best way to clean a oil/dirt caked engine bay?

[the4runner]

Just like the title says... how should I go about cleaning my engine bay? im currently rebuilding my engine so the engine is out, but everything else was left in. this is a 1988 toyota 4runner, and there was previously a major oil leak. the lower half of my engine bay is completely CAKED in dirt and oil and crap. im wanting to clean everything off. whats the best thing to use? how should I go about cleaning everything? would I need to steam clean something like this?

the pictures make it look cleaner than it actually is xD

thanks

 

[ajordan1975]

maybe a power washer, some gunk eng degreaser and a scrub brush? yeah.... that should do it

 

[SV_Dude]

I soaked mine with some engine degreaser then attacked it with a pressure washer. It made mine look almost new. I did have to use a little bit of elbow grease in some areas with a brush.

 

[eggbeater]

May sound a bit strange but I found a toilet brush with a bucket of simple green worked really well when cleaning mine (engine was out as well). Good luck!

 

[TN_GIJOE]

I just cleaned mine this past weekend. I did it at the coin operated car wash. Used some "purple power cleaner" and it did a pretty good job. Got under the truck and sprayed it all over the tranny case/ bottom of engine/ top of engine/ rear axle. I let it sit for a bit so it could do it's work and then hit it with the pressure water. Came out looking pretty good. Think it's cheaper than the engine degreaser...around here a can is about $4.

 

[the4runner]

awesome yea I heard that purple power was really good. thanks for the help guys, ill be sure to soak the **** out of it with some degreaser and then spray er all down, thanks!

 

[85toyrunner]

Grab you a few cans of the cheapest oven cleaner you can find and go to town! You can just spray it on and let it soak! Then if you want you can spray it down again, then use a pressure washer or haul it to the car wash and spray it down. Works very well! I did it to my 84 when I had the motor out and was very impressed how well a few cans of $1 oven cleaner and the car wash worked. It even took the old paint off of most of the frame. Then just prime/paint and you are good to go

 

[KidVermicious]

May sound a bit strange but I found a toilet brush with a bucket of simple green worked really well when cleaning mine (engine was out as well). Good luck!

I like Simple Green too. Just don't take a deep breath.

 

[BucknutBob]

In addition to the cleaning suggestions, I would wrap the bellhousing with a garbage bag before starting--that's supposed to be oily inside (obviously).

 

[csrobb007]

In addition to the cleaning suggestions, I would wrap the bellhousing with a garbage bag before starting--that's supposed to be oily inside (obviously).

Why would the inside of a bellhousing supposed to have oil in it? That would indicate a bad seal in either the trans or the rear main...it should be clean other than a bit of clutch dust...clean it.
I use oven cleaner for all of it...let it sit for a half hour and hit it with a pressure washer...sparkly clean!

 

[combatmedic]

Use Simple Green, but don't inhale that ****.

 

[SV_Dude]

Why would the inside of a bellhousing supposed to have oil in it? That would indicate a bad seal in either the trans or the rear main...it should be clean other than a bit of clutch dust...clean it.!

Agreed! There is no reason for oil to be in the bell housing. If there is then you need to make sure that it came from the motor that you're about to rebuild and not from the transmission.

 

[T?@\7]

+1 for simple green. Soak engine bay with water, then heavily saturate with simple green. 5-10 min later, re rinse and be excited! Do not inhale simple green, the green worth inhaling is not simple!! WOOO