My $40 engine bay degreaser left a white crust on everything

I bought a can of that heavy-duty purple degreaser from the auto parts store to clean up a leaky valve cover gasket on my 2004 F-150. Sprayed it on, let it sit, rinsed with a hose - and now there's a chalky white film baked onto my intake manifold and alternator that won't come off with anything. Has anyone else dealt with this residue mess and found a way to remove it without damaging the plastic or wiring?

2 comments

2 Comments

lewis.diana1mo ago

Every time I run into that white crust problem, it reminds me how companies use ingredients that work great in one spot but fail in the next situation. Rinsing with diluted vinegar or a little baking soda paste usually cuts through that mineral buildup without wrecking anything plastic around it. It is a solid lesson that one product rarely does it all, just like how dish soap can't handle grease the same way a proper engine cleaner would.

thomas_young1mo ago

Actually @lewis.diana, dish soap can handle engine grease fine if you use it right.