Mechanic Advice

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Cleaning engine bay/ miscellaneous crannies (self.mechanicadvice)

submitted 9 months ago by vivavideri to c/mechanicadvice

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So, that insight we bought last September so far seems mechanically sound, but, so, so dirty. I'm not sure how best to approach it but waiting till spring because our garage is not heated and it's cold as shit up here in MT.

My biggest concern is safely removing all the little mouse poops that are literally everywhere except in the cabin. I fashioned a cardboard cone with gorilla tape to our shitty shop vac to clean out the spare tire well but I'll probably need a smaller cylinder to reach them in the engine bay and battery compartment. On top of that it seems like dirt/dust is underneath all the trim. I believe the previous owner lived off a gravel/dirt road. It's the kind of dirt that doesn't wipe away the first time, and I don't want to ruin the dash/plastic/vinyl miscellany with harsh chemicals.

Insight is mostly aluminum so I need to double check cleaning methods to avoid. I've taken dish soap+bronze/plastic brushes to the back of the wheels (also aluminum)but sandpaper has been better. Haven't touched the front of the wheels with the sandpaper as it seems to have a gloss coat of some sort on it and would prefer to have its replacement on hand before removing it.

Ideas?

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[–] [email protected] 3 points 9 months ago* (last edited 9 months ago)

I've used ChrisFix's "Super Clean" series a couple times to very good effect, and recommend it to you. Don't know if it will answer all questions you presented here, but it's very thorough.

[–] Everythingispenguins 1 points 9 months ago

Okay so I would just drive it down to the local do it yourself car wash pop the hood and go to town. I have done this many times with both gas and diesel engines. The only problem was once getting water in the starter and it not starting till the starter dried out. Just don't get too much water on the exhaust manifold if it's hot and stay away from the fuse box.

I know it sounds scary but really the whole thing is designed for rain and splash. It will save you a world of headache both in time and clean up from the mess made by cleaning.

It might not get you to 100% but it will do most of it for you.

[–] Paragone 0 points 9 months ago (1 children)

Shopvac 1st, with a bag, to get all the infections stuff reduced.

That is the single most-important point.

Use a strong, not anemic, one, with a small nozzle, to concentrate the suction.

The safest method, after that, would be damp rags ( washing-soda or baking-soda solution to make the water a bit more alkaline & low-surface-tension ), perhaps on a reacher.

I learned of the damp-rags method from electricians, who were getting the dust/junk out from a building's transformers ( the power to the entire building had been killed, for the operation, which is required every few years ).

That way you have no risk of getting water/cleaning-solution into places where it'd do harm ( like electrical connectors, e.g. which can then kill some of your vehicle's systems )

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[–] [email protected] 1 points 9 months ago

This is largely the same advice you'd get from Chrisfix's videos. Can confirm, this works.