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i am still tryin to pinpoint my oil leak and i think it may help if i claen all of the grime and stuff off so wat is the best way to clean and do i have to take any precautions when doing so?? thanks
I've used several methods for this, aside from the usual GUNK spray and hose down.
For small areas, I've found the spray brake cleaner works great. For larger, and real heavy caked on stuff, the old fashioned, original E-Z Off oven cleaner works great. A bit cheaper than the stuff you buy at the auto parts store too..
I like the brake cleaner best. It's more expensive, but works the best, and it evaporates quickly. While the methods with the spray and soak type cleaners need to be hosed off with water. That you have to worry about getting into the intake, breaks in spark plug wire, distributor caps, etc......depending what your working on.
Of course, do any of this in a field, or somewhere the mess you create under the car as youre doing it wont be a hassle to clean up afterwards.
Cover your alternator with tin foil and use a good cleaning agent like orange magic? Gunk works, ok.... Then use an adjustable nozzle on it so you can adjust your pressure.
My favorite is still the old "solvent gun" and air dry.
Due to the possibility of moisture getting into sensitive places with modern electronics, I don't like to use high pressure water under the hood of most cars. It was bad enough years ago when you had to protect ignition distributors and dry them out after using water underhood, but it's more critical than ever now to keep water out of computerized stuff underhood.
Head to NAPA and get one of the air/solvent siphon blow guns. Find a supplier of oils/solvents in your area, and get a couple gallons of Stoddard safety solvent. This is the standard cleaning solvent used in the solvent parts washers, and it's very inexpensive per gallon. You may need to bring your own container if they dispense from a bulk drum ... and a 2 1/2 gallon plastic fuel container works very well.
To use, put the siphon tube into the container of solvent, and then hook up your air hose to the blow gun. Point and shoot ... the oil/grease/dirt will blow off and you'll get a clean surface that will dry in a little while, or you can use a regular air blow gun to dry the surface off. To help keep the work area clean, place some cardboard under the motor area to catch the drips of solvent and stuff coming off the motor, and then you can fold that up and dispose of it properly. You'll use less of the solvent than you might expect, but a lot more than you'd use in little spray cans ... and for a lot lot lot less money.
It's also not as toxic as the fast evaporating brake/parts sprays, but works just as well ... maybe better, given the air blast from the nozzle to help with the cleaning.
Cover your alternator with tin foil and use a good cleaning agent like orange magic? Gunk works, ok.... Then use an adjustable nozzle on it so you can adjust your pressure.
Why do I get nervous about using a conductor like metal foil around an alternator to protect it from cleaning agents? Guess I've just seen too many bare outlet connections on too many alternator wires.
Not every person has a air compressor in their garage. Us old former mechanics cannot live without one.
Solvent is nice when it comes down to cleaning an engine. I have taken some in a sealed can to a local self car wash...used a parts brush to scrub the engine...put in my coins and hosed the engine down.
With the newer cares that would be a tricky situation...electronics and all.
Other then Saftey Kleen do not know of any place that supplies solvent anymore. (side note...solvent will burn...at least it did yrs back)
Brake kleen is the safest method to use...a little expensive but a lot more safer.
I just use Wal-Mart brand engine degreaser. Spray profusely and let it set for 10 minutes or so. Then set your fancy nozzle to ''mist'' and use as little water as possible to rinse it down. Towel dry (blot) any standing water in crevasses and start it up. Let it run for awhile for the remaining water to evaporate.
Watch out though... some of that grime may be holding things together. Clean it off and you might create even bigger leaks.
You can still order solvent through NAPA. Well at least you can in Idaho but you will pay for it.
You might want to go another way here too. They make leak detector kits. You pour it in your oil then run the car. After you run it for a bit you take a black light (most of the time it comes in the kit) and the crap that you put in the oil will show up under the black light.
Note to SteveB ... all of the oil distributors that I know of sell Stoddard Safety solvent.
It's a "safety" solvent due to it's very high flash point compared to using something like kerosene, which is why SafetyKleen and other outfits use this as their solvent. Much more fire resistant than the spit can carb or parts cleaners, too. Certainly, one should use these all with caution around potential ignition sources.
I can't imagine life without an air compressor .... or two. 7.5 HP 3ph 480 volt in the garage/workshop, and a couple of 3 or 5 hp portable ones for around the farm. My concern is if someone's trying to locate and fix oil leaks, it's going to take the right equipment to do the job ....
If you have a new enough car, just open the hood on a cold engine, cover the air intake, spray cold water with light pressure to remove loose dirt, spray foamy Enginebrite Gunk everywhere, and let soak for 5 min - maybe use a brush to clean grimy areas. Then hose that off, and spray the whole engine with Armorall Tire shine to rehydrate the hoses and rubber, uncover the air intake, close the hood, and idle the car to dry the engine bay out.
I've never covered an alternator when doing this and never had an issue, but the car has always been off when I spray it with water.
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