Exterior engine cleaning

[John-B]

I thought that steam cleaning was the usual solution. I think you can get domestic hand-held steam cleaners, perhaps you can rent one. Would that get the job done properly? It would still create the problem of collecting the oily residue, perhaps on a plastic sheet.

[NickDeAth]

At the time I played about with plastic sheet , cardboard and spill dry the car was in a remote lock up garage with no power or water. Also I had to be sympathetic to the surface water drains.

Necessity being the mother of invention and everything having to be done by hand is why I did what I did.

The car is still in the same garage. I now have a small generator and containers for water when required. Progress on the car is slow, bits get done when the back ache permits!

Nick.

[Fossil]

Just a few personal thoughts re engine, chassis and large component cleaning bearing cost, convenience and safety in mind:

When I first got into oin to the old car thing as a student I used petrol to clean off old grease and oil residue, but eventually it occurred to me that that was potentially dangerous, so I switched to white spirit, which I still use. Currently I have a collection of plastic trays of various sizes to collect the dirty run-off. For wider spread beyond the tray I use opened out large cardboard boxes and for larger areas, such as inside the garage, old carpet either under or above the cardboard. That can absorb substantial amounts of fluid. All the cars in the garage have layers of carpet and cardboard underneath. I allow the spirit in the plastic trays to evaporate and the residue can then be collected when solid and disposed of appropriately. The substance that concerns me most other than petrol is glycol antifreeze, which I (try to) always keep in securely covered or closed containers because we have cats. Cardboard and carpet soaked with antifeeze is picked up and folded into plastic bags for disposal as appropriate at the local amenity centre.

Regards

Geoff

[Sydsmith]

Odd that you should revive this old subject which I started back in June, I was only looking at it again on Monday.

Back then I decided after a lengthy and very useful exchange of ideas here, that the best way was to make my tray up with old skirting boards and plastic sheet, line it with old carpet and put a fair amount of sawdust in the make shift container to take up the liquid. Wash the engine down with white spirit and an old paint brush and swill it off with the steam cleaner.

That will minimise the liquid and toxic waste, which I can leave in the sun till it loses some of the liquid then bag the gunge into rubble sacks for disposal down the tip.

The local tip has banned trailers up until now, but announced on Monday they will allow them after 16th. I did not fancy that gunge in my modern, so I am planning the job when we have a few dry days when I can put it in the trailer along with a fair bit of other CV19 de-cluttering stuff.

I am thinking raise the bonnet, remove the sides, run the engine to warm it up then leave the car in the sun for an hour or two to soften the hard stuff.

Will let you know how I get on and hopefully post some pictures. Syd