Cleaning the Engine

[tjr818]

How would one go about cleaning the engine in place? Can you treat it like a car engine, squirt her with some magic cleaner and then "hose" it off?
I remember doing this to an old sports car, but it took a lot of water and made a real mess in my parents driveway.

[Steve Laume]

How would one go about cleaning the engine in place? Can you treat it like a car engine, squirt her with some magic cleaner and then "hose" it off?
I remember ding this to an old sports car, but it took a lot of water and made a real mess in my parents driveway.

Your parents drive should be fine when you do your boat

[bottomscraper]

That is what I did with Mr Leaky our old Perkins. I used Gunk engine degreaser it worked ok but not great, even with a brush. It appears they have a heavy duty gel version now that might be better. We do have a garboard drain so getting the effluent out of the bilge wasn't so bad. Make sure you cover the air intake.

[Doug Gibson]

I do the same as Rich, typically once a year after changing all my fluids and filters. I don't have a garboard drain, but use a wet/dry shop vac to remove the mess in the engine sump. If I'm careful with the rinse-off, usually no more than 4-5 gallons... pretty easy to lift the shop vac out/off of boat. I also cover the alternator... can't imagine the cleaner or water is good for internal bearings... Just don't ask me what I do with the stuff in the shop vac...

[tjr818]

. . . Just don't ask me what I do with the stuff in the shop vac...

Nature abhors a vacuum

[mgphl52]

Nature abhors a vacuum

So does our cat!