Best way to degrease engine, transmission?
 

The engine in the 1984 300DT has some oil leaks which makes working on it more troublesome. I'm thinking I need to clean both the top and bottom of the engine and transmission to help identify where the oil leaks are coming from. I also have a kit that uses a dye and an ultraviolet light to help locate the leaks.

As to cleaning the engine and tranny, I've located two possibilities; one, a place that does professional pressure waashing for large heavy equipment and semi-tractor trucks. two, an auto detail business that uses a powerful steam cleaner.

Obviously steam uses far less water which might be safer for the engine and transmission. Your thoughts and ideas are appreciated.....

In the past, I used a bottle with hand pump and hose filled with purple power (a garden sprayer essentially), then power washer on "idle" (without hitting the trigger), to have a delicate water rinse. You can dry it off with some shop towels.
Of course you need to agitate the purple power with some brushes, let it sit for a while, then repeat.

For super extra greasy stuff

Some old used atf mixed with some kerosene or straight atf can dissolve and loosen a lot of the grease that has built up, one needs to setup a junked kiddie pool under the car.

Then go ahead and use the industrial soap and powerwasher.

so....the water from a power washer won't hurt the engine? Should the power washer be 2000 psi or LESS so as not to damage or intrude into the engine?

I would have been better off with a higher quality spray cans of engine greaser but I used several cans of that and had bought harbor freight pressure washer. It worked but I needed to do it several times. (Removed the Cylinder Head and Transmission job still not over with.)

Note that is the only experience I have had with a pressure washer. Likely the Harbor Freight one is not the best.

Something that can handle hot water will work better.

Where I worked they had an ancient hot water/steam pressure washer and it worked but you still had to redo with it to get stuff cleaned and there was still an oily film (this had no facility for any detergent or chemical to be sprayed).

Previously I just used as spray cans of greaser as many times as was needed and a Garden Hose with a restricted nozzle.

For maintenance (engine cold) a pump spray bottle with Purple Power let to soak in for a few hours and the mentioned garden hose and nozzle kept it from building up until I stopped doing that.

No matter what method of cleaning us used if the mess is on the underside something to raise the vehicle up gets what ever chemicals you are using to where you need it better as well as the ability to wash it off.

Also lying on the ground while spraying with a pressure washer can have you laying in the Water. I laid on top of Harbor Freight foam anti-fatigue mats. Kept me 3/8 ths of an inch off of the ground. Still got a little wet.

No matter what method of cleaning us used if the mess is on the underside something to raise the vehicle up gets what ever chemicals you are using to where you need it better as well as the ability to wash it off.

Also lying on the ground while spraying with a pressure washer can have you laying in the dirty Water. I laid on top of Harbor Freight foam anti-fatigue mats. Kept me 3/8 ths of an inch off of the ground. Still got a little wet.

The foam mats are nice to lay on while working on your vehicle. I never liked creepers.

I cleaned up both of my cars with the cheapo power washer from Harbor Freight. Portland. This has been a really great too for finding leaks. Also it’s good for cleanup if I spill a lot of oil on the car during a repair. Also it’s good to clean up the engine before I work on it.

I struggled with leak finding till I got this tool. It really doesn’t need too much soap because the pressure just blows the soft guck off the engine. Dawn in the bubble gun attachment helps get things squeaky clean.

I settled on Dawn. I wanted to try that awesome purple Makers Mark degreaser that Rollguy uses. His cars are amazingly clean. I never got around to acquiring it and I ended up using Dawn dish detergent. I don’t live near Sams club.

Cold water. Got all the crud and tar off the engine and trans. Once it was clean enough I found all the leaks and replaced the usual gaskets…like six of them on each car. Miraculously the leaks stopped. I have some very slow weeping now but never enough to leave drips on my white driveway.

Neighbors gave me dirty looks as I power washed my engine. Greenies. I figure the same stuff is coming off everyone else’s car in the street and flowing down the storm drain. I’m just getting it in one shot.

Oven cleaner for me. It's sodium hydroxide like many of the popular degreasers but it sticks to the vertical surfaces better.

Engine Cleaning
 

DO NOT USE HIGH PRESSURE ! .

It will force water into places it shouldn't go and cause you future problems .

Whatever you use, use it with a soft bristle brush and work it around until you have a greasy soppy mess then rinde it off with the garden hose or other low pressure water jet .

It generally takes a few tries to get things really clean .

As mentioned, once you have the engine and tranny clean and dry you can fairly easily spot the individual leaks, weeps and seeps and address them one by one .

No matter what you're going to need to work from the bottom up if you want a really good job .

Buy some jack stands and a plastic creeper, it's easier to clean off after each use .

I just used 4 or 5 cans of engine degreaser, then rinsed off with water

easy off oven cleaner spray, and warm motor

I would be too tempted to drink a Makers Mark degreaser.... :D :D :D

Degreaser
 

The old standby Gunk Engine Brite #EB1 is good stuff if horribly toxic .

It will also kill off any grass / plant life so mind the run off .

When first you begin it's great to soften up the deep & thick gooey sludge up underneath the manifolds and block, once you've cleaned it well I find the purple stuff works just as well and is far cheaper .

Oven cleaners do work well but some have chemicals that will attack your alloy parts and plastic plus give you skin burns .

Can you list the six "usual" gaskets?

FYI, oven cleaner and Purple Power are both sodium hydroxide. Both cause skin irritation and both will corrode metal if left on too long. Neither are really safe to use on rubber parts but I've never had an issue with plastic.

Thanx Rog! .

I found that ZEP Industrial Purple Degreaser from Home Depot is the exact same stuff. I have always used the coin-op car wash pressure washer, and never had a problem getting water where it was not supposed to be. Obviously don't spray it directly on electrical components or air intake, but everything else is not effected by the high pressure.

Sorry Nate, but I disagree. I have NEVER had a problem using high pressure on the MANY engines/engine bays that I have cleaned over the years.

I used a steam cleaner on a hot engine with good results. Drown the engine in purple power and let it rip. Dont hit the alternator or starter with degreaser and be careful around seals like the water pump shaft. Blowing dirt into rotational seals will hurt them.

I took pictures prior to make sure any vacuum lines blown loose could be reconnected.

Just curious, there are several nice steam cleaners on the market now, some specifically designed for use on cars. Would you mind sharing which brand/model steamer you used?

Best way to degrease engine, transmission?
 

https://m.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200921682_200921682

We have it at work. Drove in on a Saturday and used the wash bay. Really worked good on the tarry grease.

The 15 degree tip worked best.

OK, I have managed to locate a professional pressure washing service. They say they have a long handle wand to go under both the engine and the transmission for more thorough cleaning. I'm planning on telling them to stay off the valve cover area (oil cap) and to go easy around the water pump area although there is grease/grime on the front of the engine which I want removed.

If the oil cap, valve cover gasket, and other seals are keeping the oil in, there is no way for water, even at high pressure to get in. There is absolutely no risk in pressure washing every part of the entire engine, save the air intake or any other orifice that is left open. The water pump seal and bearing are behind the pulley, and it would be quite a magic trick to get enough water pressure there to even think about doing damage. I have cleaned MANY engines/engine bays with strong degreaser and the high pressure wand at my local coin-op car wash, and never had any problem after spraying directly at every part of the engine, transmission, engine bay, or suspension part......Rich

Thanks for the tip Rich! :) I actually have some of that stuff I bought for a totally different project. I had no idea it was Members Mark Degreaser.

My power washer is only 1800 psi. Pretty low but okay for a $70 washer.

Sorry Greg I missed this ?.

Let’s see I changed 1) valve cover & filed the stops, 2) front main seal, 3) turbo drain grommet and orings, 4) oil separator drain tube o-ring on air cleaner side, 5) turbo intake u tube seals, 6) vacuum pump gasket, 7) crankcase vent elbows, 8) seal in the oil cap (just cut one out of thick gasket material). I guess it’s more than six but those are typical leaks on these cars.

My oil filter leaked but I have never changed one of those on my cars. I just tighten the bolts and the leaking stops. My injection pump gasket weeps a bit so I rubbed some black silicone on it and it stopped. I also went under and tightened the umpteen screws on my oil pan. I bought a gasket but it’s still on the shelf because the pan gasket leak stopped. The last leak was the copper crush washer on my oil drain. I stopped using the copper and went to the metal ones with the bonded rubber seal inside - Dowty washer. And I rebuilt my oil cooler hoses with goodyear galaxy barrier hose.

After this I got the clean engine. So dry the scratches on the oil pan rust. The process took a couple of months. I just power washed and changed a seal. Then the leak would move and I’d change another seal and wash again. Rinse repeat till no more leaks.

Be warned that if you have any anodizing left on engine components, Purple Power will destroy it. It will also leave your aluminum prone to white corrosion deposits. I've had better luck with Simple Green, it doesn't seem to be as caustic.

L.A. Awesome at dollar stores works well and is cheap. Spray all over, brush, hose, repeat. I have also used diesel, as gasoline evaporates too fast, plus diesel is safer. I recently had the transmission out of our Chrysler minvan and used Awesome plus a little power washer. That is best for getting in crevasses like the webs on the upper oil pan. I've used purple stuff but doesn't seem to work any better.