degreasing engine &frame

[609albert]

sons just got a mack CF pumper ,needs a good cleaning on engine and undercarriage ,just concerned about water run-off from degreasing cause of their well is near by, is steam cleaning a better way to go and taking to a shop that does that,anything special to seal up on the diesel engine to prevent trouble?

[eddeere]

I rented a hot water pressure washer. The water was about 200 degrees and 3000 PSI. Did it over a gravel driveway. Did a good job but took two days.

[BOB DINGSDALE]

spray on OVEN CLEANER works good and garden hose to wash off if doing it in small amounts.

[fxfymn]

I put a big sheet of cardboard under mine when I cleaned it. It gets wet, etc. ,but if you leave it to dry it will catch most of the grease.

[eddeere]

Paint stripper works but like oven cleaner will remove some of the paint. The pressure washer was 300 PSI not 3000. I used a cheap plastic tarp then thru it away.

[thomastractorsvc]

I have had pretty good luck using dawn or the purple power. Tough grease and dirt gets a shot of brake clean and wire brush or putty knife, like ed said it will take a while. I have not had any problems with water infiltration but I don't try and spray it directly into the air breather or oil filler. The engine is pretty sealed up unless you are missing or removed something from it.

If you use hot water it takes less detergent because it will help melt the grease loose vs blowing it off. I have a 2800 psi washer and do it on the concrete pad in front of the shop, I then pressure wash the debris into a row and clean it up and soap it down with dawn and let it dry so there is no oily residue.

Also the soaps I mention are bio-degradable and safe, in fact they use dawn on oil spill clean up.

[MACKS]

Power wash is the way to go,I tried steam and it seamed to just bake the grease on even worse than it was'

[burnin oil]

sons just got a mack CF pumper ,needs a good cleaning on engine and undercarriage ,just concerned about water run-off from degreasing cause of their well is near by, is steam cleaning a better way to go and taking to a shop that does that,anything special to seal up on the diesel engine to prevent trouble?

You definatly need to be careful. When I first got the L model I regreased the hubs. After pulling them and cleaning out 30lbs of old grease they got power washed. About 2 weeks later dad said there was some oil in the houses water filter. It is amazing how far that stuff can move under ground.