Engine Cleaner / Degreaser

[Jim H]

Morning folks,

Looking for some recommendations on the above. I’ve got a particularly filthy engine to clean up! Is Gunk still the one? Or are there better alternatives now.

It’ll be a long time since I’ve done this so wondered if anyone has any experience of a good product they can relate.

Thanks Jim.

[InitialDave]

If it's really bad, I'd usually use something like paraffin to get the worst off, then Bilt Hamber Surfex mixed quite strongly for the final clean up.

[Belle427]

The no nonsense degreaser from screwfix is good.

[Ambleton]

What you want is the concentrated HGV traffic film remover. It's bright red and can be had on Ebay. All the instructions say to dilute it.

Don't bother, smash it on neat with a spray bottle, leave it, agitate it, leave it, add some more, agitate it, leave it, agitate it and rinse.

Wear gloves and a mask. It's strong stuff.

[Jim H]

Ambleton said:

What you want is the concentrated HGV traffic film remover. It's bright red and can be had on Ebay. All the instructions say to dilute it.

Don't bother, smash it on neat with a spray bottle, leave it, agitate it, leave it, add some more, agitate it, leave it, agitate it and rinse.

Wear gloves and a mask. It's strong stuff.

Niall, what a piece of excellent advice! And thank you very much indeed. I’d have never thought of this. I ordered some up of the bay last week, it arrived yesterday. First couple of treatments this morning and it’s working an absolute treat.

Great find sir.

Thanks again Jim

[Old Merc]

https://www.halfords.com/motoring/engine-oils-and-...

I got this from Halfords, did the job OK.

[Semmelweiss]

Jim H said:

Ambleton said:

What you want is the concentrated HGV traffic film remover. It's bright red and can be had on Ebay. All the instructions say to dilute it.

Don't bother, smash it on neat with a spray bottle, leave it, agitate it, leave it, add some more, agitate it, leave it, agitate it and rinse.

Wear gloves and a mask. It's strong stuff.

Niall, what a piece of excellent advice! And thank you very much indeed. I’d have never thought of this. I ordered some up of the bay last week, it arrived yesterday. First couple of treatments this morning and it’s working an absolute treat.

Great find sir.

Thanks again Jim

Make sure you wash it off very well, since it's caustic.

[Jim H]

Semmelweiss said:

Jim H said:

Ambleton said:

What you want is the concentrated HGV traffic film remover. It's bright red and can be had on Ebay. All the instructions say to dilute it.

Don't bother, smash it on neat with a spray bottle, leave it, agitate it, leave it, add some more, agitate it, leave it, agitate it and rinse.

Wear gloves and a mask. It's strong stuff.

Niall, what a piece of excellent advice! And thank you very much indeed. I’d have never thought of this. I ordered some up of the bay last week, it arrived yesterday. First couple of treatments this morning and it’s working an absolute treat.

Great find sir.

Thanks again Jim

Make sure you wash it off very well, since it's caustic.

Very good advice. I’m normally against this sort of thing - cleaning engines. However this on my 30 year old Corrado which I’m hoping to sell and the whole engine bay was filthy. And it didn’t look good on the eye at all.

It’s in my Garage for the next few months whilst I prepare it for sale. So it’s got plenty of time to dry out and myself rectify any electrical contacts this may have affected

No doubt about it some of the Aluminium parts had some ‘frosting’ on this morning, after rinsing it off last night with very hot water sprayed through one of those ‘Pump up’ garden sprayers.

I had some large containers under the engine bay whilst I did this and have just emptied them out. Urgggh

Strangely the container has no warnings at all, but it clearly is aggressive stuff!

[Ambleton]

Jim H said:

Strangely the container has no warnings at all, but it clearly is aggressive stuff!

Ebay is a complete wild west of chemical products that probably shouldn't be sold to the average Joe but it's great when you find one that does a very specific job very well, like the old fashioned nitromors.

I should've said you'd need to thoroughly rinse it because it is aggressive. Pleased it's working well for you, I found it by accident several years ago and it does work well.

[Jim H]

Ambleton said:

Jim H said:

Strangely the container has no warnings at all, but it clearly is aggressive stuff!

Ebay is a complete wild west of chemical products that probably shouldn't be sold to the average Joe but it's great when you find one that does a very specific job very well, like the old fashioned nitromors.

I should've said you'd need to thoroughly rinse it because it is aggressive. Pleased it's working well for you, I found it by accident several years ago and it does work well.

Exactly Niall.

Ye olde Nitromors! Exactly… it’s a bit like Creosote and when you only had to treat your fence once or twice in a lifetime. So much like so many other good things we are not allowed anymore because of H&S.