1984_Lil'Ray

i have never cleaned the my engine before and alittle scared to do so. Just this weekend i removed the rats nets and notice that the engine is really dirty. How do you clean the engine? with what? and what should i be aware of? I want to know the different ways of cleaning one's own engine.

blwfly

iTrader: (4)

huh have a look at this
https://www.rx7club.com/1st-generation-specific-1979-1985-18/completley-stock-cleaner-stock-549233/

1984_Lil'Ray

thanks man ...i kept looking for some threads but didn't find any.

7aull

iTrader: (2)

Simple Green (avai in any grocery store) works great on grease and oil. Helps that its bio-friendly, too. Just spray it full strength on a warm engine (not hot - you should be able to put your hand on the block) - let it sit for a few minutes, then go at the goo with additonal spray and good bristle (not metal!!) brush. Takes lots of elbow grease
Also, SOS pads work great on the actual block, but don't use on painted surfaces or it will scratch!
rinse and repeat- garden hose with a "fanning" spray works best - water is a rinsing agent NOT the prime mover of the grease, you want to remove the soap and lifted dirt, not jet water and crap into your electricals
Remove the spark plug wires from the dizzy, cover the cap with a plastic wrap/bag and elastic to seal. believe it or not a few good stiff toothbrushes get you into all sorts of tough-to-reach areas!! just keep soaking them in the Simple Green.
Nitril or latex disposable gloves safe a lot of grief on your hands too, BTW. Auto parts stores sell them in packs of 3-4 pairs for a few bucks
For paint, once the grease is off, a good polish will do miracles to bring back the original shine!! Then wax it if you don't want to have to do it all again...
Took me 3 days to get mine looking like the day it was sold, but a snap to keep looking that way with a light spray and wipe down once a month.
It really helps to either remove (like i did) or at least detach hardware from the inside fenders to get at stuff properly. Clean the block first, then the fender areas.
Have a good look under the battery shelf - held on by 4 10mm bolts - rust is usually present there and should be tended to ASAP. Just sand off the loose stuff and apply POR-15 (.com). Its shiny black, but you'll never see it with the battery back in place, and it bonds and stops rust in its tracks. Great stuff!! Great for touching up your steering box too.
Good Luck
Stu Aull
80GS
Alaska

John64

Castrol Superclean!!!! This stuff will get anything off. Make sure you spray down the block real well when your done.

Dr_Jeff

Castrol Super Clean works wonders !


Take a couple of toothbrushes & heat the neck just below the bristles with a lighter & bend one about 80 degrees backward then cool in water to set in place, & the other about 45 degrees forward, these will allow you to get into all of the hard places & a good stiff plastic bristle brush that is used for cleaning parts, looks like a large round artists brush, available at HarborFreight or any parts store for a couple of bucks.

Like others have said, get the nitrile gloves.

Jeff

blwfly

iTrader: (4)

what i found useing castroll super clean was that it cleaned so good it started to take my primer off in the engine bey ils recomed wiping with water after too i had seen some oxzidation i think

Kentetsu

Be careful with Simple Green. It will react with aluminum. I used a general engine cleaner on the hot engine while at a spray-it-yourself carwash. Let it sit for a couple of minutes and then hose away. Avoid the alternator and ignition components and you should be fine. Look in the archive under "finally some pics" for full details on how I did mine...