Cleaning an engine

[pwl]

Final paperwork is going through on our first narrowboat but the engine bay is a tip. To clean a petrol car engine I would use Gunk but what is best for a marine diesel that is safe for the canals?

 

P3

[denboy]

gunk jizer a few old plastic barrels to put the sludge in a wet n dry vac and a good woman to follow you round cleaning all the finger prints of the walls and cheapo disposable nappies(brilliant idea by BSP me thinks) to dry it out when your finished

[Keeping Up]

Without thinking I cleaned mine with Gunk, then hosed it down, and stood perplexed at how to dispose of several gallons of oily Gunky bilgewater. Eventually I pumped it all into a large plastic container and took it to the local tip; I was surprised that they took it without question, I wonder what they did with it after I'd gone.

[Malarky]

I start by wiping everything down with "bog standard" toilet roll, and splints of wood or sticks to hook bits out, then use this to light the burner. Thus reduceing the ammount of stuff you have to wash off. If your burner still has'nt caught, then try some rag with a bit of diesel on it, wipe the engine over, and use that. Watch out for minor explosions tho if burner still warm!

[NB Alnwick]

Final paperwork is going through on our first narrowboat but the engine bay is a tip. To clean a petrol car engine I would use Gunk but what is best for a marine diesel that is safe for the canals?

 

P3

 

The best solution, that has been used for centuries (first on steam then diesels) on railway and maritime motive power, is cotton waste - available from most good industrial cleaning material suppliers. It is absorbent and very mildly abrasive and you can use it in various amounts to get into all the nooks and crannies. For stubborn dried on grease and oil use a bit of diesel on the cotton waste - used cotton waste burns excellently on a sold fuel stove so there are no disposal problems.

 

Here is one of the many suppliers.

 

http://www.marsonindustrialsupplies.co.uk/

 

Search for "Cotton Waste" ref: RAG2371

The current price is about £20 for 25kg bail - that's enough to last a lifetime!

 

In the long run, it works out cheaper than modern disposable nappies etc. and is far more effective.

 

Once the engine is clean a daily wipe down with cotton waste after it has been running will keep it looking new with a minimum of effort. Cotton waste is also great for cleaning brasswork.

[pwl]

The best solution, that has been used for centuries (first on steam then diesels) on railway and maritime motive power, is cotton waste - available from most good industrial cleaning material suppliers. It is absorbent and very mildly abrasive and you can use it in various amounts to get into all the nooks and crannies. For stubborn dried on grease and oil use a bit of diesel on the cotton waste - used cotton waste burns excellently on a sold fuel stove so there are no disposal problems.

 

Here is one of the many suppliers.

 

http://www.marsonindustrialsupplies.co.uk/

 

Search for "Cotton Waste" ref: RAG2371

The current price is about £20 for 25kg bail - that's enough to last a lifetime!

 

In the long run, it works out cheaper than modern disposable nappies etc. and is far more effective.

 

Once the engine is clean a daily wipe down with cotton waste after it has been running will keep it looking new with a minimum of effort. Cotton waste is also great for cleaning brasswork.

 

Only one problem. No stove (yet :-) ) But I can have a bonfire in the garden. The the link is bookmarked. Thanks.

 

P

[DHutch]

I would make sure the bulk of the crap was out of the bildge, oily water pumped into a clear plastic barrel and left to settle, etc.

- Then wash it down with a proproaty degreaer as mentioned. Jizer infact, because i have a gallon drum of it. Spray on with hand sprayer and brush round with 2inch paint brush.

- Then rince with the bar minimal water, or just a bit more jizer, or whatever. Then you should have more than a few liters of stuff to wipe round the floor to clean that with, and loose somewhere reponsable ish.

 

 

Daniel

[Lord Gadbury]

Great topic, cleaning and painting our engine bay a little at a tme, easiest bits first looking for more important bits as I go.

I have greasy areas to deal with next, they are not to bad, but the cotton waste is a good idea ( got a greenie for that ), I have disposable nappies a tip given buy another boater, thanks. We had a problem with water getting into the bilge when it rained, this has now been solved engine bay dry upon return, still gets a little in whilst in use.

Picture attached is starboard side, white canister is the rad bleed off against bulkhead, any ideas how to clean between engine front and bulkhead ( which runs top of photo to bottom ) in front of engine to the Port side ? I am thinking steam cleaning.

The engine could do with a clean and thought this would be the best solution.

 

 

Edit: Link not working for me.

Edited April 16, 2017 by Pompey
Link not working

[WotEver]

28 minutes ago, Pompey said:

 

Great topic

 

Even if it is over 9 years old. 

Is that a record?

[Lord Gadbury]

Could be for Google, it was the first result, but yeah should have checked the date