Alright, so my engine. Man, it was just plain filthy. We're talking years of road grime, a bit of oil weep here and there, all baked on. Looked like a real beast to tackle, but I knew I had to get it sorted. Not just for looks, mind you, but a clean engine is easier to work on, and I reckon it probably helps it stay a bit cooler too. So, the mission began: find the best degreaser for this monster.

My First Stabs at Getting it Clean

First off, I’m not made of money, and I don’t always go for the fanciest stuff right away. I remembered my old man used to say something about kerosene, but that seemed a bit much, and smelly too. I had some super cheap, no-name degreaser lying around in the garage, the kind you get for a couple of bucks. Gave that a go. Sprayed it on, let it sit for a bit, then tried to scrub. Honestly, it barely made a dent. It was like trying to clean an oven with just water. The light dust came off, but the thick, baked-on gunk? Nah, it just laughed at me. Disappointing, to say the least.

So, back to the drawing board. I started looking around, you know, asking a few buddies what they used. Got a mix of answers. Some swore by specific brands I'd never heard of, others had their own concoctions. It was a bit overwhelming, to be honest.

Trying a Few Different Options

I decided to actually spend a little more cash this time. Went to the auto parts store and really looked at the options. There was this one, a citrus-based cleaner, that smelled pretty good, not too chemical-ly. Picked up a bottle of that. Also grabbed a can of a more heavy-duty, solvent-based degreaser, the kind that has all those warnings on the label. Figured I'd try both and see what happened.

The citrus stuff was up first. I warmed up the engine just a tad – not hot, just warm. Then I sprayed the citrus cleaner on generously. Let it soak for a good 10 minutes. I got in there with a few different brushes – an old dish brush, a toothbrush for the tight spots. It worked better than the cheap stuff, for sure. It started to break down some of the grime, and the smell was definitely more pleasant. But for the really stubborn, caked-on oil stains, it still needed a lot of elbow grease. It was okay, but not the miracle I was hoping for.

Next day, I tried the heavy-duty solvent stuff on a different section. Whoa, this stuff was potent. The smell alone could knock you out if you weren't careful. Definitely needed gloves and good ventilation for this one. I sprayed it on, and you could almost see the grease starting to dissolve. Let it sit for maybe 5-7 minutes – didn’t want to leave it on too long as it seemed pretty aggressive. When I went to scrub, the grime came off much easier. This was more like it for the tough spots!

What Worked Best For Me – The Process

So, after these experiments, I kind of found a combo and a process that worked for my situation. The super heavy-duty stuff was great for the worst areas, but I didn't want to use it everywhere because it felt a bit too harsh. The citrus one was good for general cleaning once the major gunk was gone, or for less grimy engines.

But if I had to pick one type that gave the best all-around performance for a really dirty engine, it was a good quality, concentrated engine degreaser – not necessarily the most expensive, but not the cheapest either. The kind that feels like it has some real cleaning power to it.

Here’s what I ended up doing for the main clean-up, and what I stick to now:

• Warm up the engine slightly. Just run it for a minute or two. Makes the grease a bit softer.
• Cover sensitive bits. I used plastic bags and some tape to cover the alternator, the air intake, and any obvious electrical connections. Better safe than sorry.
• Spray generously. Really get in there and coat all the greasy surfaces with the degreaser. Don’t be shy with it.
• Let it soak. This is crucial. I give it a good 10-15 minutes. Let the chemicals do their job. I usually grab a drink or potter about while it’s working.
• Agitate. Get in there with brushes. A stiff nylon brush works well for large areas. Smaller detail brushes or even old toothbrushes are great for nooks and crannies. You gotta break that bond between the grease and the metal.
• Rinse carefully. I use a garden hose with a gentle spray nozzle. You don't want to blast water with high pressure into places it shouldn't go. Just a steady rinse to wash away all the loosened grime and degreaser. I try to avoid soaking electrical parts directly, even if covered.
• Repeat if necessary. For really stubborn spots, sometimes a second application is needed.

The Sweet, Clean Result

And the result? Man, it was satisfying. The engine wasn't looking brand new – it's an old car, after all – but it was a million times better. You could actually see the metal, the different components weren't just one black blob. It felt good knowing it was clean under there. Made me feel a bit more proud of my old motor, you know?

So yeah, that was my journey to a cleaner engine. Took a bit of trial and error, but found what works for me. Main thing is, don't be afraid to try a couple of different things, and definitely don't skip the soaking and scrubbing part. And wear some eye protection! I got a splashback once, not fun at all. Learnt that lesson pretty quick.