Ok, getting a little confused since I'm reading soooo many different opinions on engine/parts degreasers... So I will show you my valve covers I removed yesterday & what ideas each of you have to degrease & clean these nasty SOB's....
Greetings, if I were doing those: I would start by putting some cat liter in and soak up wet oil and get down to the stuck on crud, this will reduce the amount of liquid waste. Then I would keep them wet with wd40 during the day and let it soak over night. Then I would hit them with a strong degreaser. Out here in Oregon we have a store called "cash and carry" they have a red degreaser that I use, I have used most of the other and they work as well. I would pick one and go for it, weaker degreasers will still work, it just takes longer. Hope this helps
Docwhit...........nice set of 318 Plymouth Poly valve covers........and whats so hard about it?............I'd get a few paper towels or even a heap of toilet paper and wipe out the covers first to get rid of as much as possible then use mineral turpentine or WD40 or even straight petrol, anything to soften the crud first then spray a good brand of water soluble degreaser and stir the pot or covers with more degreaser and an old paint brush...........after its nice and runny then I'd hit it with a hard water jet............I would expect to repeat this a few times, also replace those valve cover gaskets, they will be crap..................ideally don't do this underneath the wifes just hung out clothes line or wear your Sunday go to meeting clobber, the older clothes the better..........lol.........either way from the condition of these covers I'd say that you haven't done an oil change in a while..........just think what the sump will have in it.............lol..............btw is this why you intend to put the hemi in the Coronet?.............andyd
If those valve covers came off your running engine, you may be in for some engine work. Sludge may be taking it's toll by blocking oil flow through passages. Looks like you may have some water mixed in with the oil too?
Greased Lightening is the best for heavy degreasing and cheap. Use it on tractor equipment all the time. Excellent stuff Sent from my iPhone using H.A.M.B.
Personally, I used to use gas but now, since I am older, I use kerosene, I guess I am not as "green" as some folks, then when it is too funky to use anymore it goes into my burn ring for fire starter (note that the burn ring is used mostly for burning the paint off of various pieces of metal that my wife incorporates into her metal sculpture or just the limbs, etc that blow down out here where I live.
We use diesel fuel for heavy stuff in our parts tank. I use Greased Lightening to wash that all off though afterwards. Sent from my iPhone using H.A.M.B.
If your doing something like a small block Chevy I turn the valve cover over and put all my nuts and bolts in the valve cover and put paint remover in about a 1/2 inch deep, use a brush to move it around, when the parts are clean wash out with a garden hose. Nuts and bolts come out looking brand new, and so does the valve cover. I do the same thing with the engine block to ,paint the lifter area with paint remover and work it in with the paint brush and wash it out with a garden hose and it will look like new cast iron. Been doing this for over 45 years works great
Glad to hear you're no longer using gas. Just an FYI for youngsters or anyone not aware. Gasoline should NEVER, ever be used as a cleaning agent! It has a very low flash point and is extremely volatile. One spark from metal parts clanging together or an ignition point such as a nearby gas water heater and you'll be blown up w/o warning. Many people have been burned to death or had bad shop/house fires. It's right up there with using cinder blocks as jack stands! Stick to safety solvent or a good biodegradable solution for cleaning.
I'd clean those valve covers just like grandpa used to do, kerosene & an old paint brush. Finish up w/the fancy cleaner of your choice. (I'm partial to Purple Power 'cause it's cheap (like me)).
The best type of degreaer that you should use is a spray degreaser because it is easy to use and it also gets cleaned up easily and most importantly it does not harm the parts of vehicle , I ahve been using spray degreasers for last 5 years and suggest you also to use it . --------------- RX Marine was established in 1996 in Mumbai, India; as chemical manufacturing company catering exclusively to the needs of the marine industry. In a short span of 12 years the company has established itself as one of the leading wholesale suppliers of a wide range of chemicals for - Marine industry internationally - and other local industires and plants. Our client list bears testimony to this. The RXSOL policy has its foundations on two pillars of strength - a continuous investment in research and development to deliver premium quality products and a commitment to service. ------------------- Degreaser
I have had good luck with the following items (depending on the parts being cleaned): simple green greased lightning that orange stuff spray on oven cleaner gas kerosene engine brite (gunk product i think) paint prep degreaser (prepsol or something like that) JP-5 worked great when I was still in the navy and could get it (i guess it's just a Kerosene variant) the wheel and tire cleaner at the local high pressure wand car wash lots of rags, a couple of scrapers, and some wire brushes...… Chappy
I use a product called Oil Eater and it is a biodegradable product . Available at Oreillys auto parts store. Been using it for over 3 decades and works great. Vic
Don't know if it's been mentioned before, but LA's Totally Awesome (goofy name, I know) from the dollar store is pretty good, and very cheap. Like, cheaper than bottled water, haha!
Another vote for Oil Eater and biodegradable or not. It is strong. It will eat paint and aluminum as well as grease if you leave something soaking in it too long. I use it in my parts washer and as a spray on.
Thanks a lot for that one pal. My wife was ready to divorce me when she saw what it did to the bedroom carpet!
You could always buy this stuff by the gallon: https://www.amazon.com/CRC-Brakleen...argid=aud-829758849484:pla-571504411855&psc=1 And one of these: https://www.homedepot.com/p/Ford-32...HpNF1woXCobhPzZPM9kaAq3pEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds Costs a lot less than aerosol cans, and cleans very well.
Doesn't anybody take them to the car wash anymore? I'd scrape the inside of the valve covers a little then take everything to the car wash. A couple of saw horses will help for the block and heads. Then take em home and put the cleaner of your choice on whatever the high pressure spray didn't get. Wear some old clothes when you go to the car wash. ( I got a good pressure washer now.......)
Gunk engine brite in a spray can, that stuff has worked for me on every car I've owned. Shit! I just realized I have been driving for 37years, I feel old.
Can't use a pressure washer in 'Vegas, so I get that Orange stuff from the Dollar store. Up on stands, free card board from the same Dollar store. Spray on the Orange stuff, let it drip on the card board. (most of it evaporates, what dosen't soaks into the card board.) Fold the card board up, recycle.
Well, depends on the brand of cleaner. I like Castrol Super Clean (also available in 5 gal jugs from Wally World) and Simple Green, but I tried the stuff Harbor Freight in my small, bench top parts washer I use strictly for carbs and such, and wasn't that impressed with it. Also, it rusted out the parts washer from the inside out in about a year.I imagine that might be a problem with any of the water based cleaners though, so I don't store it in the new washer when not in use. I stretch an old pair of my wife's hose over a funnel and strain out any solids as I pour in back into the original jug to store. Sent from my SM-G955F using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
I would fill the VC's with paper towels first...........then soak'em really well with kerosene........... then throw a match on'em and burn all the grease out of them. AFTER they are cool...........finish'em up with Brakleen. 6sally6
I like mineral spirits in a safety kleen type washer best. Kerosene is what my dad used. Oven cleaner I have used on engine blocks, need to use the nasty dollar store stuff. Gunk is good on engines in the car.
When I was just starting out messing with motors in the 1960’s I had a wheelbarrow and I would fill it with water and add a few cans of sodium hydroxide. I learned early on to not put any aluminum parts in the wheelbarrow. I would leave the greases parts (steel) in the mix till they were clean. Brushing occasionally with a nylon brush. I cleaned many greasy parts this way. Cover the wheelbarrow to prevent rain diluting and overflowing. This method still works today. Use gloves.
I got to tell ya, I saw this post and just had to give it a try. I went to the local dollar store and they had it in 64 OZ bottles for $3, so I bought two of them. Figured what the hell, not much to lose. Got it home and tried it out on some old really greasy and dirty heads I had kicking around, and was very happily surprised with the results. I sprayed it on and lightly scrubbed with a stiff nylon brush and the crud just kind of melted off! Good stuff, and damn cheap. Gonna make sure to keep some of this stuff around. Thanks for the tip
I just bought a couple cans of Crown PSC 1000 Parts Cleaner from Tractor Supply for my parts washer. Cost about $42 per 5 gallon can. I was doing some research online to decide what to buy and this stuff had pretty good reviews.