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Degreasing oil from engine bay


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Hi there,


I've had some oil spill out into my engine bay (from a loosely-fitted oil cap, I believe) and it has mixed with a lot of water in the bilge, got everywhere and covered the whole floor of the bay. 
 

My first step in dealing with this was to follow advice suggesting the use of nappies to absorb as much water/oil as possible and dispose of it responsibly (rather than sticking the bilge pump on and polluting the waterways!) - I've now completed this stage.

 

This leaves me with a load of dry, water-less oil covering the bottom of the engine bay. What are the best ways to clean this up?

I have been told that using white spirit and a lot of that industrial blue roll is the best way. 

 

Do people have any other/better tips, or is that a good place to start?

 

Thanks!

 

 

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Dont use white spirit,unless you want to make the free paper headlines........old rags is probably as effective as anything for oil,but the oil will run out again somewhere ......also be aware there is a potential for piles of oily rag to self ignite,but I dontthink this happens with engine oil.

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15 minutes ago, Ronaldo47 said:

Sawdust is very effective.  You can burn it afterwards in your fire if you have one. I used to use it to clean the metal tray I used to put under my car when I used to do my own  oil changes. 

Or cat litter - the cheapest supermarket own brand. Soaks up oil and water, and can be cleared up with a dustpan and brush and/or vacuum cleaner.

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Just now, Floating Guye said:

a) Why not white spirit? 
and
b) what do you mean by "gunk"?

I would try cat litter but now I've soaked up most of the water with the nappies. I don't know if I've shot myself in the foot there - just got a lot of dry-ish oil on the bottom now...

Gunk Green Engine Degreaser | Halfords UK

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Rather than Gunk (does it still smell the same?) I would use Jizer,  made by Swarfiga I believe, or something similar. Rinse with water and soak the whole lot up in cheap disposable nappies. To save struggling with reaching awkward spots use a cranked radiator brush for the Jizer and a litter picker to grip the nappies (both available in a Pound Shop.  

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When i had diesel spill into my bilge from a WASP filter damaged by the RCR mechanic who serviced my boat when I had a broken leg, I used nappies and then Starbrite Bilge Cleaner to get rid of the residue and the smell. Brilliant stuff.

 

https://www.marinesuperstore.com/boat-cleaning/boat-cleaner/starbrite-bilge-cleaner-1l?utm_source=google_shopping&utm_medium=pcn&utm_campaign=MSS&utm_term=02568&gclid=CjwKCAiAl-6PBhBCEiwAc2GOVE8pyzjoThoQOa4Pl31aw2eiMa4L_3t8hDlquH65X-FhQW_AvbXRVBoCrMAQAvD_BwE

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I often have small diesel spills when filling from containers that end up on the deck (Its not a narrowboat) and a good squirt of washing up liquid and a kettle of hot water sorts it out. Proper stuff though is Gunk or Jizer.

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3 hours ago, Tracy D'arth said:

Not as good as the old stinky brown Gunk.  Better to use sawdust and just give it time to soak in, like a month, - at least.

Ah the old Gunk!

The new stuff is not the same.

The pong wafting up from a newly degreased hot (British) motorbike engine was quite unique!

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8 minutes ago, Mad Harold said:

Ah the old Gunk!

The new stuff is not the same.

The pong wafting up from a newly degreased hot (British) motorbike engine was quite unique!

Now that takes me back my 1961 T120R 650 Bonneville, looking good and smelling good.

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18 minutes ago, Mad Harold said:

Ah the old Gunk!

The new stuff is not the same.

The pong wafting up from a newly degreased hot (British) motorbike engine was quite unique!

And we would know where you went off to as we could follow the trail of oil leaks.

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28 minutes ago, Slim said:

And we would know where you went off to as we could follow the trail of oil leaks.

They are not oil leaks.  They are the continuous corrosion suppression system at work.

 

N

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On 03/02/2022 at 12:28, Mad Harold said:

Ah the old Gunk!

The new stuff is not the same.

The pong wafting up from a newly degreased hot (British) motorbike engine was quite unique!

 

As were the amount of oil leaks from British bikes! 

 

On the OP's question, I've tried gunk, jizer, etc, but I've honestly found plain old washing up liquid, hot water and some agitation as good as anything else for getting rid of oil and diesel spills. Then just chuck some more nappies down for a few days.

Edited by blackrose
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