Cleaning engine and components

Topic: Cleaning engine and components (Read 888 times) previous topic - next topic

Cleaning engine and components

February 05, 2017, 06:58:22 am

Having done work around and under the coach and given its age I'm thinking of cleaning engine top and bottom, generator, hwh etc. I thought about using simple green 50/50 letting it soak and then a cold water rinse. Any other ideas?

Re: Cleaning engine and components

Reply #1 – February 05, 2017, 07:29:16 am

That is the way I did it.

Re: Cleaning engine and components

Reply #2 – February 05, 2017, 09:22:38 am

I do ours every two years with Dawn dish soap, let it set for a half hour, then rinse with a hose without a nozzle on it ( no high pressure). I also "baggie" the alternator.
Coach is 27 years old with 80,000 miles on it and the decal on the engine is still readable! Visible in bottom right corner of picture.

Re: Cleaning engine and components

Reply #3 – February 05, 2017, 10:27:07 am

Sounds good, for heavy baked on grease try oven cleaner but it may take paint off, could always touch up.When done rinsing
take a leaf blower and dry it, it works.

Re: Cleaning engine and components

Reply #4 – February 05, 2017, 11:17:28 am

We no longer use regular SimpleGreen as it is known to harm aluminum, especially radiators.
We now buy a gallon of Simple Green 13406 Extreme Aircraft and Precision Cleaner ($18.49 Amazon) and use it diluted for cleaning most everything.

Re: Cleaning engine and components

Reply #5 – February 05, 2017, 11:43:35 am

I still own a pressure washing company and we use a lot of degreaser. Used it on my engine and it came out very good. Then repainted the areas where MOT had painted it black. Looks like a CAT again. If you live in the Houston area I will give you enough degreaser (comes as a powder to be mixed with warm water) to clean your engine as we buy in bulk. When cleaning I used a low pressure 1200psi or less pressure washer to get the caked on stuff off the underside of the motor. Off the shelf chemicals are questionable as to their compatibility with metals and plastics. Its hard to undo a some of these issues.

John

Re: Cleaning engine and components

Reply #6 – February 05, 2017, 11:52:33 am

Quote from: John and Stacey – February 05, 2017, 11:43:35 am

Then repainted the areas where MOT had painted it black. Looks like a CAT again.

Jeez, that's tacky, did MOT run out of CAT YELLOW?

Re: Cleaning engine and components

Reply #7 – February 05, 2017, 12:01:15 pm

Not sure, pics in their ad had it yellow, when I picked it up the area that you see when rear door is opened was painted black. Scrubbed alot off as they painted without prep. Its CAT yellow now. Glad they did not do more.

John

Re: Cleaning engine and components

Reply #8 – February 05, 2017, 12:17:37 pm

........Note to self....If I ever have MOT work on my engine, scan this pic to put on their service order..........

Re: Cleaning engine and components

Reply #9 – February 05, 2017, 12:28:58 pm

Thanks folks I like the Dawn dish soap idea and the leaf blower. Will also baggie alternator and ac compressor. Will probably start with generator, then hwh leveling cylinders, and then keep going.

Re: Cleaning engine and components

Reply #10 – February 05, 2017, 02:19:09 pm

Quote from: John and Stacey – February 05, 2017, 11:43:35 am

I still own a pressure washing company and we use a lot of degreaser. Used it on my engine and it came out very good. ...... If you live in the Houston area I will give you enough degreaser (comes as a powder to be mixed with warm water) to clean your engine as we buy in bulk. ........Off the shelf chemicals are questionable as to their compatibility with metals and plastics. Its hard to undo a some of these issues.

John

What is the name of the chemical you are talking about that comes in powder and is safe on everything?

Re: Cleaning engine and components

Reply #11 – February 05, 2017, 02:37:15 pm

Powerstroke...from Envirospec.....I keep enough for 550 gal..I use it for concrete cleaning.
pH: 12.5-12.7
Caustic: No
Degreaser: Heavy
Gloss Enhancers: Yes
Rinsing: Excellent

Power Stroke · EnviroSpec

Re: Cleaning engine and components

Reply #12 – February 05, 2017, 11:11:49 pm

Quote from: joeszeidel – February 05, 2017, 12:28:58 pm

Thanks folks I like the Dawn dish soap idea and the leaf blower. Will also baggie alternator and ac compressor. Will probably start with generator, then hwh leveling cylinders, and then keep going.

I'm no pro when it comes to cleaning the coach motors...but have been cleaning motorcycles for many years. Used to use a leaf blower every time I washed bike...until I learned I was not only blowing the water off the bike I was blowing the water into the electrical connections as the blower had enough force to open the fragile rubber gaskets covering the wires and thus allowed the water to travel on in....this might not be the case for these coach motors but I thought I would pass it on FWIW...take care.
dave

Re: Cleaning engine and components

Reply #13 – February 06, 2017, 06:45:12 am

The best way to do it is with a steam cleaner.

Re: Cleaning engine and components

Reply #14 – February 06, 2017, 10:32:40 am

Guess I am more "conservative" around electrical components/electronic controlled engines.

I do it by hand-- WD-40 and paper towels. Old toothbrush (never my own) in tight places. Seen too many lightly corroded electrical connections. And most sensors on Cummins electronic engines run on 5 VDC. Doesn't take much resistance to change readings working with that voltage.

Mechanical engines when protecting starter and alternator, belt tensioner, etc a different matter.

Re: Cleaning engine and components

Reply #15 – February 06, 2017, 11:24:42 am

Gunked countless Diesel engine compartments when I managed a Foretravel store without incident. Kerosene?

Then Hotsy deionized water

Re: Cleaning engine and components

Reply #16 – February 06, 2017, 11:56:18 am

Quote from: Caflashbob – February 06, 2017, 11:24:42 am

Gunked countless Diesel engine compartments when I managed a Foretravel store without incident. Kerosene?

Then Hotsy deionized water

Bob,

Were these mechanical engines or new electronically complex electronically controlled engines? VERY different.

Re: Cleaning engine and components

Reply #17 – February 06, 2017, 12:20:13 pm

Good point. DDEC 11's many times.

Best cleaner is 208 degree hot deionized water. Had a diesel burner Hotsy machine on my lots for years and ran deionized water from the coach washing machine through the Hotsy.

Carefully.

Will check to see what my high volume Cummins dealer uses in their cleaning stall.

Bet it's straight boiling hot water. Steam works best like the old car washes used for motors and mats but the potential for burn liabililities probably killed them.

My favorite carpet cleaning company uses no soap but instead uses alkaline 250 degree water(at the boiler) and is the best.

They demo their method by drinking the water

WD 40 works well. Liked the original non water formula best. Fish oil.

Amazing stuff 50 years ago. Douglas Aircraft used it then. Rocket chemicals in San Diego, ca made it then.
Boeing makes their own Beoshield t-9 I use instead as a preservative.

Re: Cleaning engine and components

Reply #18 – February 06, 2017, 12:36:18 pm

I have used POR-15 cleaner degreaser with success. (Used to be called Marine Clean.) Doesn't take much diluted in hot water. Only caution is to limit time in contact with aluminum.

Re: Cleaning engine and components

Reply #19 – February 06, 2017, 02:18:38 pm

Cummings recommends steam. With the old mechanical engines pressure wash OK. Too many connectors and electronics on newer engines so steam is better. Do not use caustic cleaners around aluminum. Protect alternator against water ingress.

Keith

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