What do you use to clean the engine and bilge?

[Sundancer]

Dawn!! Great stuff and used to clean the beaches after oil slicks too!! I need to try that on in the bilge! Great idea!

 

[Skuza]

I would warn about spraying WD40 on the engine if your the type of person that does repairs and then touches up with spray paint. The oily residue will coat everything but it will be impossible to get paint to stick after that. I would maybe reccomend just keeping it really clean or spraying clear on the engine. I have seen some diesel engines in light duty trucks that look like they are sprayed with a clearcoat (wires and all) to protect against corrosion. WD40 just makes a big oily mess to me at least.

 

[wieltom]

My mech sprays everything metal and electric down with WD-40 and cleans the rest with simple green. Clean and shiny doesnt work with salty and corrosive.

 

[Pirate]

If you use Corrosion X or Boeshield T-9, it will make the WD-40 look almost as corrosive as saltwater.

 

[barryg]

Corrosion X is great to use...

 

[wreckless123]

My mech sprays everything metal and electric down with WD-40 and cleans the rest with simple green. Clean and shiny doesnt work with salty and corrosive.

Really not a good idea, I would question him on it..

 

[280 SeaRay]

My approach to a clean engine and bilge is to never get it dirty in the first place. I take extra time and effort to ensure nothing will spill when I change the oil, drop new oil in, change filters, etc. I resolve any leaking issues ASAP, this includes any water entering the bilge. If there are no spills, no leaks, and no water then there is very little to worry about. I do get a little dust from time to time and I simply wash the engines, genset and bilge with boat soap and water. A nice rinse with the hose and dry with micro fiber towels make for a nice looking engine room. When I had an oil leak when the boat was new (Merc over-torqued the valve cover gasket) I used simple green to clean it up. I collected the water from the bilge drain and had the city hazmat team pick it up. I use a small dedicated shop vac to remove the last of the water from the bilge that cannot be reached with a towel and won't drain out of the bilge drain.

 

[mrsrobinson]

Like the topic says, what do you use to clean the engine to have that shiny look and what do you use to clean the bilge?

Bottle of Joy, Dawn or any good dish washing detergent does a great job in the bilge.

 

[Bottom Line]

Anyone have recommendations for a type of long handled brush to reach tight areas? I have a hard time reaching the areas around the bilge pumps where the hoses cope out.

 

[MC1600]

Anyone have recommendations for a type of long handled brush to reach tight areas?

I picked-up one of those toilet bowl brushes that has the little bristle ball on the end from the dollar store. Worked for me so far!?!

 

[Asureyez]

I do not like dishwashing detergents in the bilge. They will foam endlessy and you can not leave the boat until the foam is disapated thus a million gals of water can be necessary to ger ride of a soapy bucket in the bilge.

Foam will also not lift the float switches. So to pump out you'll need to override the switch whe the final gets in the switch housing.