Labor Day Putting down your wrenches or time for MORE wrenching? 
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| | | Forums66 Topics128,018 Posts1,055,259 Members48,417 | | Most Online14,466 Apr 26th, 2026 | | AD Chevy Trucks Over 6,000 pictures Brad Allen has an awesome collection of Chevrolet factory pictures that he has set up from film strips. Check them out!
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on the Internet for over 30 years! and not clogged down with Ads! Again, thanks! | | | | Joined: Dec 2016 Posts: 176 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Dec 2016 Posts: 176 | I've just aquired an engine from Fourbrads and now I'm all excited to get busy on it. I would like to clean the engine up really good and paint it while it's still out of the truck. Can anyone recommend a good degreaser (enviomentally safe), not too awfully expensive, that I can spray on, wire brush it, and water spray off and paint. Yeah, I know it's still not enviromentally safe, but ... I appreciate any suggestions; please? Thank you
Stewart Stewart2 1955.1 3100 Both Owner and P/U have lots of miles, lots of history and need LOTS of TLC Jack of several trades and experiences; Master of none
| | | | | Joined: Mar 2010 Posts: 10,270 Renaissance Man | | Renaissance Man Joined: Mar 2010 Posts: 10,270 | Manually scrape off the big chunks, then hit it with a steam jenny. You can rent one or use the one at the car wash.
1952 5-window - return to "as built" condition | 1950 3100 with a 235 and a T-5 transmission
| | | | | Joined: Dec 2001 Posts: 14,522 Moderator: Welcome Centre, Southern Bolters, Legion Hall | | Moderator: Welcome Centre, Southern Bolters, Legion Hall Joined: Dec 2001 Posts: 14,522 | ...depending on how bad it is try some Oven Cleaner. | | | | | Joined: Sep 2007 Posts: 461 Shop Shark | | Shop Shark Joined: Sep 2007 Posts: 461 | Check out purple power at Walmart. | | | | | Joined: Oct 2010 Posts: 1,232 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Oct 2010 Posts: 1,232 | If you choose to use a low viscosity cleaning solution such Purple Power or kerosene, then spray it through a $9.00 Harbor Freight Engine Cleaning Gun, item #68290. Strong enough to blow off loose paint. Fine mist gets into the nooks and crannies. If the solution must be diluted with water, then dilute with hot water. A half-gallon milk jug will hold your cleaning and rinsing solutions. You'll be surprised how little liquid is needed. I used the gun on the engines in my '54 3104 and my '55 MGTF to clean before painting while in the vehicle. I soak heavy deposits with Gunk or other degreaser. I follow up with kerosene next, or use kerosene from the start on moderately greasy spots. Rinse with Dawn dishwashing detergent in hot water. Then with clean water. Towel dry and blow dry to reduce flash rust. http://www.harborfreight.com/engine-cleaning-gun-68290.html- Lonnie
- Lonnie My '54 3104Photos that I have shared on Stovebolt via PhotoBucket are no longer available. Please contact me if you want a photo from an old post. lonniecook [at] aol [dot] com. I sold my '54 3104 12/12/2017, but I still visit Stovebolt. OLD STUFF ... houses, furniture, cars, wine ... I love it all | | | | | Joined: Feb 2004 Posts: 29,740 Kettle Custodian (pot stirrer) | | Kettle Custodian (pot stirrer) Joined: Feb 2004 Posts: 29,740 | I'm with Alvin- - - -Easy Off oven cleaner is by far the best degreaser going, but the tree huggers hate it. Soak the engine down with a couple of cans of the stuff, let it sit for an hour, and hit it with a high pressure nozzle on a garden hose.
The hippie way is kind words and unicorn pee- - - -not nearly as effective! LOL! Jerry
"It is better to be silent and be thought a fool than to speak and eliminate all doubt!" - Abraham Lincoln Cringe and wail in fear, Eloi- - - - -we Morlocks are on the hunt! There is nothing noble in being superior to your fellow man; true nobility is being superior to your former self. - Ernest Hemingway Love your enemies and drive 'em nuts!
| | | | | Joined: Apr 2006 Posts: 273 Shop Shark | | Shop Shark Joined: Apr 2006 Posts: 273 | I'm with Alvin- - - -Easy Off oven cleaner is by far the best degreaser going, but the tree huggers hate it. Soak the engine down with a couple of cans of the stuff, let it sit for an hour, and hit it with a high pressure nozzle on a garden hose. I agree. Both of you beat me to it. "The hippie way is kind words and unicorn pee- - - -not nearly as effective!"LOL! Jerry It might be if ya mix some pixie-dust in the pee..... | | | | | Joined: Oct 2005 Posts: 4,249 "Hey! I sound like Darth Vader!! | | "Hey! I sound like Darth Vader!! Joined: Oct 2005 Posts: 4,249 | Well, yeah. The pixie dust works as an abrasive.
I've been tinkering with a Nissan block for a rebuild job. I used Simplegreen and a pressure washer. That and a little Brakleen helped dry it. | | | | | Joined: Jun 2011 Posts: 1,901 Shop Shark | | Shop Shark Joined: Jun 2011 Posts: 1,901 | I tried the easy off oven spray route. It was easy but it didn't get the thick layer of grime near as fast as the 1" paint scrapper. And once the scrapper did its job I didn't need the easy off cause what was left was easy to get off with hot water through the pressure washer. A car wash is great if you have access to one but small towns can be challenging that way.
Give me ambiguity or give me something else
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