[SEL] Best method for cleaning engine crud?

[Mike Royster]

Curt,

  Steve and I swear by the oven cleaner method also.  If you want it to look 
old, a little grease and grime is natural.

MR
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Judge Tommy Turner" <lcjudge at scrtc.com>
To: "The SEL email discussion list" <sel at lists.stationary-engine.com>
Sent: Monday, April 03, 2006 2:59 PM
Subject: Re: [SEL] Best method for cleaning engine crud?


> Curt,
>    Hey, a little grease and grim gives it the "original" look.  Seriously, 
> I use oven cleaner quite a bit with good results.  Its cheap as well.  I 
> wouldn't recommend the dip tank as it will remove everything (at least the 
> chemicals that I have had used on some stuff of mine).  Those nice "pores" 
> in the cast iron that now have some grease, paint, etc that give it the 
> original look will be cleaned out and it will look like a new piece of 
> cast with the dip tank.  I don't think thats the look you want.  I'd 
> suggest the oven cleaner and a stiff brush to rub on the extra heavy 
> stuff.  Watch the oven cleaner though as it will burn ya if it gets on 
> your skin.  Especially make sure none of it splashes in the eyes.
>
> Tommy Turner
> Magnolia, Ky
>
>
>> Guys,
>> The 5HP Alamo is all stripped down to just its' base. For now I intend to 
>> just leave this engine "as is" in its work clothes, which is 85% brown 
>> rust colored, no rust scale. The rest is a hard black material that I 
>> guess was a filler to slick the castings when it was built. You can 
>> strike it with a putty knife and it breaks up, so I am guessing filler 
>> instead of years old accumulations of oil/dirt.....dunno.
>> I am planning on the boiled linseed oil treatment.  However, there are 
>> some areas that are still darned grimy.  I've scraped off a lot of this 
>> crud, but would like to clean it even more before starting on the linseed 
>> oil treatment. The area under the cylinder and in the valley under the 
>> conn rod are especially nasty.
>> The other complication is the built in cast fuel tank. From what I can 
>> tell inside it looks fairly rusty.
>> So I am looking for cleaning methods for both the outside and the inside.
>> What about those large vats for cleaning engine blocks? Do they remove 
>> the crud only, leaving the desirable rust patina?
>> Or how about putting a large round wire brush on a side grinder?
>> Seems like someone mentioned oven cleaner (Tommy?) for getting rid of 
>> stubborn crud on the outside.
>> This base is roughly 4' in length and HEAVY so it won't be easy 
>> maneuvering around.
>> Here is a picture of just the base. 
>> <http://www.oldengine.org/members/holland/images/Alamo/AlamoBase.JPG>
>> Any suggestions will be greatly appreciated.
>> Curt Holland
>> Gastonia, NC
>> P.S. Devin had a blast melting the babbitt out on Sunday. Here he is:
>> <http://www.oldengine.org/members/holland/images/Alamo/P1010044.jpg>
>>
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>
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