How to clean engine bay properly
 

Ive never cleaned my engine since i bought the car a year ago... :rolleyes: But i was just wondering if its actually safe to use a pressure washer at a car wash? And that engine cleaner setting; just use that then let it sit and spray it off? And one youtube video said do it with your car running but not if its too hot? And what should i cover up to be safe? I just dont wanna ruin anything... Thanks =)

take ur time

Pressure washer and detergent will not harm the motor, just take your time and use the fan nozzle with a sweeping motion, while not deluging electrical components. I do this every spring as well as the rest of the car. That salt and brine pre-treater they use on the roads does nasty stuff to under carraiges and the body.

You could also do it with Simple Green and a garden hose......

take your time like said above.....simple solutions and pressure washing is not the answer.

Paper towels,sponge, windex,q tips(if your ocd like me) microfiber cloth and patience.

my bay as it sits now. you can eat off it :lol:

http://i245.photobucket.com/albums/g...o/DSC00999.jpg

Pretty nice engine bay going there. ;)

My polishing and painting mine. I'll upload some pics when finished for ya to see :D

Show me your ways... :-D

thanks! and yea post up man!

in time young grass hopper.

I do mine pretty much the same way every spring and mid summer. Detailing spray, rags, q-tips, and whatever works to get the grime out of the engine bay.

I live in Alabama. No need in cleaning it

I just spray mine down with degreaser or GM engine shampoo, then pressure wash the piss out of it (I put a bag over my GMPP filter obviously though haha) then I just use compressed air on everything and make sure its all dry (connectors mostly), then I spray some Meguiar's Vinyl and Rubber Cleaner/Conditioner on the plastics then I just wipe the shiny stuff...

Cover the very important electrical components such as Alternator and Fuse Boxes, using a general purpose cleaner diluted with water poured into a spray bottle and utilizing a paint brush, clean the hard to reach areas, let the product sit for a few minutes. Spray the engine thoroughly with a garden hose. A high pressure spray works best. Repeat on any areas needing a more thorough cleaning, if you have an air compressor, air dry the engine compartment and finally wipe away any water residue.

After that you can utilize a product like this Turbo Wax :: Leather, Vinyl and Rubber :: Turbo Wax Leather, Vinyl, and Rubber Protectant (16 oz) to dress the engine compartment.

Engine Bay AS Found

http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g24/TurboWax/090.jpg

Engine Bay Detailed using Turbo Wax LVR

http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g24/TurboWax/253.jpg

^- /thread!

This.

Good Products!

Give me some turbo wax products for free and then Ill clean the shit out of my bay and take pics. Let everyone know how it works:)

So some of the car wash places around me have an "engine spray" are those not recommended? I've see a couple guys spraying their trucks with just your standard, car wash hose, I'm assuming using that engine cleaning option.

Engine Brite Foaming cleaner.
Water.
Time.

Equals this:

http://a1.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphot..._2105843_n.jpg

this is how i do it. every spring and mid summer.
detailing spray, and i use those blue shop paper towels you get at auto zone or wherever. not anal enough to use the qtips to clean unless its for a car show or whatever.

Well I had my girlfriend's dad power wash my engine and that resulted in my traction control light to turn on. It's been a week and it turns on and off. It's off in the morning then after driving for a bit the Damn thing turns back on. Anyone by chance know what this is before i take it in?

Routine maintenance is the best way, but initially, lots of brakeclean, toothbrushes/wirebrushes/simplegreen/powerwashing.

Taking a toothbrush to all of the wire looms makes a big difference.

Anything that's too far gone - remove it to clean it better or paint it! Things like the motor mount and valve cover go a long way for making the whole bay look fresh.

From there, spend a few minutes after every wash going over everything with an old wet rag, brush, and some more light solvents if needed!

AND HAVE FUN.