Junkers88

Hey I went to the car wash and blew the motor off and have been trying to detail it using WD40, a tooth brush and shop rags for about the past hour or so. I'm using WD40 because a few of the guys I know that run dirt bikes will spray the bike with it before a run and it makes it crazy easy to blow all the dirt and mud off once they get finished.

So is there some faster way to detail this motor? Some sort of "magic spray"? I don't have any caked on grease just a lot of very stubborn dust.

Thanks.

89whitetoyota

I would think WD40 would cause things to stick easier, making it look worse because of the oily resudue it leaves behind, I always use 409 cleaner for grease and clean up. WD might cut some grease and grime, but in the long run it doesnt. If you are going to go off road and want to be able to wipe it off after wards cool, but not if you want it to stay looking decent. My 2 sense

86Toyrunna

iv never had good luck with that "engine brite" stuff so i got bored one day and had a bottle of "suzuki" brand motorcycle and atv cleaner laying around and it tryed it on my wifes ford ranger. The truck has like 115,000 miles on it and the engine was pretty dusty, the previous owned lived in the high desert so the truck was dust ball. it worked AMAZING, I mean it didnt change the ford into a toyota but it did clean the motor up to a almost new look. you can get it at any suzuki motorcycle dealer. Castrol superclean works pretty good to, but dont let it sit on aluminum to long or it will "pit" the finish.

yoterr

purple power....works wonders for me, i have a b4 and after pic on my phone that i could show you, but i gotta get it on the comp somehow

Junkers88

I didn't think about the residue. Damn.


I have a bottle of S1000 I used on my 750 that worked well. It was just a "spray it on, let it sit for 30 seconds and spray it off" type of stuff. I'll have to try that.

89whitetoyota

Hey Junk Head you looking for a degreaser or just something to get like normal drive dirt off?

Junkers88

Just normal driving dirt. I don't have any leaks so there isn't any grease that doesn't come off with a sprayer at the car wash. I just hate a dusty engine.

toyotatom93

Dont mean to hijack, but someone dident tighten the oil filter ehough and I got a huge mess of an oil spill all over the side and bottom of my engine. What would work good for that? Was just going to get gunk brand or some type of that engine cleaner, just making sure it work eat all my rubber seals n hoses n such.

Fink

Simple Green and kitchen brush.

Fink

algranger

Yeah simple green is good stuff

86Toyrunna

castrol super clean ftw... or gang green... err i mean simple green....both full strenght non diluted and a good scrubbing brush

seanmearse

Use "Super Clean", comes in a purple bottle, i used it on the underside of the 4runner when i first got it, used it to clean up big parts while we were rebuilding a 350, the mrs. uses it to clean the porch cement, took all of my spray paint stains off. I love the stuff. I think its about 7 bucks for a pretty good size bottle. Beware though, if you are doing it in a garage, the stuff is very potent, like burn nose out potent, so plenty of ventilation is needed.

toyospearo

Simple Green and a brush and I have used Super Clean. These work for me.

gatorblue92

that is the best stuff there... just make sure you are in a well ventilated area cause that stuff stinks

wheatus

use a steam cleaner they are absolutely unbelievable. plus they clean chemically free.

scuba

I heard elbow grease works well

Plumbrbob

purple power and a pressure washer cleans alot of my stuff still needed a once over with a shop rag and a brush for the super caked on messes.

I spray my Hi-lift jack down with WD-40 all the time, I have noticed after wheeling an area that has no mud or dirt its the hi-lift jack and the over sprayed area around it.

shore.runner

The gunk engine citrus cleaner I have isnt very good... Ive used alcohol based brake clean on mine, i have no idea where you can buy it , we just have it at work.

Fink

Agreed.
If this is an option for you I'd suggest going this route.

Often times you can rent steam machines from your local dry cleaners - those will work just as well.
Do not use the steam cleaner in addition to a harsh chemical like Simple Green or the like - it will increase the effect of the harsh fumes.
It may also bring the chemicals close to their flashpoint.

Fink

toyotatom93

If I had a steam cleaner I'd be all over it, but for now cheap = good