I like that you were smelling what I was stepping in
[/quote]

No BS should be spilled, only Simple Green.

Thanks S2Ki, another valuable life lesson learned!

 

Don't know about the aluminum alloys used in Honda cars... but I was told a long time ago to avoid Simple Green for Honda dirt & street bikes. Esp the fancy-schmancy anodized aluminum parts --- like rims. And Magnesium alloy casings.

I used diluted dish soap in pressurized sprayers. Rinse off, thouroughly. Dry well. Treat with Silkolene.

 

Holy Mackerel! What a thread.

From Simple Green's website:

Quote:

"Aluminum is a soft metal that easily corrodes with unprotected exposure to water. The aqueous-base and alkalinity of Simple Green All-Purpose Cleaner can accelerate the corrosion process. Therefore, contact times for unprotected or unpainted aluminum surfaces should be kept as brief as the job will allow - never for more than 10 minutes. Large cleaning jobs should be conducted in smaller-area stages to achieve lower contact time."

I would imagine there are lots of aluminum pieces and parts hiding in the engine bay. Maybe you can do a perfect rinse job and hit every square inch. Maybe you can't. If you like things nice and shiny, this is not the number one product to use. If other products can do the job without the problems Simple Green admits to, why bother? If you thought salt was great at cleaning, would you add that to your bucket and wash your car thinking you can just rinse it off? I have not and will not even consider buying a car that was located in the rust belt because of the corrosion issue. I like things looking as new as can be.

I prefer to keep things simple and avoid pitfalls when I can. Less chance of me hosing things up. Think I will use my Simple Green for other stuff. I happen to use Orange Degreaser Cleaner from OSH that, according to a jewler friend will not harm jewlery, for all things automotive.

 

Geez, just keep it simple:

1. Cover sensitive engine components (starter, alt, fuse box) with plastic/foil
2. Lightly spray down engine bay with water
3. Spray with diluted APC
4. Agitate with brush
5. Spray down lightly with water
6. Dry with compressed air, MF towels
7. Use something like 303

Done.

 

hey. Chuck S.

your garage queen will never need to use harsh solution such as diluted simple green so why do you even bother talking about it?

I'm happy with the result and I'll recommend it. people with common sense will decide if they will use it or not.

 

In the spirit of doing things correctly, I will admit that, yes, simple green is an alkali cleaner and there is a *chance* for it to harm/stain/oxidize aluminum parts if it is left on there for longer than directed.

Simple green seems to be covering their bases on their website, warning users of potential issues, while also stating that it has been used to clean aluminum for 20+ years.

If you do not feel that you can rinse the stuff off satisfactorily within the intended use time, then use something else.

If your engine is not heavily soiled, it shouldn't really need any hardcore cleaners anyway. Car wash soap works fine.

Dish soap works really well for greasy engines when used in conjunction with a pressure washer.

Pressure washers aren't generally deemed as being engine safe. But, nobody seems to have issues with that recommendation. Because with COMMON SENSE, one can pressure wash a modern engine without harming anything.

Remember, very few things you can do to a car are 100% safe or foolproof. Common sense...or even learned information will take you pretty far.

 

^^^ GPW CR owner who used SG on his engine bay.

It'll all in good fun guys. I knew SG may not have been the best choice but it's what we had and we were very careful with it.

This wasn't my first rodeo nor my first engine bay cleaning.

 

My engine compartment does not typically get dirty enough to need cleaners. I have, since the day I bought it rinsed the engine compartment once a year with clear water from a hose. I don't cover anything, but am careful not to soak the alternator, air box, or fuse box. On occasion I have used 409 on some dirtier spots. After hosing it off, I immediately start it up and let it idle with the hood closed while I wash the outside. I follow up with a towel to dry off the big areas and to soak up any standing water.

 

None of my current vehicles' engines have ever been dirty enough to warrant a de-greasing.

I needed simple green on my S2000 to clean up after the install of an oil cooler. And I use it from time to time to rinse off the subframe and block below the oil filter after doing an oil change.

I use it on the back of my TSX's and ITR's block where the oil filter dribbles oil on oil changes.

I also use it as clean-up prep before I work on a car. Some cars (not mine, for God's sake) have oil or fluid leaks. Instead of getting elbow deep in cold, black grime...I pre-clean things that I work on. SG works well for chassis and underbody cleaning before starting work as well. Again...I have a pressure washer.

SG isn't used every single time I clean the engine. I maintain the cleanliness via soap and water.

 

Note: purple power cleaner, in my experience, stained aluminum almost instantly and very noteably. Shoulda read the bottle lol.

SG has never stained anything under my use of it.