Cleaning the Engine Compartment

[denpooch]

Hey folks. I would like to know how you go about degreasing and cleaning your engine compartment. She is looking a bit grungy. Thanks for your comments.

[mjk1040]

Dawn dish soap works well. And there are bilge cleaners with fresh odor smell out there too! You want something biodegradable so you can pump it overboard. Do a google search for bilge cleaners.

[Viper]

There's a variety of cleaners out there. I wouldn't worry too much about picking a biodegradable one though as it's likely there's nothing biodegradable about the stuff already in your bilge so it should be disposed of properly anyway. Just remember though that you're working with the cleaner in a confined space and anything really harsh can be a health concern. Before you get started, ask the marina if they have a collection tank for such waste, a lot of them do. Then vacuum up what you clean and dispose of it there.

If you're talking about the bilge and you have heavy caked on stuff, I've found regular mechanic's hand cleaner with pumas does an excellent job of cleaning and breaking through thick gunk, and the boat will smell like oranges! Do a little area at a time, rinse with a hose, then vacuum. Don't wait too long to vacuum or the bilge pump will pump it overboard which can be a red flag to others if it results in an oil slick. Have a few empty 5 gallon pails to dump the vacuum contents. A few different lengths of brushes and some scouring pads really helps get into hard to reach spots. Oh, and a case of bear helps too.

[denpooch]

Thanks. You guys don't do anything with the engines themselves...correct?
I did read in the crusader manual that they should be coated with WD40 periodically.

[mjk1040]

I never saw that in the manual, but since you are in salt water it may not be a bad idea. But then you may get some smell when the hot areas warm up the WD-40?