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Any suggestions for cleaing greasey engines without a pressure washer?

I start with a few cans of crc brake cleaner (wish I could still get the best stuff from ISI Poly), then hit it with the pressure washer before the brake cleaner has time to dry.

Make sure you read the can of brake clean before buying. I had one brand that I got on some plastic split corrugated tubing and it shriveled immediately. I should have posted about it when it happened to let everybody know.

I stick with the name brand in the green can that Farm and Fleet sells. I believe it's CRC.

Have to be very careful what you spray around anymore. After what I saw with the brake clean, I'm sure some of the other stuff does minimal damage almost as fast. I don't need any electrical issues because I used the wrong stuff and it made something brittle. Even if it took a couple years to show up.

I also had some purple cleaner that said not to use it on aluminum or painted surfaces.

I have had good luck with CitraClean manufactured by Crown Chemical incorporated, Crestwood, Illinois. http://www.crown-chem.com/

There's only one place I know to buy it - in Watseka, Illinois - Canady Labs - and the guy is hard to get a hold of. I could not find it online.

I'm liking the water heater idea. And maybe an electric power washer to use in the shop. Are there any decent cheap electric power washers or other good options. Might be able to get buy with a water pump and crank the pressure up. I don't know that I want power washer type pressure for cleaning the engine.
 
Car washes have all the tools, but not sure I would do that as they typically recycle a lot of the water.

If the engines and tranny are that greasy, it might rain-proof the cars that hit the car wash after you :D

The recirculating thing is why I do not go to car washes in the winter. Unless it's a hand wash that does not recycle. It's just like spraying salt brine all over your vehicle
 
Be careful hooking hot water to standard pressure washers, as they're not rated for heat, and we melted a filter on ours that way. Just FYI. Simple Green or Purple Power work for me when I need to wash something greasy.

I use a lot of simple Green but stay away from Purple Power for some reason. Seems there was something that Purple did not agree with. I've tried a few different Purple Cleaners and got away from all of them.

They are probably all made in the same plant with different labels for all I Know.
 
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Yeah I was referring to crc- good stuff.

Can't find it everywhere, but everything Ive used from 'isi poly' is exceptional. Not sold in stores here, only distributors to mfr plants and shops. If I get a chance I'll buy more of that good stuff. Cleaner, cutting oil, penetrating oil, and hand soap.
 
Yeah I was referring to crc- good stuff.

Can't find it everywhere, but everything Ive used from 'isi poly' is exceptional. Not sold in stores here, only distributors to mfr plants and shops. If I get a chance I'll buy more of that good stuff. Cleaner, cutting oil, penetrating oil, and hand soap.
Did you try Amazon or Farm & Fleet online?[/QUOTE]

Maybe try Farm and Fleet online. Or Amazon. Get it delivered right to your door
 
And maybe an electric power washer to use in the shop. Are there any decent cheap electric power washers or other good options.

While my experience with them is not recent (last was ~15 years ago), I do not do electric pressure washers any more. They did not last more than about 20 hours of use (on city water) and several were replaced under warrantee.

I ultimately stopped using pressure washers as I found that a simple bleach solution worked much better on the housing exteriors, decks, and sidewalks that I needed to clean (just had to time the cleaning with rain to avoid burning the lawn and shrubs). Another benefit to the bleach solution was that I did not have to worry about 'burning' the surface from getting the head too close or having the pressure too high.


But for a more topic related experience . . . For the garage floor I liberally spray simple green on the greasy areas, let it soak, and rinse with a garden hose. Repeat as necessary. Interesting observation about the simple green is that if there is any moss / mildew growth on any of the concrete surfaces (ex garage entrance), it serves as a long term bio kill.
 
I've always had good use with purple power. Throw it in a spray bottle and go to town.
Wd-40 has a new degreaser. Haven't tried it yet.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G890A using Tapatalk
 
There are places people prolly dont need them but scrape on cordboard in to some contractor bags, soak up some solvent, brush and scrape and mop with couple rolls of towels and eventually soap and water if you want it clean. I am in a place equiped and allows it and its a different matter and the washer is a staple tool for me. So important got it on line, plumbed in, switched etc.
 
There are places people prolly dont need them but scrape on cordboard in to some contractor bags, soak up some solvent, brush and scrape and mop with couple rolls of towels and eventually soap and water if you want it clean. I am in a place equiped and allows it and its a different matter and the washer is a staple tool for me. So important got it on line, plumbed in, switched etc.
And if solvent is not available, BBQ charcoal lighter fuel is the same stuff.
Mineral spirits for cleaning paint related tools and for paint thinner works real nice also too.
BBQ lighter fuel is in such a nice dispenser jug. Pop open the cap and squirt the solvent where it is needed.
 
Pump-up garden sprayers are pretty helpful if you find something you like you can spray or jet the stream. I like Charlie's soap and Dawn Ultra. A leaf blower blow-off can help speed drying.

Might try some marine bilge cleaner in a garden sprayer it is supposed to mix with water. I use Starbrite nonslip deck cleaner in a pump-up garden sprayer and it works for the lawnmower, tractor, implements, etc. I just used it to wash off some pollen from our deck (aluminum and composite). I wet the deck then used a pump-up sprayer to spray Starbrite deck cleaner all over and broomed some then rinsed. It is supposed to leave a little PTEF residue so future stuff doesn't stick as much. Starbrite doesn't remove wax so it is not going to cut heavy oil/grease but other brands Booyah for one claims grease cutting.

For small parts might try this: Very similarly I helped the wife clean our oven we put the racks in a 55 gal drum liner in a big trash can with a bowl of ammonia in the bottom of the bag then twist tied the bag closed and let it sit for 3 hours. Had to still scrub but the baked on grease was softened pretty well and much easier to clean.
 
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