Cleaning the Undercarriage

Mosesatm · Mar 22, 2008

What's the best product to use to clean 40 years of dirt and grease from the underside of the car yet leaving the red oxide primer intact?

case12 · Mar 22, 2008

I would like to know this too. I have been using "Greased Lightning" and doing patches at a time. It works, but is a lot of elbow grease with a scrub brush for just a 8 inch by 8 inch section....its going to take me quite a long time....and for the small stuff I will need a really stiff toothbrush:undecided .....I guess 40 years is a lot of layers of dirt :icon_dead Casey

franklinair · Mar 22, 2008

Mineral spirits works well (if you can stand the smell). If you think that would be too harsh on the red oxide, a mild liquid detergent (dish washing type - like they say don't use to wash your car) diluted will work. Either way, it still takes a lot of elbow grease. The milder the cleaner, the more elbow grease required. It's a grunge job, but what a difference it makes.
My last belly cleaning job was with a rotisserie, using a blow torch to remove undercoating. But boy did it turn out sweet. The bottom of the car looked as good as the top!!

Neil

JGFRANCK · Mar 22, 2008

removing under coating

I used a small pan with some regular gas in it, line the floor with card board because it is a mess. I would rub an area and let it soak for a bit, then I would do the same thing again, in about ten minutes. You can do big sections at a time because you are always going back over them. It seems the gas softens up the under coating, and it was easy to get off, and did not hurt the original primer paint. It's good if you can do it in an open garage because of the smell. It's a dirty job but it looks great when your done.

rvrtrash · Mar 22, 2008

JGFRANCK said:
I used a small pan with some regular gas in it, line the floor with card board because it is a mess. I would rub an area and let it soak for a bit, then I would do the same thing again, in about ten minutes. You can do big sections at a time because you are always going back over them. It seems the gas softens up the under coating, and it was easy to get off, and did not hurt the original primer paint. It's good if you can do it in an open garage because of the smell. It's a dirty job but it looks great when your done.

It's just me I know, but I wouldn't use gas as a cleaner. Something about carcinagen, fire hazard, nasty explosions, stuff like that. I'm not real excited about mineral spirits either though. I put degreaser in a spray bottle and coat the underside, let it sit and then go over it with a "low pressure" pressure washer with the tip set to a moderate fan. I have a hoist which makes this possible but you could also probably do it by lifting one side of the car as high as you can and kneeling down.

Steve

Mosesatm · Mar 22, 2008

Would Gunk engine degreaser work or does it require a hot surface?

rvrtrash · Mar 22, 2008

Mosesatm said:
Would Gunk engine degreaser work or does it require a hot surface?

I use the gallon jug of concentrated stuff that Costco sells and then thin it with water as needed.

Steve

BroadwayBlue · Mar 22, 2008

I've read a few times on the Vintage Forums that Simple Green is a good cleaner to use as well. Haven't tried it myself yet.

rvrtrash · Mar 22, 2008

BroadwayBlue said:
I've read a few times on the Vintage Forums that Simple Green is a good cleaner to use as well. Haven't tried it myself yet.

I use that to get the grease out of my coveralls.

Steve

John McGilvary · Mar 22, 2008

I have good luck using WD-40.
Just spray it on, go drink a beer and the gunk comes right off. If that dosen't get most of it off I put mineral spirts on the bad spots and go have another beer while its working. Haven't tried the gas in a pan trick, seems a little dangerous to me.

" Be Carefull " . Keep it well ventilated and when you can't tell if your spraying or drinking it's time to quit.

John

68gt390 · Mar 24, 2008

John McGilvary said:
" Be Carefull " . Keep it well ventilated and when you can't tell if your spraying or drinking it's time to quit.

John

John;
So that's been my whole problem - sometimes I spray and drink at the same time. Sometimes can't even figure out which one comes first, the spraying or drinking.

Don :rofl: :rofl:

ahainline · Mar 24, 2008

68gt390 said:
John;
So that's been my whole problem - sometimes I spray and drink at the same time. Sometimes can't even figure out which one comes first, the spraying or drinking.

Don :rofl: :rofl:

lol
well if you are drinking the potent stuff then you might be able to use it for both lol

nfrntau · Mar 24, 2008

ahainline said:
lol
well if you are drinking the potent stuff then you might be able to use it for both lol

Wouldn't that be alcohol abuse??

Mosesatm · Mar 24, 2008

nfrntau said:
Wouldn't that be alcohol abuse??

I'll tell you what, my neighbors would string me up by the nearest Crape Myrtle if they knew I was cleaning the bottom of the car with alcohol!!:scared: :icon_pani

robert campbell · Mar 25, 2008

John,
You are a man after my own heart!! Drink a beer and wait... Drink another and wait some more. Soon you forget what you are waiting for.... Tomorrow is another day and it just soaked a bit longer....

Gunk is great but it is a bit tough on paint. I use simple green and it is great but not as effective as gunk.... More time to have a beer while it works its magic....

As Steve said earlier..... Gasoline...... KABOOM!!!

My brother burned down my Dad's garage and his Suzuki 150 in the 60's..... No more gas....

Rob

Cleaning the Undercarriage

Mosesatm

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case12

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