cleaning spilt oil off engine block. what's best?

Recently got a van and it looks like the previous owner has spilled oil from the filler hole and it’s run down the side of the engine block and onto some pipework. It stinks when hot and you have the fresh air vents open / fan on etc. I have tried to wipe off what I can but it’s gone pretty low down and hard to reach. I had hoped it would burn off in a couple of weeks but hasn’t. Best stuff to try and spray on to get it off? Got some muc off, thought about that but might not be powerful enough. Bit worried about a jet wash and the closeby electrics obviously but I guess I could bag/tape them up. Top tips? Cheers

I remember Gunk and Jizer being used for this yonks ago. A quick google shows they still exist. Brush on, hose off, perhaps.

Jizer has worked well for me in the past..

Just go to Halfords / motor factors.. get some Gunk, large packet of baby wipes and rubber gloves.

If its spilt from the filler it should be burnt off anything hot thaat would cause it to smell by now.

If it hasnt gone by a couple of weeks then it has a source some where other than a spillage from the filler cap.

Yup, that, exactly. You don’t need to clean oil off if it’s burning off, because it’ll burn off. And if it doesn’t burn off it’s because it’s getting topped up.

But if you clean it off, you’ll see if there is more leaking.

Brake cleaner n a rag.

But as above it should just burn off

Steam clean.

Petrol.

Tomato soup is pretty good, absorbs the gunk and hydro carbons then just washed off, Heinz is best ‘cos of the high sugar content.

PS they also were used to clean oil spills off drives, if it turns out you have an ongoing leak.

If it hasnt gone by a couple of weeks then it has a source some where other than a spillage from the filler cap.

Or it’s been overfilled. (Possibly for a reason, to hide something?) Check the level perhaps.

Do you think tht overilled oil just spills out cougar ?

(Clue- it doesnt)

May not even be engine oil- check power steering fluid – brake fluid (both seriously stink on hot exhaust)

brake cleaner when the block is warm

Thanks, will get some stuff and give it a go later. I don’t think there’s a leak as no dripping on drive or signs of weeping, at least I hop no leak. It looks like someone has been over-eager filling it up and spilled it from the top. I think where it’s gone on some areas it doesn’t get quite hot enough to burn off but warm enough to start smelling. Just really difficult to access it low down,

swarfega oil and grease remover, no smell water washabale, doesnt burn your hands and works well, i use itr to clean the chain on my bike.

I drove about 150 miles on a motorway one time with the oil filler cap hanging by its strap. I’d not done it up tight, and it had blown off. There was oil everywhere. I doubt this is your problem, but it seems worth mentioning.

Got back from a long run last night and had a closer inspection this morning, annoyingly it’s not as I first suspected spilt oil from the filler cap area, just to the right is a black plastic thing and it’s from the base of that it’s weeping. I presume there’s a gasket under it which has gone. Will take off and have a look later, maybe trip to the garage if it looks too complicated to fix…

That’s on the inlet that shouldn’t have lots of oil in it. It will probably have some as all turbo engines do.

If that’s blowing oil I’d be looking further.