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MG Midget and Sprite Technical - Engine Bay Cleaner

As you all probably know by now I am going for the get it going and through the MOT asap and s*d what it looks like for now.

More great progress today as vent for tail pipe out of garage allowed me to start it and run engine while on axel stands in garage. The rev counter is working (I see it is x 100 so makes sense I didn't think it was working before while leaning over the engine bay and trying to check instruments on short engine runs while fiddling with choke and accelerator at carb end). All the other dials and stuff appart from horn (known problem) and heater (who knows but should be irrelevent) now work. Tick over will need some attention but I am confident that I can sort that. Application of some foot brake while revving engine seems to have released clutch and can shift OK all gears (1st very noisy, I assume it may be better under load, if not I have spare gear box out of other car - yes I have two non runners at the moment and the other one is totally in bits - I can look at later).

So as I look forward to MOT I think the 22 years of operational dirt in the engine bay could do with being shifted so I can identify all those brake pipes etc that may cause it to fail. I don't want to remove anything if I can help it to save time and effort so does anyone know of a cleaning product that will shift oil, dirt, grime, what seems to be soil and leaf mold mainly from on top of the footwell casings, wing tops and hinge recesses without damaging the wiring and other stuff? Suggestion so far is Truck Wash (the stuff they use on commercials pre annual test to present vehicle clean underneath and in engine bay as dirty difficult to asses truck = fail). Never used it myself and local factors don't have any so need to identify product for ordering. Truck wash brushes / sprays on and spray washes off.

All suggestions most welcome especially from the light hearted among you.

Thanks in advance, Dave
Dave Squire - Notts

WD40 loosens muck nicely and one of the best things for shifting it is a blow gun on a compressor.

Oh and lots of rag.
Jeremy Cogman

Gunk is a traditional solution,still works for me.
steve cowling

I've always used Gunk, but Practical Classics magazine have done a test on degreasers this month and Halfords Engine Cleaner comes out as best buy and Bilt-Hamber Surfex HD as best budget buy.

Trev
T Mason

I've used Jizer in the past but its downside is it stinks. Try MUC-OFF originally designed for mountain biking and 'green' friendly they now do an automotive product range. The wheel cleaner is especially good and gets all sorts of baked on grime / grease off. Just brush on work in on stubborn bits and hose off.
Ed
Ed H

Petrol and cheap pan scourer - 14 pence for 6 in Tesco!
Mark O

Another shout for Gunk, worked a treat cleaning up my engine bay once the engine was out.

I've found you tend to need to wash it down with something else afterwards to get rid of a gunk.

I've tried that Marine clean stuff from Frosts as well, works great on everything except really oily stuff unless you use really hot water, then it cuts through the lot but is a pain and the Mrs doesn't like me using the kettle...
W Turner

Spray it with kero using an atomiser. Let it soak a few minutes then blast it off with a steam cleaner. Cheap and easier. Mindful not to light a smoke when you're doing it.
Greg H

This thread was discussed between 30/07/2012 and 09/08/2012

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