engine cleaning before rebuild?

Need some help on what to use to clean engine parts at home. Any suggestions would be great!

( im worried about leaving a residue behind or damaging internals.)

I;'ve used kerosene. Coleman camp stove fuel. Dont know if you get that in the US. I saw it recommended in a manual a long time ago. It will be interesting to see what others suggest.

We do have the Coleman juice here in the states...My Grandpa SWORE by that stuff! Always kept a gallon around for paint brush cleaning, degreasing, etc....It has apparently become popular with the "meth lab" crowd lately...been seeing those happy Silver cans being hauled out by cops in hazmat suits on the news...Dunno if that's the reason, but the stuff is stupid expensive anymore...It is, however, essentially "VM&P (varnish makers and painters) Naptha"....which is easy to find in the paint section, and much more reasonably priced...No smokee-smokee when using it though, you will go "boom" (or just burst into flames, run around, and scream a lot, LOL!) I've been using "simple Green" degreaser and assorted hand/rotary wire brushes, rotary polyester brushes...Do a forum search, there are lots of threads on this topic here

be careful using simple green on aluminum, If it is left on aluminum very long it will etch it. I would dilute it if using it on aluminum. I use diesel fuel to clean parts.

Thanx powerstroke, I must heve missed that in the threads! Didn't leave it on very long the one time I used it.... used early on in the clean up process...Since then, pretty much been brushing away at it, one DeWalt battery charge at a time, LOL! Thanx again!

Cleaning cases and parts is always a summer job for me. I use brake clean and a pressure washer to get most of the gunk off. Then I scrape gaskets.Then I turn the water heater up to max and run a sink full of steaming hot water in the basement and let them soak for about 3 hours with dawn dishwashing soap. Then back outside to the pressure washer. Ready to build my motors in the winter months when I have nothing better to do.

Varsol also works good at cutting the oil and grease, and followed by a good pressure wash.

I use gasoline and a stiff brush for the worst of it, then WD-40 and toothbrush and rag, plus lots of elbow grease. Once assemblies are taken apart, the pieces go into the soda blasting cabinet.