cleaning up my engine bay - Maintenance and Repair Forum

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cleaning up my engine bay
Friday, April 01, 2005 6:56 AM
Hey,

Is there any really good products to clean up my engine bay? What can i use to keep the airbox and other plactic stuff kinda shiney? what about engine shampoo?

Thanks!

Re: cleaning up my engine bay
Friday, April 01, 2005 8:41 AM
Simple Green is your friend. Spray it all over and let it sit for 10 min.... wash off with a hose till no more suds form. Repeat if needed... or you might have to get a rag and clean.



Re: cleaning up my engine bay
Friday, April 01, 2005 8:45 AM
I use this stuff from Gunk that's a foaming cleaner... works well, but you may have to scrub the really nasty stuff off. Just make sure your bay is cool when you decide to clean it or you'll get some nasty fumes.




The term 'stock' is COMPLETELY relative...
Re: cleaning up my engine bay
Friday, April 01, 2005 3:37 PM
hay CRJ, do you just strait hose down your engine? or do you cover anything? Ive thought about it, but thought water would get in the intake, or into some wires or the fuse box for that matter. how do you guys go about hosing down an engine?




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Re: cleaning up my engine bay
Friday, April 01, 2005 6:01 PM
I just go to the car wash and spray on thier degreeser and then follow with high pressure water. however this may not be legal in all states.




1979 Impala Sport Coupe Aeroback
Re: cleaning up my engine bay
Friday, April 01, 2005 6:17 PM
and you dont get water in the intake, or any problems?




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Re: cleaning up my engine bay
Friday, April 01, 2005 6:24 PM
no, but if you have bad wires you will no right away because she will miss real good. as far as the intake it is cover by the snorkal your not going to get any water in thier. I am a little carefull around the fuse block but thats realy all you have to look out for.




1979 Impala Sport Coupe Aeroback
Re: cleaning up my engine bay
Friday, April 01, 2005 6:29 PM
I just use the high pressure soap wash at the car wash, I have done this for 18+ years and never had a problem. The only thing you have to watch out for is if your car has a distributor (2.2's) and not spray directly at that, if it gets wet inside ,the car will not run until it dries out or you take the distributor cap off and dry it out. Another thing you can do is leave the car running while you do this to help avoid it, as well as covering the distributor with a plastic bag to help keep the water out.

Look at the pics of my engine bay on here and see what washing it as often as the outside does to keep it clean.
Re: cleaning up my engine bay
Friday, April 01, 2005 9:29 PM
I use the engine degreaser at the car wash, and it works really well. Hasn't caused me any problems.
Re: cleaning up my engine bay
Friday, April 01, 2005 9:48 PM
the guys at my job (volvo dealer) hose down the engine bay for every car with zero problems. however on some cars they remove the battery terminals, and wait 2 or 3 hours before they recconnect them. i was gonna do the same for my car.


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Re: cleaning up my engine bay
Saturday, April 02, 2005 2:19 PM
I put a plastic bag over my intake filter, then spray the simple green everywhere...let it sit for 10 min or so... then use the rain/mist settin on my hose thing a ma bob. Then i wipe EVERYTHING off i possibly can get my hands onto. I do not start the car up till everything has dried too. Sponges and paper towels are you friend.




Re: cleaning up my engine bay
Saturday, April 02, 2005 9:47 PM
Robbie wrote:Is there any really good products to clean up my engine bay? What can i use to keep the airbox and other plastic stuff kinda shiney

I use kerosene or WD-40 to clean the plastic and rubber items. Then apply some Armoral or similar product to give the rubber and plastic a shiny finish.


Re: cleaning up my engine bay
Saturday, April 02, 2005 9:53 PM
C R J ( The Drew Carey One ) wrote:I put a plastic bag over my intake filter, then spray the simple green everywhere...let it sit for 10 min or so... then use the rain/mist settin on my hose thing a ma bob. Then i wipe EVERYTHING off i possibly can get my hands onto. I do not start the car up till everything has dried too. Sponges and paper towels are you friend.


So starting it when its wet is bad idea?



Re: cleaning up my engine bay
Sunday, April 03, 2005 8:39 AM
O and should u cover the alternator?




Re: cleaning up my engine bay
Monday, April 04, 2005 12:58 PM
I used to work at a car dealership in the detailing dept. and we were always told never to use a high pressure spray when rinsing off the engine bay. Best way to rinse it off is use just a normal garden hose (or something with similar pressure) but a high pressure car wash spray probably isn't the best idea. All that does is force water into places it shouldn't be (Unless, of course, you don't concentrate the spray in one spot for any amount of time) Like Leatherz said, just watch it around the distributor / fuse boxes, etc.



Re: cleaning up my engine bay
Monday, April 04, 2005 5:40 PM
i used Simple Green i covered the intake and the alternater and this is how it came out[

befor
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after

Re: cleaning up my engine bay
Monday, April 04, 2005 5:42 PM



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Re: cleaning up my engine bay
Tuesday, March 28, 2006 8:05 AM
this is an old thread but didn't want to open a new one.

I have a 2005 sunfire, My engine really needs to be cleaned. What are the main parts I should coven in the engine before clening it? I've heard the alternator should be covered. Do I need to cover the computer that sits on the passenger side strut? and as you can see in the ecotec engines there is a little gap between the valve cover and the spart plugs. I should cover that right?





Re: cleaning up my engine bay
Tuesday, March 28, 2006 8:54 AM
Alternator should be covered and the intake. Possibly any electrical in the engine that was not there before. Then just spray the simple green on there. Personally i spray on the simple green on a warm engine NOT hot because the grease will easier to get off. Cold engine may require more work. If you can use warmwater which most cannot then you can do it on a cold engine.

Simple green is great product as well as good for the environment.


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