I recently noticed a lot of oil being flung around the engine compartment of my '95 850 turbo and I think I found the culprit--that damned oil cap gasket. I finally had the chance to replace it this morning (the old gasket was so crapped out, it actually fell apart when I removed it) but I'm still left with a pretty unsightly engine bay. There's oil residue all over the cam cover, parts of the engine block and this thick yellow film of oil (looks like a layer of varnish) on certain plastic components like the air filter box. Anyone know what I should do and what can I use to get rid of the oil stains? I've heard engine degreaser isn't the solution because you have to use water to spray all that guck off and that might end up fouling the sparkplugs.

Any info./experiences would be much appreciated, thanks.

Sometimes you must bite the bullet and hose the motor off. I have used simple green and HOT water for cleaning my 854 Turbo a few times now. I soaked the (COOL) motor and engine bay down with UN-diluted simple green, allow to sit for as long as possible. I generally go for 1/2 hr on a warm day. If you feel ambitious, take a sponge and wipe down everything you can. Rinse with water. Once done, remove cover over spark plugs and loose the water. (I use compressed air and towels.) I usually dry as much as possible by hand and then I drive for a while to loose the rest of the moisture.

Just keep in mind when you hose down the motor to not focus high-pressure water onto anything that could leak. I generally use a garden hose attached to my hot water heater for the hot water. The pressure is not all that high, and the heat really gets the nasties away quickly. Also, the simple green does not make the car smell like a chemical plant when done and is nicer to the environment than petro-based motor cleaners.

In your case, I would clean the car ASAP! The oil could start a fire and undoubtedly attracts dirt.

Have fun!

Prospero

Hey, thanks for the response. I assume "Simple Green" is a cleaner or oil remover of some sorts and is available at most auto-parts store? Or is it hard to find? Also, do you know if it's safe on plastic parts?

Thanks again.

Derspi,

as Prospero wrote below, it is a very safe chemical. It is also called "all-purpose cleaner" it is more of a soapy consistence and it definitely feels that way if you get it o your hands (soapy)...it is essential that the engine is at the most warm (not hot) and you can use a high pressure hose just avoid spraying directly onto the cover that covers the plugs and where the wires lead to the starter motor. If you have to spray there make sure that you use a low pressure setting and keep the spray there for a second or so.

We pressure wash most of our customers' cars when we wash them and they all appreciate getting a clean car inside and out and if you follow these instructions you will not get an engine that will not start unless it is dry.

Yannis

Simple Green is a non-toxic, water based cleaner. This stuff is so safe that according to the MSDS, lab rats were submerged in it for 24 hrs with no ill-affect. I have been using simple green on pretty much every cleaning project with stunning results. You can get it at most super markets, Wal-Mart, K-Mart, Home Depot, ... This stuff is everywhere! It is 100% bio-degradeable, non-flamiable, CFC and VOC free. Oh, yeah, and it works well too. :>) It is used for cleaning everything from home use to heavy industrial. Just keep in mind that it is thermal reactive. The hotter the water, the better it works on heavy grease and nasties. Give it a shot, it impressed me!

Prospero

So to get the oil residue & varnish off my engine block, just spray some of this stuff on 100% and let it sit for a while before spraying off? I'm still kinda worried about the sparkplugs but you're right, I should try drying off that area under the cam cover and hope for the best.

You have the right idea, go for it!

Prospero