Cleaning cast aluminum? (gunk & corrosion)

i’ve been researching. Vinegar good. Vinegar bad. Dish detergent good. Dish detergent bad. Simple green good. Simple green bad. This cleaner good. This cleaner bad. Etc.
I don’t have a power washer, besides the intake cover has the electrical connector & knowing me i’ll spend obsessive “hours” taping it up & still get something in it.
It’s pretty gunky, so something store bought, industrial type, is ok if it will make my life easier. Preferably something I can get at an auto store.
I was going to paint it & the valve covers, however am good with a cleaner that shines & protects. This actually might be preferable for the intake cover especially since it is more gunked & painting would require that I got every nook & cranny, which of course I will try my best anyway. There is corrosion on all parts except for where the gunk has preserved.
Also curious if it is worth the risk trying to get at the crevices on the engine itself that I can only get to thoroughly with the covers off. Of course I would cover the valves, etc, the best I could.
Ok. Thoroughly explained & then some. Kristi style
Oh, & I did a search on here. Might have just used the incorrect wording. Maybe there’s already a sticky?

 

I'd check out WD-40 degreaser. I used it on my timing cover when i had to take it out. Works pretty good to clean things up, and my stuff was aluminum and i didnt have any issues
https://www.wd40.com/products/industrial_strength_degreaser/

 

Did it take care of corrosion? It could be a good start even if it didn’t.

 

I cant say for sure unfortunately as i am in Texas and mine didnt have much if any corrosion. Definitely would be a good start to get rid of the gunk though!

 

You won't hurt anything scrubbing with Dawn or Gain dish soap first, absolutely no worries there. Simple green in small quantities and then washed off is fine too, just don't let it dry on there. If you want it perfectly clean, take it off and soak it in Xylene.

 

do not use purple power that stuff will ruin aluminum. I have had pretty good luck with mineral spirits and a toothbrush.

 

It’s off. Knee? Neck? deep. Fuel injectors, valve & intake gaskets, hoses I couldn’t get at before.

 

Ha-ha! I just went & picked up a few random cleaners. Purple power was one. I did read on it to test the aluminum first. I was doing the deer stuck in the headlight thing, so I just grabbed it. Chances are though, that I would have steered away & ended up returning it.

 

Submerge and wait. Takes a little bit, can't leave anything on it but the aluminum, no rubber, no plastic, no electronics

 

Purple power turns aluminum to a fine powder

 

You have a Air Compressor ?

I use a High Speed wire wheels on a die grinder

Sometimes even Acid does not get things clean.