While I have my motor out I was trying to clean some of the aluminium engine accessory parts that are grimy.I used a indusrial strength cleaner it got some off but left a lot on,whats good to use that will clean the engrained dirt/oil?

 

Mask off the areas you dont wanna get wet....and use a pressure washer. What part of Ohio you in?

 

Columbus .....I was powerwashing under my car yesterday doing the engine bay but I was a bit leery sumitting 2200 psi to everything with mechanisms still attached and all.
I could be careful i guess.

 

Ive also used some AC condensor cleaner in the past with some good results.

 

I have a 2800 PSI pressure washer and even with it just a little bit away from the engine (under 5 or 6 inches) it wouldn't take all the grime off. I used a industrial degreaser w/ a stiff brush and scrubbed for a good while then whipped it off with a rag then went over it again with the pressure washer. That seemed to work decent enough.

 

I have used oven cleaner on old wheels before and it "stains"afterwards
So no secret majic potion huh? just hard work?

 

degreaser a SOS pad and good oll arm strength. just keep on scrubbin, if is really imbedded you may not get the stains out. In this case bead blasting it will do the trick, just make sure you take the parts off the car HAHAHA

 

who is the original author of the quote in your signature?

 

If your refering to me, its from MAZDA them self. Its in their commercials.....

 

Make sure the chemical that you use doesn't eat/react with aluminum. Namely, avoid certain products like Simple Green. I learned this the hard way about 10 years ago...when I accidentally stained my Cusco strut tower bar. That sucked. (although this was only a exterior aesthetic issue)

This may sound dangerous, but I've used brake cleaner (along w/ a scrubbing brush) to clean metal parts. It works. I recommend being careful around painted metal surfaces, but for parts that are pure plain metal such as suspension pieces...the brake cleaner works quick.

 

#000 or #0000 steel wool.

 

Acid Bath and Nickel plating

 

i degrease with purple power or simple green in a heated 2-1 mix then sand blast. and i never have problems with aluminum

 

oops

 

CLR.. and a sponge should do the trick