the best & cheapest engine cleaner

well i stumbled into a super great engine etc. cleaner today and its the cheapest i,ve ever bought also. spray can OVEN CLEANER !!!!!!!!! IT was 28 deg,s. outside and i just bought a running 4 bt cummins engine. i was looking at it as i was drivin home in the mirror and got to thinkin how greasy it all was. then i got to thinkin how would be a good way to clean it before i unloaded it. as i drove by the grocery store i thought of this idea. so i bought 4 cans of the store brand oven cleaner for $1.00 a can. i went to my local car wash and sprayed 1 can per side. now mind you its 28 degrees outside.... as it foamed up i could see the grease melting..... i put my quarters in and started power washing wanting to save a few quarters to wash out the bay when i was done . that engine cleanned up like new and left no residue in the bed of my truck or the car wash bay. in short try it and you,ll see also. this stuff works perfect. i cant wait to try it in the hot of the summer.
hope this helps somebody else. i spent a total of $9.00 to clean a complete engine, bellhousing & trans.
bob

I have used this method before too. Works great!

Just watch the rubber and aluminum bits. :eek:

i did the alternator and it didnt hurt it. i soaked it down too. now it looks new hee hee

It will eat some plastics too, but if you are careful, it works great!

I've always just used $1.00 cans of engine degreaser from Dollar General. They seem to work just fine as well.

Oven cleaner is *supposed* to be formulated to protect aluminum and rubber. It also won't hurt baked on paints/enamels. OTOH it will chew the finish off some anodizing, eats clear coats like nothing and dissolves laquers. I can see how it would be great stuff but I'd definitely want to keep it away from any finished automotive surfaces.

http://www.cornerhardware.com/images/20/20388.jpg

Make sure its the foaming kind....works great.

Not to dampen ya'll's enthusiam, but oven cleaner's active ingredient is lye. As in caustic soda, white caustic and so forth. Check that MSDS sometime and note the suggested PPE, to wit: Goggles, face shield, rubber gloves respirator, etc.

No doubt it works GREAT. But it can tear you up if you aren't careful. Usual caveat's apply: Use proper ventilation. Keep off skin and out of eyes. Do not ingest, or breathe fumes. Blah, blah, blah.

One last thing: Caustic soda on aluminum gives off hydrogen. Could be.....bad.

its all i,am gonna use from now on for engines & gear boxes , frames etc. it left no residue at all in my pickup bed .

So... Don't buy engines, gear boxes, etc. from BCOWANWHEELS?

I like usable seals. I've said my piece...

i,ll leave your components good and greasy so it will hide any flaws so you,ll be happier.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by BCOWANWHEELS

well i stumbled into a super great engine etc. cleaner today and its the cheapest i,ve ever bought also. spray can OVEN CLEANER !!!!!!!!!

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That is as old as oven cleaner I forgot they don't get news too quick down in them there hills LOL.

Anyway if you want good hand cleaner and don't have any of granny’s lye soap handy.
Try dish washing liquid with a tablespoon of baking soda.

Or
Cheap and effective penetrating fluid. Use brake fluid.

Glad I got to meet you the other week.

SAME HERE BOB . you,d think someone would like a clean engine. its not like i left the cleaner on for even 10 minutes. it didnt hurt anything. amazed me at how good it cleanned.
good luck on your build sounded like you was well on the way.
bob

I have used oven cleaner in the past and it does work well. The thing is paint does not like to stick well to it even when you think it has been rinsed well enough. Make sure you wash it well and you will be set.