I'm taking apart my engine this weekend and I need to of course clean the parts. What should I use to cut the grease or soak the parts in. Is there a step process to doing this (I searched) I dont have extra money for any mistakes so I need to get this done right the first time

 

You can buy castrol degreaser in a jug, its concentrated so mix with water. It leaves a residue if you soak it though, so I would suggest getting a plastic brush and scrubbing the pieces in a bin of the stuff by hand (wear gloves please ).

For smaller things that you can't soak in water, or they aren't very dirty, use carb cleaner in a compressed can. Works dandy with a brush and a rag, get that grease and dirt right off! It'll take pre-mature paint with it too, so if you just painted anything with heat paint, make sure its cured before you spray it with carb cleaner, it'll take it right off.

Thats my advice.

*Edit*
the absolute best and easy way is a hot tank, with varsol. That **** is awesome, leave the parts in there overnight, no residue left either. Leave the parts in that for a day and they'll come out new!
If you want to spend your money efficiently, do it this way, see if there is a garage with one and if you can strike a deal with them to do your parts for a day for some cash.

 

don't buy cheap cleaners i'd use a gallon of brake and parts cleaner that stuff does wonders use a tooth brush or something to clean the small pieces and the slots for the seals and stuff like that

 

dont forget good ole Simple Green...it has become one of my favorite cleaners on my last 5 RX-7s.

 

i tried cleaning my manifolds with carb cleaner and a toothbrush and all the bristles fell out. LOL

 

lol


Brake cleaner huh? I tried it once, didn't seem to do any better than carb cleaner.

 

it works for me but you have to buy the good stuff the stuff i used is called parts master it works ok for me let me find out you used a cheap toothbrush LOL

 

naww, it was rembrant, brand new. I only used it to clean my paintball mask once. Guess that carb cleaner is just strong.

 

so just use carb cleaner or simple green? I just sent my little bro to go buy parts as we speak so I have 15 mins till he gets there. Any last wordS?

 

no aerosol buy a gallon

 

so a gallon of simple green it is!!!1!

 

I used Zep Purple, which Is found exclusively at Home Depot (I'm pretty sure of this). I was very happy on It's results and I won't hesitate to do a repeat the next time my Engine goes.

 

i just use gas to clean all my engin parts then rinse with water ?

 

how can we forget our friend gas and acitone. But gasoline is the cheapest.

 

were can I find simple green???? I just used alot of carb cleaner and it didnt work to well.
Also what is the best product to clean the housings and the water jackets I have to get all this clean by tuesday

 

well i have used valvoline synthetic carb and throttle body cleaner on my old rx7's carburetor and it destroyed that carbon and black stuff like nothing else, i directly compared that to this cheap brand back to back using the cheap one first which didn't do much and the valvoline took it right off. also today i used crc throttle body cleaner and it worked very good, of course these are not internal engine parts.

 

well I need one for the internals right now its soaking in detergent

 

go to any pepboys, strauss, autozone and get a bottle of Eagle One A2Z wheel cleaner. since its safe for all kinds of paint, metal, and rubber its makes the perfect engine cleaner. i like to warm up the engine first, turn it off, spray the engine with the hose, spray A2Z on it, scrub with a tooth brush if you dont have a detailing brush. then spray everything off with the hose, dry everything with a MF towel then start the engine for everything to dry up. i use 303 to dress all the plastic/rubber parts.

 

also I had alot of carbon rust looking build up would it be oaky to scrub it off with a steel wool pad or what do I use

 

I agree with SilverRotor, Zep purple does a really great job. Gets rid of petroleum product residue and is safe on plastic and rubber parts. Just don't let it soak into your skin.....

 

This stuff is the shizznit, I just discovered it recently. The stuff is non caustic and takes grease out like nobody's business. Also easy on the paint, but don't let it sit too long.

 

hmm...I should have also said that I had access to a heated parts washer that may have assisted In my parts coming out like new...but judging by the responses of other members I'd say It only helped out.