Anderzander Posted June 15, 2015 Share Posted June 15, 2015 I want to clean off and degrease the gearbox and transfer box in situ on my 90 (prior to swapping the transfer box for a 1.2) - what would anyone recommend to use ? I tried some of that Muc Off, which is an eco friendly degreaser sold for motorbikes - I soaked it and jet washed it off - but it wasn't strong enough to make much of an impression. My dad used to use Gunk - but I'd heard that wasn't the product it once was ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maverik Posted June 15, 2015 Share Posted June 15, 2015 I still have a lot of success with Gunk. Something I've been using a fair bit just recently too is Brake disc cleaner, its pretty volatile stuff and will strip some of the dirtiest oil very quickly, the downside is its not cheap... its the old "time/price" trade off... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pete3000 Posted June 15, 2015 Share Posted June 15, 2015 aldi bio washing powder, wet the part/s then sprinkle a bit on agitate with a brush, leave for 5 mins then hosepipe off. works well on the drive as well to get rid of oil slicks 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DavidW Posted June 15, 2015 Share Posted June 15, 2015 I've been doing things like this lately and am finding the 5 litre can of brake cleaner the winner. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JeffR Posted June 15, 2015 Share Posted June 15, 2015 Most brake cleaner is isopropyl alcohol, buy it from your local friendly chemical suppliers, it's much cheaper that way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mickeyw Posted June 15, 2015 Share Posted June 15, 2015 My current favoured product is Comma Hyperclean. It can be sprayed or brushed on, agitated if the deposits are heavy, and left to soak. It then washes off with water/jetwash for pretty good results. Brake cleaner is great for cleaning parts prior to painting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anderzander Posted June 15, 2015 Author Share Posted June 15, 2015 Thanks everyone - I use brake cleaner quite a bit, but mainly as a final clean on parts that I've already had a go at with diesel. I tried a bit on the boxes too - problem was that with it being applied upside down it seemed to be running off rather than soaking in - I think it'd cost me a fortune ! I'll check out the soap powder, gunk, and comma stuff. Something that's a bit thick that I could work in and then jet wash off would be the ideal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anderzander Posted June 15, 2015 Author Share Posted June 15, 2015 Ps - I thought the active ingredient in brake cleaner was toluene ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tanuki Posted June 15, 2015 Share Posted June 15, 2015 The stuff I always use is "Jizer" - basically a Gunk-clone. Spray it on, levbe for 10 minutes, work a brush into the nastiest bits [like the reinforcing ribs on the sides of gerabox/transfer-box] then jet-wash off. Don't do this on a tarmac drive, as the Jizer strips the tar off it, leaving you with localised patches of unbonded gravel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maverik Posted June 15, 2015 Share Posted June 15, 2015 Oh how could I forget Jizer.....!!! I get cans of that just because the name makes me giggle like a school kid each time I see it... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GW8IZR Posted June 15, 2015 Share Posted June 15, 2015 Soap, brush and time - then a steamer if you can borrow one. Brake cleaner in aerosol is good but very expensive, I buy it in big cans and use a spray can. My current can works but it tends to evaporate if I leave stuff in it so I fill the sprayer then Save any extra in a old can, thus keeping the new stuff clean. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JeffR Posted June 15, 2015 Share Posted June 15, 2015 Ps - I thought the active ingredient in brake cleaner was toluene ? Most that I've bought in aerosols have had the major constituent as isopropyl, along with other odds n sods. Isopropyl smells very different from toluene - xylene would probably work too. Now, I really miss good old fashioned 111 trichloroethane (Genclean as it was), now that stuff worked! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cackshifter Posted June 15, 2015 Share Posted June 15, 2015 Get the worst off with paraffin and a stiff brush & scraper, let it soak in & drop into a tin or onto some old newspaper or cardboard that you can just bin. A squirty bottle that once contained window cleaner or similar is good to dispense the paraffin. Then get in there with the Jizer/Gunk/whatever. O|therwise you need tons of it. And it WILL run up your sleeve so don't wear any special clothes Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duncmc Posted June 15, 2015 Share Posted June 15, 2015 When I cleaned the gearbox on my last 90, I took the transmission tunnel out, and cleaned it from above. Access was better then too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eightpot Posted June 15, 2015 Share Posted June 15, 2015 There's a very good product by a company called Astonish - they do a range of various spray bottle cleaners, all of them excellent. Only a quid for a spray bottle which is usually enough for an engine bay & gearbox. The engine degreaser works a treat, makes oil water soluble so spray on, work in with a brush, hose off. Doesn't smell or leave a slick, residue can be hosed down the drain. Used to sell it in the discount stores, but you can buy on line too. It's the only thing I use in the workshop now, I buy it by the case. It's also bloody good for getting lichen off landy roofs! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eightpot Posted June 15, 2015 Share Posted June 15, 2015 There's a very good product by a company called Astonish - they do a range of various spray bottle cleaners, all of them excellent. Only a quid for a spray bottle which is usually enough for an engine bay & gearbox. The engine degreaser works a treat, makes oil water soluble so spray on, work in with a brush, hose off. Doesn't smell or leave a slick, residue can be hosed down the drain. Used to sell it in the discount stores, but you can buy on line too. It's the only thing I use in the workshop now, I buy it by the case. It's also bloody good for getting lichen off landy roofs! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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