Engine cleaner and degreaser

[DoubleEnder]

Has anyone experience of using these spray cleaners, eg Gunk, Autoglym? I was thinking it might be nice to clean up the engine bay and the engine itself a bit more thoroughly than the usual wipe down with rags or kitchen towel. But do you need loads of water to rinse?

Thank you
Graham

 

[theoldsalt]

I recently used Gunk to clean my engine. I bought it in a can at Halfords and poured into a cheap garden spray bottle to apply. The oil and grease had been baked onto the engine but soon after a couple of applications of Gunk the oil and grease was running off the engine. It was then easy to wipe off with kitchen roll. It was unnecessary to wash with water afterwards. Gunk is an excellent cleaner.
I read unfavourable reports of the environmentally friendly version so used the original.

 

[lw395]

The screwfix own brand one seems to work OK on my bike, deals with chain lube fairly well, washes away OK.
No you don't need a huge amount of water to rinse. Half a bucket of warm water does the grubby bits of the bike.

 

[Bobc]

I use Jizer (same thing as Gunk). The spray can works well. Squirt it on, then wiipe it off with some kitchen roll.

 

[pvb]

I prefer Jizer to Gunk, as it smells rather nicer. Both work well.

 

[ksutton]

Work the degreaser in with a paint brush, but I find its a bit difficult to wipe the degreaser off with cloths or paper towels, for instance around the cylinder head and injectors. I find using warm slightly soapy water in a garden spray to flush the degreaser and muck downwards. If you run the engine before the degreasing process to get it warmed up the drying process is much faster.

 

[Georgio]

I used the autoglym cleaner on my engine before repainting a few rusty bits and it worked well, have also used on some other oily bits and bobs, it works quite well

 

[PhillM]

Without wanting to hi-jack the OP's thread, is there danger / problems using on a Wooden boat, will it damage the wood if its left its the bilges?

 

[Momac]

I haven't had to de-grease an engine recently but Virosol is good on any oily deposit and black streaks . I have used it on the grp engine bay floor and the exterior. Its very good on alloy wheels and the gas hob at home .
It is not for use on wood.
http://www.cloverchem.co.uk/2013/uk/product_detail.asp?prod_code='326'&range_sub='20'

 

[Plevier]

I haven't had to de-grease an engine recently but Virosol is good on any oily deposit and black streaks . I have used it on the grp engine bay floor and the exterior. Its very good on alloy wheels and the gas hob at home .
It is not for use on wood.
http://www.cloverchem.co.uk/2013/uk/product_detail.asp?prod_code=%27326%27&range_sub=%2720%27

Virosol is one of many citrus (limonene) based cleaners that work very well, maybe not quite as well as Gunk, but smell an awful lot nicer. The Gunk pong is fine on a car engine but I don't fancy it lingering in the boat. Ditto Jizer.

 

[Trundlebug]

I just use paraffin.

Very effective degreaser, and cheap.

Can be tough on the hands though, you need to wear impervious gloves.

 

[Skylark]

I prefer Jizer to Gunk, as it smells rather nicer. Both work well.

This takes me back to the early 1970s. I used gallons of the stuff during that era. Only one thing with nicer aromatics and that's Redex burning through a screaming 2 stroke!

 

[DoubleEnder]

My boat is indeed made of wood. Any problems if one of these cleaners drips and drains in to the bilge? I can rinse and pump it away, but if it's inimical to timber I will think again