Just wondering what you guys would recommend to get my 2.8 engine cleaned up. I know for one thing I need to replace my valve cover gaskets and oil pan gasket or else it wont be worth cleaning. I really just want to dress the engine compartment up after cleaning. I have a set of chrome valve covers I want to put on it.


Thanks!



Knight75

 

oven cleaner

 

Do this when the engine is cold! Put a garbage bag over and around your alternator; wrap it up tight (remember the engine's gotta be cold or you'll have one hell of a mess). Cover the distributor cap with tinfoil, and cover anything else electrical that you can see with the tinfoil.

Try not to get any cleaner on the paint! If you do, rinse and rinse and rinse the cleaner away; if you try to rub it away with a cloth, you may rub that spot of paint away!

After you clean your motor and hose it off, remove the plastic bag from the alternator and ALL tinfoil. Lower the hood (but don't latch it) and start up the motor. Wait a bit and then raise the hood so the steam can clear out.

If you just start the motor with the hood open, any engine cleaner left on your pullies and belt(s) will be thrown into the air, and could land on your paint, or in your eye.

 

After Tom's post i reread the whole thread and my post was kinda, DUHHHH . Tom cleared it up though

 

Thanks Guys! Both of you




Knight75

 

Heh, not really tho, I didn't tell him what to use. (Everything I listed was my own previous mistakes, by the way... except for covering the dist cap- that one I did correctly!)

I haven't cleaned my motor in, like, 5 years... it's not oily or greasy, just very dusty.

 

i like to do it when my motor is hot. i think the grease comes off easier that way. i use either simple green or that orange clean stuff. as it wont eat paint. i spray the engine heavily before i leave to go to the carspray wash booth, as i dont have a garage. when i get there i spray the engine again with the green or orange and use a 2 sided sponge to scrub at the bay. then i start the car and spray off the suds, and then spray the bay either with a can of non flammable wd40 (stinks and steams when on exhaust tho) or that tire black spray. works well imho

 

If you do it while the engine is hot, be ready to choke on a vast amount of steam.

 

And that plastic bag you put over the alternator will melt! Yuk. You can't really use tin foil because you'd short out the positive wire at the back of the alternator.

 

cant remember the last time i did mine. could be better