I've never had a problem with any of my engines when it comes to cleaning, but...

My Rover V8 is covered in years of crud and the heads and front cover are hunted up to the hilt!

Take them down the garage and use their steam cleaner, buy a second hand dishwasher, or buy a parts washer?

I think a steam clean would be the best but can't find anywhere local, my machine shop fella suggested the garage route...

How good are dishwashers at this sort of thing??

I've got the same job on. Zetec is going in "the bath" but the rv8 is alloy.

In the dishwasher alloy parts just go white and fury due to the salt. I will take mine to work and us the steam cleaner.

edit I may stick 50L of kero in the drum and give it a good soak first. Rig up a pump to keep spraying it.

[Edited on 27/5/15 by big_wasa]

Scrape off what you can then a pint of diesel and a stiff brush
If your really picky follow with some spray gunk and hose off
You'll need to use driveway gunk on the drive

Its the heads, front cover and rocker covers that are gunged up and need a clean up! Not bothered about the block at all ,I'll just use a wire brush on it..

I just use a normal pressure washer, never had an issue yet

Just remembered, I've got some brick acid. Is that any good?

We have always used jizer or gunk - any paraffin based product.
To follow on I bought a graded set of mule skinners from a bodywork bloke at the last of the Newark shows. They range from really aggressive flap disc down to a brillo pad as you'd use on the lathe. They are about 8' in diameter and when on an arbor on a 3 phase lathe you can polish all day and then go on to buff them with polishing compound and mops. If you can get all the crud off and are over this way on a Friday you are welcome to use them.
Atb
Mike

Mine was like that, put it in a big bucket with drain cleaner watered down so it covered it and left over night, it fizzed a bit and came out lovely and clean although a bit dull.

Full chemical attack, but then I have cleaned old copper radiators by swilling them with old battery acid as a kill or cure, also worked a treat

dont do it in the bath... Guess how i know... took weeks to clean properly

Hi Coozer,
You could try FTC Motorcycles at Coxhoe,they do Vapour blasting,it gives a finish like new but no hard abrasive.
Can also get to the parts that other methods can't reach .Or there was one in Shildon near Bishop Auckland but can't find the number

Hope that helps

Allan