Safe Engine Degreaser around Oil Pan

**Swanicyouth** · 02-25-2017, 08:25 AM

X mechanic here.

Nothing works as well as Brake Kleen to clean oil off an engine. It is 100% safe if you use it correctly. I go through half a can every time I do an oil change on one of my vehicles to clean whatever is left dripping around the drain plug or oil filter.

Keep in mind, Brake Kleen is designed and safe to use on brake calipers - including the "rubber" boot that surrounds the caliper piston, any rubber on the slides, and brake hoses. Unfortunately, no water soluble chemical cleaner IME & IMHO will do much to do remove engine oil or grease - simply because oil/grease is not water soluble - unless you are manually able to scrub every leaking / wet / oily nook and cranny on the engine with a brush or a towel using the water soluble cleaner.

BK will not damage any engine parts and works like nothing else out there - simply for that fact that oil / grease IS soluble in the organic solvents in BK. It will not penetrate or damage seals or gaskets from external spraying.

I would do my best not to get it on any cosmetic areas, but believe it or not - it generally will not damage those. If you have some fancy crinkle finished valve covers or something - keep it away from that. Satin finish cosmetic engine plastics - keep it away from that. Oil pan area you are fine.... There are no cosmetic type finishes used on vehicles down there - unless you are driving a Bugatti or something.

Back in the day, when I was wrenching, we would go through sooo much Brake Kleen to clean up whatever - and never had an issue. We used it (along with another product not readily available to the general public) almost exclusively to clean oil leaks on engines, transmissions, etc...

So, I have a vehicle with a rear main seal leak as well - not fixing it for various reasons at this point. The best way to diag it is to completely clean the lower engine 100% with Brake Kleen so it`s surgically clean. If you have never used this product, simply put a drip pan or large cardboard under the engine and start generously spraying all the oiled up parts. No need to scrub or wipe - unless there is major build up. The Brake Kleen will dissolve the oil and just drip it off the engine. Buy 2 cans. Skip the "environmentally safe version" (it doesn`t work as well) if you can get the good/original stuff in your state

Now, here is the trick. First, wait till the Brake Kleen is dry before starting the vehicle. BK is very volatile and flammable. It`s will dry fairly quickly on its own. Second, once it`s 100% clean, start the car and just left it idle - do not drive it. You may have to let it idle for 20mins-30mins before it starts to leak.

If you drive it, your oil leak can blow all over - making it hard to see exactly where it comes from. After idling, turn off car and let it sit a while - car has still not been driven since cleaned.

Now, go under there and see where the oil is coming from. If it`s a tiny tiny leak - you may not see anything. You are probably trying to narrow it down between an oil pan and rear main seal. If it`s a RMS it will be wet where the trans meets the engine at the lowest point. If it`s an oil pan, it will be wet around the pan gasket.

If it`s a tiny tiny leak (doesn`t show up right away). Get yourself some luminescent oil dye and a black light. You can get the dye at Advance Auto & the black light flashlight at Walmart. The dye will make the leaky oil leak "glow" making it easier to see (at night or in a dark garage) with black light flashlight.

Then drive for about 20miles + and recheck with the black light flashlight in the dark.

Quite frankly, this is how most pros diag a tricky oil leak - or how we did it in my day.

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**Poorboy** · 02-25-2017, 10:57 AM

what he said ^^^^^ ( I personally don`t recommend flammable products but with the right precautions as written it will work easiest)

also check the valve covers .. I`m not sure if anyone mentioned it before