into corners.

Once the engine is clean you can recover most of the mineral spirits by
allowing it to settle in in a tall, narrow can, then pouring-off or
displacing the clean stuff. ('Displacing' -- over a suitable clean
container, fill the existing container with water, allowing the solvent
to be displaced and over-flow into the clean container.)
---------------------------------------------------------------

To clean tin-ware you scrub it with hot soapy water. If the tin-ware
paint is damage, remove it by boiling the tin-ware in a solution of lye
or trisodium phosphate. Derust, repair and repaint.

--------------------------------------------------------------

The best way to keep a VW engine clean is to not allow it to get dirty.
And when it does, to wash it. Remove the battery (always), bag the
carb, distributor and dynamo, but otherwise just jump in there and give
that puppy a bath. When done in conjunction with your regularly
scheduled preventative maintenance it adds very little time, keeps you
and your tools cleaner, makes it easier to spot problems before they
become serious.

-Bob Hoover

"BobHoover" > wrote in message
oups.com...
>. When done in conjunction with your regularly
> scheduled preventative maintenance it adds very little time, keeps you
> and your tools cleaner, makes it easier to spot problems before they
> become serious.
>

i think this is worthy of repeating..... a clean engine is a "happy"
engine...and for us, a clean engine is a "cool" engine.

BobHoover wrote:
>
> Using Diesel fuel or mineral spirits, commence pouring the solvent over
> the engine, allowing it to drain back into the pan.

yup, this is what I do.

> As the residues soften, take a cheap paint brush and cut the bristles
> to a length of about one inch.
>
> Start scrubbing.

yup, this is what I do!



> To clean tin-ware you scrub it with hot soapy water. If the tin-ware
> paint is damage, remove it by boiling the tin-ware in a solution of lye
> or trisodium phosphate. Derust, repair and repaint.

To de-rust without leaving sanding marks, get another bowl of lye
solvent (very little lye is needed in water) and clean the fully
immersed parts with electrolysis. You can substitute lye with washing
soda. Some have succeeded with baking soda. LYE can be found in many
drain unclogger products in small amounts, typically 10-20%. That's
plenty enough, just a cup of drain cleaner into a gallon or two of water
will do.



Here you can find more detailed instructions:
http://www.stovebolt.com/techtips/ru..._derusting.htm


Jan

When I was scrubbing up on the '69 cleaning all the greasy, gritty nasty
gunk off everything around the rear of the car.... I scrubbed the heck out
of the frame horns, IRS trailing arms, under the luggage tray - ect, ect
with pine oil and dawn dish soap also using every type of brush known to man
kind... lol - figured it was good for cutting grease.. trying to use
something that would not destroy my driveway and leave nasty marks all over
everything. But yes, cut down some paint brushes, and the small skewers are
good along with wooden chopsticks. Granted I had the car disassemled at
the time and I was rebuilding everything. I did tow it to a car wash and
used the high powered "degreaser option" to clean the engine bay and for
the final rinse. got everything real clean... But NOT the engine I had
already rebuilt it. the trans...yes right there in the car wash bay with a
5 gallon bucket and bunches of scrub brushes. Trans was very clean after
that.

On a side note... oven cleaner is a good cleaner... HOWEVER... no i didnt do
it but i know someone that did... he used the caustic kind and it took all
the paint off his tins, and left everything a dull color not to mention
screwed up some of the paint on his car!!! but the engine was clean...
worth it? I wouldnt say so.

But bottom line...elbow grease, time and persistance will pay off. You can
get it clean and keep it that way. Any leaks you can spot right away and
take care of before they collect dust and dirt!

vwvwvwvwvwvwvwvwvwvwvwvwvwvwvwvwvwvw
dragenwagen
1966 Type I
http://www.ramva.org/dragenwagen
"Old VW"s don't leak oil, they mark their territory."
vwvwvwvwvwvwvwvwvwvwvwvwvwvwvwvwvwvw


"BobHoover" > wrote in message
oups.com...
>
>
>> I was wondering if anyone has any
>> recommendations as to how to clean it.
>
> -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> Stand the engine, pulley-up, in a shallow pan supported by three or
> four wooden blocks, small tin cans (upside-down, please) or whatever.
> A disposable turkey-roaster pan works good.
>
> Plug all openings with paper towels or aluminum foil.
>
> Using Diesel fuel or mineral spirits, commence pouring the solvent over
> the engine, allowing it to drain back into the pan.
>
> As the residues soften, take a cheap paint brush and cut the bristles
> to a length of about one inch.
>
> Start scrubbing.
>
> For serious crud you may use wooden scrapers. Bamboo skewers are handy
> for getting into corners.
>
> Once the engine is clean you can recover most of the mineral spirits by
> allowing it to settle in in a tall, narrow can, then pouring-off or
> displacing the clean stuff. ('Displacing' -- over a suitable clean
> container, fill the existing container with water, allowing the solvent
> to be displaced and over-flow into the clean container.)
> ---------------------------------------------------------------
>
> To clean tin-ware you scrub it with hot soapy water. If the tin-ware
> paint is damage, remove it by boiling the tin-ware in a solution of lye
> or trisodium phosphate. Derust, repair and repaint.
>
> --------------------------------------------------------------
>
> The best way to keep a VW engine clean is to not allow it to get dirty.
> And when it does, to wash it. Remove the battery (always), bag the
> carb, distributor and dynamo, but otherwise just jump in there and give
> that puppy a bath. When done in conjunction with your regularly
> scheduled preventative maintenance it adds very little time, keeps you
> and your tools cleaner, makes it easier to spot problems before they
> become serious.
>
> -Bob Hoover
>

BobHoover wrote:
>
>> I was wondering if anyone has any
>> recommendations as to how to clean it.
>
> -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> Stand the engine, pulley-up, in a shallow pan supported by three or
> four wooden blocks, small tin cans (upside-down, please) or whatever.
> A disposable turkey-roaster pan works good.
>
> Plug all openings with paper towels or aluminum foil.
>
> Using Diesel fuel or mineral spirits, commence pouring the solvent over
> the engine, allowing it to drain back into the pan.
>
> As the residues soften, take a cheap paint brush and cut the bristles
> to a length of about one inch.
>
> Start scrubbing.
>
> For serious crud you may use wooden scrapers. Bamboo skewers are handy
> for getting into corners.
>
> Once the engine is clean you can recover most of the mineral spirits by
> allowing it to settle in in a tall, narrow can, then pouring-off or
> displacing the clean stuff. ('Displacing' -- over a suitable clean
> container, fill the existing container with water, allowing the solvent
> to be displaced and over-flow into the clean container.)
> ---------------------------------------------------------------
>
> To clean tin-ware you scrub it with hot soapy water. If the tin-ware
> paint is damage, remove it by boiling the tin-ware in a solution of lye
> or trisodium phosphate. Derust, repair and repaint.
>
> --------------------------------------------------------------
>
> The best way to keep a VW engine clean is to not allow it to get dirty.
> And when it does, to wash it. Remove the battery (always), bag the
> carb, distributor and dynamo, but otherwise just jump in there and give
> that puppy a bath. When done in conjunction with your regularly
> scheduled preventative maintenance it adds very little time, keeps you
> and your tools cleaner, makes it easier to spot problems before they
> become serious.
>
> -Bob Hoover
>
Thanks for that. I am mainly just interested in cleaning the engine
compartment. The underside of my engine is nice and clean. But I had a
small fuel leak and I think some oil spilled inside (I bought the car in
that condition) which has now gotten covered in dust/dirt and it's
almost impossible to touch anything in there without having to come in
and scub my hands with lava soap, my hands are starting to get pretty
raw ;-(


--
They have the internet for computers now?
-Homer Simpson