Best method to clean grease/dirt from engine and trany/transfer

[Austringer]

Trying to clean my 151A2 engine and transmission / prior to painting. Has years of baked on oil/grease/dirt from use. Currently engine and transmission are out of jeep and I've cleaned the bell housing/cluth and assocated parts with the parts washer. What would be the best method to clean the unwanted stuff and get it ready for painting. I'm not too worked about any rust, the stuff I'm trying to get off kept that issue from starting.

Best regards and thanks
Jason

 

[steelandcanvas]

Steam

 

[Heath_h49008]

Dollar store oven cleaner and a pressure washer.

 

[snowdad]

I do the same as Heath. The DG generic oven cleaner is much cheaper than automotive degreaser and works very well. Use it outside with ventilation though. And a pressure washer works wonders. May have to do it 2 or 3 times to get the worse off. Pressure wash first to get the most caked on greas off. Use a stream first time.

 

[Keith_J]

Oven cleaner can be hard on aluminum and can damage paint. I've gelled paint thinner with soap chips, then brushed it on greasy parts. Soap chips? Get Ivory bar soap, when the wife isn't looking, run it through the Kitchen Aid fine cheese grater. Let these chips dry for a few days until they are brittle.

Apply thick and wait a few hours. Blast off with pressure washer, follow up with a shot of TSP from a garden sprayer. Let this sit for a few minutes, then blast off with more pressure washer. Your new paint will stick.

 

[Goose2448]

Hot water pressure washer. I use a 200 deg 4500 psi one we have at work for cleaning my concrete pump when its in for service. It takes off the little bit of build up I get with no problem. And all the grease that gets flung around comes right off too.

 

[m16ty]

Steam

While there are better methods, a high pressure steam cleaner is the best one that is within the budget of the average hobbyist.

I've got an old Hotsy that will take 30 year old caked on grease off as easy as pie. It will also remove paint if you aren't careful.

 

[mraaaooo]

Soda sandblastig

 

[mraaaooo]

As of aluminium remember to paint it within 4 hours or it will get covered by thin oxide film on which is hard to have any paint sticked.

 

[Ray70]

I've heard a lot of members on here talking about using Wesley's Bleach white ( whitewall cleaner ) to degrease with excellent results, but like others here have said, there is no substitute for hot water/steam when it comes to oil and grease.

 

[frank8003]

post 25, 35 and others

http://www.steelsoldiers.com/showth...and-degrease&p=1562613&highlight=#post1562613

 

[m109a2]

I just went to the diy carwash blasted it then used there degreaser let it sit.While I had the hood up did some pm work changed my fuel filters and rinsed it off went home and used a few rattle cans.Looks great.Al