# Best de greaser for an outboard



## scoobeb (Jun 27, 2014)

I have a really nice 1995 15hp 2stroke merc i just got from up north and it has never seen salt but has been neglected as far as cleaning it off.I want to get a powerful de greaser to clean the whole motor off including all electrical parts and painted areas.Is there a really good de greaser that will not hurt any part of a outboard including paint of electrical parts.It's just allot of grime and old grease like on the linkage and around allot of areas on the motor.

I'm going to get all the grime off and de grease the whole motor,wash it down as best as possible and then put new grease were it needs to be,change the lower unit oil,new plugs and spit shine it all up.

Any help on this would be awesome. i guess i just need a great all around product that won't hurt any part of this outboard.

I was thinking like simply green or some type of product like that,it needs a good wash down and re grease in the right areas.


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## scoobeb (Jun 27, 2014)

No help on this??????????


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## Charger25 (Jun 27, 2014)

You answered your own question. Simple Green thats what I use.


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## SumDumGuy (Jun 27, 2014)

best de-greaser I found lately is the old gas in this boat fuel tank. seems to clean up everything. I don't know how it will treat your motor though. If you use gas let us know how it workd out.


Otherwise, too would probably stick with something like Simple Green and elbow grease.


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## bulrid8 (Jun 27, 2014)

If you have oriely auto parts there, go buy a gallon of B52. Best degreaser there is. It is a concentrate, so you mix the strength you want.


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## earl60446 (Jun 27, 2014)

They use Dawn dish washing liquid on penguins after an oil spill. If its good enough for a penguin, it's good enough for your outboard, glad I could help.  My outboard is a greasy mess too but that's ok....
Tim


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## scoobeb (Jun 28, 2014)

I fig simple green was good to but i have read it's harsh on aluminum.


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## KMixson (Jun 28, 2014)

I like Super Clean myself. It is available in other names also including Luthers Pure Power, Purple Power, Purple Pirahna, and others. It is also biodegradable. I use it to clean all kinds of engines and parts where I work. I do make sure to rinse it well after cleaning. It is my go to cleaning solution.


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## Pappy (Jun 28, 2014)

The fastest is a product called "Spray 9"

https://www.amazon.com/s/?ie=UTF8&keywords=marine+spray+9&tag=googhydr-20&index=aps&hvadid=32567861958&hvpos=1t1&hvexid=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=7898027808173993048&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=b&hvdev=c&ref=pd_sl_2fzkcugdyc_b


Wicked fast but you have to be quick with a water hose afterward. 
We use it all the time.


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## lckstckn2smknbrls (Jun 28, 2014)

[url=https://www.tinboats.net/forum/viewtopic.php?p=357455#p357455 said:


> scoobeb » Sat Jun 28, 2014 12:46 am[/url]"]I fig simple green was good to but i have read it's harsh on aluminum.


I was reading a motorcycle forum and they are soaking aluminum carburetors and other aluminum parts in simple green.


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## Stumpalump (Jun 28, 2014)

Best degreaser know to man besides gasoline is oven cleaner. Don't leave it the paint too long. Another great degreaser and something everybody should have in the shop is Westlys Bleach White. It's white wall tire cleaner available everywhere. I use it on my white Johnson outboard. What a dumb color for an engine......


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## mgros483 (Jun 29, 2014)

Purple power works great, plus it's cheap and available at any walmart


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## PATRIOT (Jun 29, 2014)

One vote for industrial grade toilet bowl cleaner . . . strongest formula allowed by the EPA, coupled with your power washer.
Available at a Home Depot near you.
=D> =D> =D> =D> =D> =D> =D> =D> =D> =D>


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## Southern Appal (Jun 30, 2014)

409.


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## turbotodd (Jun 30, 2014)

Some degreasers that I know of that will sometimes damage paint and bare aluminum surfaces (especially if they're left on too long):

B52 
EZ-off
Purple Power and any of it's variants
zinsser
most any of the off brand oven cleaners


Usually outboards will have a small bit of oily residue on them, 2 stroke mostly, 4 strokes usually have dirt dobber nests and just overall dry stuff. 99% of the time, I'll pick a nice dry day and mix up 1/2 Dawn dish soap and 1/2 water, spray it on religiously, let it sit for about 20 minutes, spray it again, let it sit another 5 min or so, then power wash it off. If it's not really nasty, it cleans up nicely. 

Also Grez-off by Spray Nine works well. So does Liquid Performance ATV cleaner. 

I've used all of the above, and I use dawn more than any of them-it's dirt cheap and plentiful. Have also used greze-off and LP ATV cleaner with similar results but those two cost a little more obviously. 

Thing about outboards is that once you wash the powerhead area down real good, they really need to have the shift, throttle, and advance linkages re-lubricated before use as the cleaning usually removes most of the lube that was already on that stuff.


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## jethro (Jul 1, 2014)

None of you guys have worked on a farm I guess? I'm gonna go with the #1 answer, Bob- diesel fuel.


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## scoobeb (Jul 2, 2014)

Believe me once i de grease the whole outboard i'm going to re grease every milk and cranny that needs it such as the linkages,throttle areas and were it tilts up and down,the channel were it moves up and down is bone dry with no grease.For an almost 20yr old outboard it's in great shape.

Here is my plan:

1-cover all electronic parts and carb
2-spray the whole outboard down with water
3-spray a 50/50 dawn/water mix on the whole motor including the power head
4-clean every milk and cranny spotless from the top to the skeg
5-rinse off with a light mist spray of water
6-let it dry in the sun,fl is hot so it will dry in a few min
7-i'm going to hit the whole motor as i do all of them i have owned with walmarts super tech lube
8-re grease everything that's needed
9-replace plugs,lower unit oil(synthetic) with new drain plug and fill plug and maybe the thermostat and impeller,depending on how it runs and the water spits out,then fill my new gas tank with gas,some k100 stabilizer and some ring free from yamaha and 100%synthetic 2stroke oil since i have 6 gallons,i may as use it,i have replaced all gas hoses on the power head and the water pump line were it spits out water so far
10-put it on my new 1436 jon boat and have a blast tearing the fish up,lol

Down the road here i'm going to hit it with a bit of paint in spots,when the humidity lowers say in oct,i have painted a whole 15hp merc before so i have some experience with it.I screwed up so many times last time i must of painted it 6 times but darn it i got it right finally and it came out awesome.I had a cherry 15hp a while ago and sold it like a dummy.I plan on keeping this one for good unless i can find a nicer 25hp 2stroke merc.

PLEASE IF MISSED ANYTHING OR IF SOMETHING IS OUT OF ORDER OR WRONG,CORRECT ME,THANKS.


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## Snowshoe (Jul 2, 2014)

Birchwood Casey Gun Scrubber works great.


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## Y_J (Jul 3, 2014)

[url=https://www.tinboats.net/forum/viewtopic.php?p=358018#p358018 said:


> Snowshoe » July 2nd, 2014, 10:54 am[/url]"]Birchwood Casey Gun Scrubber works great.



This is what I used on my little ol' Gamefisher 3.5 HP when I went to cleaning it up. Worked pretty darn good in my humble opinion.


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## scoobeb (Jul 5, 2014)

I think i'm going to stick with dawn soap,it's safe on paint and works on nearly everything with no harsh chemicals.Thank you to everyone who has chimed in.


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