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That's how I would describe my engines, engine compartments, and bilge. Any suggestions on how best to rectify the situation? I'm thinking of renting a steam cleaner, or just sucking it up and going with dish soap or simple green and water.

Has anyone else faced something similar and come away with good results?

I did my bilge during a repower. Castrol purple, pwer washer and a brush. My bilge was pretty clean, no real oil or grease. I felt that a steam cleaner than a power wash would have done a better job than using a brush.

i agree tony a small pressure washer is the ticket with a bucket of garage floor cleaner (there are many) added to the suction side of pressure washer.

I just did my bilge, and used a putty knife for starters. Primordial ooze would be the description of the muck and grime I pulled out. Stank like dead dinosaurs. Very hot water and my pressure washer (5.5 hp 1500 psi) took it down to bare fiberglass that looked like you could eat off it. Did not use soap of any kind.

Cheers steve

I cleaned up my 454 gassers and engine compartments with the motors in the boat. I used wire brushes, putty knife, toothbrushes, q tips, etc. When it was all cleaned, I painted the bilge and then the motors. Tape off or wrap what you don't want painted (carb, etc) with tin foil. Lots of work, but worth it. I'll be doing my 8.2 Detroits soon. That'll be a real lot of work

Most grease can be thinned with oil, so you might want to start with Corrosion X. Let it soak overnight, then powerwash with a little Dawn, or some citrus based cleaner.

I do the boat once a year, from tip to toe, with my 120 psi Karcher and cold tap water.
All the boat; ceiling, all storage under beds, all inside keel, all engine room, under the diesel tank,all windows,doors, all galley, everything. I let it dry, I go over wood surfaces with a kitchen cloth right after the water, and everything is ready for next season. The boat is self wrung by the aft drain, and is slightly leaning aft for this purpose.
After the second year, all bilges are easy to clean.

Quigleymarinedetailing.com saw this on NJ Craigslist..

good suggestion mike i will go with citrus this year.

Zep Big Orange works miracles.

dug you know the story your boat is docked in a northeast marina .when you clean your bilge with a solution that leaves oil products residue a rainbows around dock area is a definite no-no. people go berserk in my marina.i guess Zep big orange combines with diesel residue in bilge and no tell tale rainbows.

I have a 5 gallon bucket with holes drilled in the sides all the way at the bottom, i put oil absorb towels in the bucket and place it under the drain. Its not perfect but it does manage to catch a lot

raybo marine my boat is on the hard so i will use your idea.i have a threaded garboard in the transom and the boat has been block in a nice bow proud position to drain rain water.

bob- to keep it from rolling away throw a couple bricks or broken cinder block in it, the oil absorbs really dont wick too much water even after a couple of months- like I said it keeps from getting that oily spot under the boat its better than nothing and still lets the boat drain freely .

Bob - if you wait to bilge out at night, you won't have any rainbows :-)

three years ago a boat stored for the winter developed a slight gas leak in tank ,the owner swore the tank was empty when stored and the spill on the ground out the garboard appear small.well we are require to report a one quart spill as a "major spill" if you don`t report and caught $25,000 immediate fine and if you do report hopefully the boat insurance will cover excavation and refill.EPA and coast guard appear and huge excavators along with 18 wheelers. they went down 15 feet in a 20' X 20' area all trucked to western Pennsylvania for less then a gallon of gas! SO the 1200 boats on the hard in three locations have a yard that inspects every boat for tell tale seepage coming out the garboard. on the water you will be cuffed and taken away. the "clean water act" means you have to hire a federal lawyer to defend yourself for a infraction at $350.00 dollars a hour. now let go back to the idea of citrus cleaner to combine with oil and catch with oil diaper.

Meanwhile in Louisiana, it just bubbles up out of the sand.....

mike ohlstein wrote:Meanwhile in Louisiana, it just bubbles up out of the sand.....

And, if you're lucky, it's your sand!!!

Navatech wrote:And, if you're lucky, it's your sand!!!

Come and listen to a story about a man named Jed
A poor mountaineer, barely kept his family fed,
And then one day he was shootin at some food,
And up through the ground came a bubblin crude.

Oil that is, black gold, Texas tea.

Well the first thing you know ol Jed's a millionaire,
Kinfolk said "Jed move away from there"
Said "Californy is the place you ought to be"
So they loaded up the truck and moved to Beverly

Hills, that is. Swimmin pools, movie stars.


Well now its time to say good bye to Jed and all his kin.
And they would like to thank you folks fer kindly droppin in.
You're all invited back a gain to this locality
To have a heapin helpin of their hospitality

Hillybilly that is. Set a spell, Take your shoes off.

Y'all come back now, y'hear?.

source: http://www.lyricsondemand.com/tvthemes/ ... yrics.html

:) :) :)

Tony Meola wrote:
Come and listen to a story about a man named Jed
A poor mountaineer, barely kept his family fed,
And then one day he was shootin at some food,
And up through the ground came a bubblin crude.

I absolutely LOVED that sitcom!!!

Thanks to everyone who pitched in! Looks like there really isn't a shortcut... lots of scrubbing and rinsing is in my future.

If you can dispose of the mess, a hot water pressure washer is hard to beat.