Sam's is your source for Hatteras and Cabo Yacht parts.

Enter a part description OR part number to search the Hatteras/Cabo parts catalog:

Email Sam's or call 1-800-678-9230 to order parts.

Clean engine rooms?

  • Thread starter Thread starter thoward
  • Start date Start date
  • Replies Replies 93
  • Views Views 20,492
I might add that I have found Starbrites Bilge Cleaner to work especially well (eats oil for lunch) and has a pleasant, even picante odor...As far as using diesel fuel, I once spilled a small amount in the ER while changing a fuel filter and man did it stink up the place... I agree with the opinions above and would not advise diesel... :D
David
 
I used Gunk HD Engine Cleaner and paper towels, followed by Spray 9 to take off the residue. It worked great but I imagine that the Gunk cleaner was basically just kerosene in a spray can.
 
Follow the money

Those orange/citrus cleaners work pretty well, but the cleaner with far and away the most chemical engineering money spent on it's developement is....................Tide.
That's right, Tide clothes washing detergent. Try it, it's an awsome degreaser, cheap as hell, biodegradeble, and doesn't smell up your boat.
It's April fresh!

It's non flammable, doesn't attack most paint, and doesn't seem to spread the crud around as much as the citrus based stuff. If you collect it for proper disposal, you can just pour it down a sewer, as it's not a solvent, but rather a surfactant.
And....... you already have some, you don't have to make the trip to pay extra at Homeless Depot.
 
Tide liquid or powder? With or without bleach? or colorguard?
 
I have 6-71 Detroit's and they don't leak a drop. I make the mess when I change the oil filter. The filters lay on there side under the intake. What a stupid design. I plan to relocate the filters this winter. I use Mean Green. Not simple green. I also use the absorbent towels cut up into small squares. I can get the oil out by the engines, but I can't get the oil that the previous owner spread through the boat. I tried the orange crap and it didn't do much. I have managed to get the oil film off, but the thick sludge is a Bear. I have a small electric 1500 psi power washer I'm going to try an use when I'm on the hard this fall. I don't dig that scraping crap.


BILL
 
The pressure washer will spread it around if you use it. be carefull. Scraping sucks but it works.
 
I agree, the pressure washer will be a big mistake, like trying to clean your garage with a leaf blower, the dirt will be splattered EVERYWHERE!
Emulsify the grease one area at a time with Tide powder mixed with water, vacuum it out, and pour it down a shoreside tiolet. Repeat on the next area.
 
Just a note on surfactants, do not get caught pumping out a surfactant that is holding oil.....Coasties tend to frown on this. My understanding is it pulls it to the bottom where it can not evaporate. Same effect when you spray soapy water on a oil sheen.
 
Both of my motors were BLOWN when we bought the boat. The seller had just done "The Loop" and was way too big and old to worry about checking things like oil or any other fluid.
He had to pay for complete overhauls but there was over 2" of diesel and oil in the bilge. I STILL don't have it completely cleaned. Will again attack it this fall (when it cools down a bit).
Maybe I just need to buy a gal of everything that's been listed, cartons of paper towels and pads along with brushes and then hire some small strong back teenagers who can fit into the engine room of the boat. :rolleyes:
 
Hire a contortionist wearing a really absorbent white sweater to crawl around the engine room for a while.
 
I would think long and hard about using a steam cleaner or pressure washer to clean an engine room....better to tackle it area by area using the methods above, which won't blow it all over. Don't try to do it all in one session..spread it out over a few days and it will come out better.
 
One of the best things you can have in your engine room(s) is a spare milk crate. Relax with a cold one, sit on your "throne" and clean something in comfort like a gentleman. Having a decent radio or stereo in the ER helps. I have a grundig world radio in there and can listen to whatever band I want, but I have a fixed mount stereo in my future.
I really like the engine room on my boat, that's the feature that sold me as much as any other. I'm 6'2", my ER has 6'6" of headroom, and I can WALK (not crawl) around all four sides of my 12v71's. Crawl space engine rooms suck, I've had my share and I'll never have another.
Forward of the engine room (in the pump room) I have two Crafstman top boxes full tools bolted to the deck, a small bench, a bench grinder, bench vice, and lots of parts storage bins. Life is good, I live in gearhead heaven.
 
Dave, do you still have your washing machine and/or chest freezer? I just added 2 plastic 6 drawer cabinets and I am loosing room fast. I am going to add a large set of mini bins for screws, electrical terminals, and fuses. I just love spare parts but have a hard time storing everything where I can get it without digging. Speaking of washing machines, any ideas on how to get that monster out? My pump motor went out and there is lots of rust so I would rather replace it but it is wider than the doors.
 
Yeah, I have both the washer/dryer and the freezer. My washer/dryer works fine, I have my fingers crossed on that one. My freezer is an upright just to starboard of the companionway against the ER bulkhead, with shelves/tools/inverter/more shelves behind it. To port, I have shleves and bins against the aft bulkhead. My canvas guy sugggested he sew lines of vertical hanging pockets to cover some of the open bulkhead space left over, and these work great for those things that want to roll around (pens, paper, radio, flashlights, crash bungs, voltmeter, all that junk) that you don't want to jam in a corner somewhere, but want to have easy to grab. The pockets are sewn out of white "window screen shade" material, whetever it's really called, but the neat thing is I can see through it to find things.
 
The washer/dryer and freezer come out through the galley floor, look in the overhead of the pump room, there's a soft patch.
 
I have been playing with biodiesel, what a great solivent and no fumes. Plus the residue breaks down with soap and "is" bio-degrageable. Most of the boys around here have switched to biodiesel for their parts cleaners instead of having to pay for the safety clean crap. The best part is the price $3.00 a gallon. It really breaks down the sludge with no scrubbing. Just pour it on and let it sit, go drink a beer (two, or three) come back and vacuum it out.
 
Now that bio-diesel sounds like it may be something for Me to look at. But I don't like using any flammable cleaners in my bilge. I think I will try the Tide trick first. That kneeling down on my OLD knees and getting bloody knuckles while having a brandy and listing to good tunes, just kind of spoils the moment. It would be easier to low pressure wash and then vacuum. Than try to scrape and wipe in every nook and cranny. Once I get the crap loosened up. I think I can just vacuum and wipe. I can put down Lots of plastic painter sheets. I only need to do it once. I hope.



BILL
 
I guess if you've got a huge one-time really tough cleaning job ahead of you, it might make sense to call in a pro. Somebody posted about pros that come in with steamers and all kinds of specialty tools that can reach things the average Joe-Hatt-maintainer just can't reach. I guess it might be worthwhile if the bilge has really been abused in a couple of previous lives.
 
Dave I must have a smaller engine room than you do. I'm 6 ft. and there is no way I can walk around the outboard sides of my !2-71s. I can walk down the center but I have to stoop way over on the outboard sides. Also I wish I had had as much room as you do in the utility room. It sounds like you have everything I do plus a complete workshop. I can't fit anything else in there and be able to secure everything for rough weather.
 
Ross, I have to bend over to walk around the outboard sides of the mains just like you do, but I don't have to crawl, that's the big point.
You have a huge inverer battery bank and your watermaker setup in your pump room, I don't. That makes a big difference. I have storage bins, a tiny bench and tool boxes in the same space.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Forum statistics

Threads
38,156
Messages
448,741
Members
12,482
Latest member
UnaVida

Latest Posts

Trending content

Back
Top Bottom