Cleaning Engine Rocker Cover

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Sun 29 Dec 2019 17:12
Cleaning Engine Rocker Cover - Nobby Clark

Hi all.... Hope you're enjoying the weekend.

Could you suggest a cleaning agent to clean and shine up a metal engine rocker cover?

Would Autosol do the trick?

Thanks as always peeps! :)

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Sun 29 Dec 2019 18:43
Cleaning Engine Rocker Cover - Leif

Hi all.... Hope you're enjoying the weekend.

Could you suggest a cleaning agent to clean and shine up a metal engine rocker cover?

Would Autosol do the trick?

Thanks as always peeps! :)

I first read the thread title as cleaning rocket engine cover! I admit to a degree of disappointment on dicovering my mistake.

Have you tried wiping with an old disposable rag followed by wiping with a detergent such as dilute washing up liquid? More aggressive solvents such as isopropyl alcohol could be used but be careful as some solvents can damage plastics and rubber, hence my suggestion of squeazy.

Edited by Leif on 29/12/2019 at 18:44

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Sun 29 Dec 2019 19:08
Cleaning Engine Rocker Cover - Nobby Clark

Sorry to disappoint you Leif!! :)

Thanks for the suggestion, I'll give it a go!

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Mon 30 Dec 2019 00:18
Cleaning Engine Rocker Cover - edlithgow

Diesel. Or kerosene

If feeling brave, petrol, but you'd have to be very careful and give it a lot of time to dry off before using the car.

Or don't GUNK still make the brush on wash off water miscible degreaser of choice?

I'm assuming metal rocker cover means plastics and rubber arent in play here.

I suppose I'm also used to engine compartments with more room in them than the modern norm

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Mon 30 Dec 2019 07:41
Cleaning Engine Rocker Cover - Bolt

Diesel. Or kerosene

If feeling brave, petrol, but you'd have to be very careful and give it a lot of time to dry off before using the car.

Or don't GUNK still make the brush on wash off water miscible degreaser of choice?

I'm assuming metal rocker cover means plastics and rubber arent in play here.

I suppose I'm also used to engine compartments with more room in them than the modern norm

Gunk is still sold in different types and used, I know people that use it.

though petrol is still better imo as it evaporates fairly quick as long as the item is cleaned in the open air into a container,(not around anyone who smokes or where there may be a spark) some seem to clean items on a driveway and wonder why the dirt sticks to the concrete/melts the tarmac

Plastics should be petrol resistant now anyway always used to be?

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Mon 30 Dec 2019 22:58
Cleaning Engine Rocker Cover - Andrew-T

It will depend on just how dirty/grimy that cover is. I would suggest an old not-too-oily rag, which should remove most normal engine crud and give a dull shine.

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Tue 31 Dec 2019 06:41
Cleaning Engine Rocker Cover - edlithgow

IF its very gungy

and IF you can keep it off paint and plastics

and IF you like to improvise

and IF you have some

Brake fluid.

...followed by a water wash.

I have used old brake fluid as a carburettor cleaner quite successfully.

I've also heard of it being used as a "piston soak" to decoke the rings. Never tried that, but it seems to make sense.

If I was going to do that I'd do it before a water decoke (maybe alternate the two procedures a couple of times) then I'd do an oil change in case the oil got contaminated.

Edited by edlithgow on 31/12/2019 at 06:43

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Tue 31 Dec 2019 07:26
Cleaning Engine Rocker Cover - Bolt

I've also heard of it being used as a "piston soak" to decoke the rings. Never tried that, but it seems to make sense.

It does work if you have rings that are not freeing off any other way, but you need to change the oil when you've finished.

I have used old brake fluid as a carburettor cleaner quite successfully.

Yes a lot of people have, but at the risk of damaging the seals/gaskets which on occasions happened causing either petrol leak or air leaks

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Tue 31 Dec 2019 15:46
Cleaning Engine Rocker Cover - edlithgow

I've also heard of it being used as a "piston soak" to decoke the rings. Never tried that, but it seems to make sense.

It does work if you have rings that are not freeing off any other way, but you need to change the oil when you've finished.

I have used old brake fluid as a carburettor cleaner quite successfully.

Yes a lot of people have, but at the risk of damaging the seals/gaskets which on occasions happened causing either petrol leak or air leaks

I've used it on carbs I was stripping, so it was fairly easy to avoid gasket and diaphragm exposure.

For ""spray and pray" application I use stuff sold for that purpose, but I don't have much faith in it.

Doesn't touch the sludge you get here in a motorcycle carb that's stood for a while..

Re why old brake fluid?, cheapness and availability.

I keep it in a whisky bottle. Sniff before you drink.

I'd think fresh might work slightly better but the old stuff works well enough.

Brake fluid, that is, not whisky..

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Tue 31 Dec 2019 21:44
Cleaning Engine Rocker Cover - edlithgow

I have used old brake fluid as a carburettor cleaner quite successfully.

Yes a lot of people have, ,,,

Must confess I'm slightly disappointed by that news.

Never seen it recommended and thought I might have invented it, though of course its not really a giant leap from the engine decoking, which I've seen mentioned lots of times.

I suppose I got this impression partly from frequenting US-based forums,

Americans generally HAVE to spend money and don't like the idea of free improvisations,

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Tue 31 Dec 2019 09:22
Cleaning Engine Rocker Cover - Andrew-T

I have used old brake fluid as a carburettor cleaner quite successfully.

That would have to be the 'normal' high-boiling ester type, not the special silicone-based stuff, which I doubt would be much good at all. An ester like that would probably work like a plasticiser, which is the reason for keeping it off plastic and paint surfaces.

I assume the reason for using 'old' brake fluid is economic, not something else.

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Tue 31 Dec 2019 20:25
Cleaning Engine Rocker Cover - Nobby Clark

Thanks for all of your help and comments peeps.

Have a Happy New Year.. :)

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Tue 31 Dec 2019 20:26
Cleaning Engine Rocker Cover - Nobby Clark

Thanks for all of your help and comments peeps.

Have a Happy New Year.. :)

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