Cleaning engines and ER

Irie308

Well-Known Member
May 28, 2013
2,578
CT
Boat Info
2004 420 DB, GHS Hydraulic Lift
Garmin 8600/Garmin 1222 plus
AB Mares 10 VSX with 30 hp Tohatsu
Engines
Cummins 450C 8.3 L Turbocharged
What's the best method to clean the ER and engines? The ER floor is looking a bit grimy however I'm really limited on space in there on our 320. I've also noticed that my engines are covered in dust and whatever else the kids drop in the cracks of the hatch on the ER. I was thinking of getting my compressor and blowing off the engines but just wondering what other do to keep things clean.
 
Spray Nine comes in a hand pump bottle. I wet areas let it sit a minute or so and wipe. It works well on engines. I use paper towel as they seem better than cloth. For very dirty areas I spray and use a soft brush. Takes time. Takes a few beers. Simple Green does well on grease also. I like Spray Nine better.
 
I can ask my guy what he does. He just made my car engine look as new as a 1/4 of a million miles without a cleanup could.....and that is damn good.
 
Spray Nine comes in a hand pump bottle. I wet areas let it sit a minute or so and wipe. It works well on engines. I use paper towel as they seem better than cloth. For very dirty areas I spray and use a soft brush. Takes time. Takes a few beers. Simple Green does well on grease also. I like Spray Nine better.

+1 ... Except I use rags instead of paper towels. I carefully wipe the engine and all hoses and use rags and brushes for the bilge....I never spray the engine. The first time takes a few beers, a whole weekend and a couple bloody knuckles but it goes very quick if you do it weekly after the initial scrub-down.
 
I like keeping the bilge surfaces clean.

What I use is the Simply Green product. Whether your bilge is spacious or tight - in both cases there are all kinds of stuff getting in the way of cleaning.

I wet down the area, wash the surface dirt off the area. Then liberally pour the cleaner out. I might use half a gallon in one cleaning. Next step is to brush those areas I can get to.

Spray a small amount of water to push the product up underneath strainers etc where I cant get the brush.

Then let it soak for 15 minutes or so. Finally wash heavily with pressure. Seems to do a good job. As with most cleaning - the more often you are doing it the easier it is.
 
Hot water and Simple Green and L-Bow-Greeze
Last year


Last month
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If I had a fraction of that much exposed bilge floor I'd be much happier. My engine room is PACKED!

I'm with 'ya our boat with V-drives is packed tight. I've got a hydraulic platform as well so all that gear is jammed in there too. I'm lucky I can get down in the bilge at all! I use a long handled tolet bowl brush to help me reach under and around everything down there. It was much easier with the 260 and I/O drive!
 
For a little more aggressive degreasing I use ZEP purple degreaser. Works grease but you do need to use it carefully as it is a strong degreaser. I wash/wet the entire engine room (I bag all intakes first) then spray degreaser from a spray bottle. Scrub it with sponges and rags, what ever I need to use to get it in all the books and crannies and then wash off.

 
Jeremy, that's just not fair how much space you have down there! Spotless too! I once lost a shoe getting out of my ER.
 
Sterndrives are cheating on a 340. Can I post a pic?

Dale
 
See, there are some benefits to stern drives, it's not all doom and gloom.
 
How is that cheating? Cheating is a tactic undertaken to reduce the amount of work, not increase it!

Dale
 
Can you nose down engines? What steps would you need to do it safely?
 
You guys know how to maintain a showroom new vessel.
 
Can you nose down engines? What steps would you need to do it safely?

I have just covered the intake with a Plastic bag and washed down everything else. I have done it that way for 15 years with all my boats and cars with no problem. I don't aim the hose right at the alternator or any other electrical components so maybe that has helped not to have any problems. i usually clean up any rust I see first with a wire brush, then hose and degrease, then prime and paint the rusty areas. Once paint is dry I spray everything metallic in the engine room with boeshield T-9
 
Hosing down an engine is not necessary, that sound like a neat freak.Most of the dust and debris comes from the belts on an engine. Properly maintained this dust is kept at a minimum. Rusty pullys are the biggest culprit.Plus with todays electronics that cleaning method is highly questionable.These arent your 1960`s motors
 

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