Cleaning Engine Parts, what do you guys use? Options

[rhcb914]

Hi Folks,

I am wondering what people use to clean their engine parts with, specifically the cylinder heads? Long ago in a past life, while working at a boat yard, I remember dunking my oil caked, carbon fouled, nasty cylinder heads in this chemical bath over night. When I pulled them out in the morning and washed off the heads they looked as good as new! I don't remember the name of this stuff and it's probably not available to back yard hackers like myself but figured I would see what everyone else uses to clean their engine parts.

Thanks in advance! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif)

-Rob

[scruz914]

QUOTE (matt_o_70 @ Feb 4 2005, 09:58 PM)

for surprisingly little money ~$20 most machine shops will clean anything you bring them in their professional hot washing machines.. Worth every penny and much better for your health and the environment.

I just had a great experience with a local auto repair shop, Rusty's Honda and Mazda Repair in Santa Cruz. After breathing way too many solvent fumes while cleaning the engine tin I decided to see if I could avoid more fumes and get someone to clean the fan housing. I was looking for a machine shop that could dunk the thing into their tank. Well, to make a long story longer, I could not find the machine shop and on a whim gave Rusty's a try. Turns out it was Rusty himself that I asked about the possibiity of getting a pretty oily/greasy housing clean. He put it into his hot washing machine and for the next 45 min. flipped the pieces over to make sure every inch was washed. I left for an hour and came back to a beautifully clean fan housing. And Rusty wouldn't take a dime for it! (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/smilie_pokal.gif) Made me disappointed that I don't have a Mazda or Honda to give him some business. I am sure that he would not have been so accomodating if I showed up with all of the tin plus the fan housing, etc. I do think though if you make previous arrangements with a shop and offer to pay you could have the dirty work quickly behind you.

Sorry for rambling.

-Jeff