Engine Bay cleaning?

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JExpedition07

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So after Andy made me feel guilty for changing my belt without doing the tensioner a few weeks back i ordered a new Ford Tensioner and put it on...... well i noticed how nice and silver the new tensioner was and realized my engines lookin kind of dingy.... specifically up top on the valve covers.... so my question is, what’s a good product to wash down the valve covers and aluminum parts with that will take off that white crud? I’d like to clean up the top end, i already cleaned all the plastic parts and they look great next to the corroded aluminum surfaces. Any engine with an aluminum head gets this over time obviously, at one time my motor would have looked like this lol:
04522E35-1DB2-4099-8513-19F1D2CE896D.jpeg
 
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JExpedition07

JExpedition07

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Well i ended up using Dawn Dish soap and a free tooth brush the vet gave me for my dog a while back, everything looks pretty damn good now. All the white crud came right off.
 

Adieu

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Dont hose down the 5.4 triton.

Getting water in there with the hood up is not a good idea.
 

rjdelp7

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I used a scrub brush with long bristles and soapy water. I was careful around coil packs, alternator and wiring. I then wiped it down with some old t-shirts(no hose rinse). I let it dry for a day(drove other car). It wasn't showroom clean, but 85% better.
 

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Hey are you ABSOLUTELY sure you killed your tranny, and didn't just get water into a spark plug well or injector???

Shake n surge after cleaning an engine bay (or spilling fluids over the block) kinda sounds familiar

And most shops are easily dishonest enough to try to sell upsell anyone who with 150+k and worried about tranny issues
 
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JExpedition07

JExpedition07

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It’s been a looooooooooonnnnnnnggggg day and a looooonnnggg story. They replaced COP, Plug, fluid flush and the truck is fine. I had posted the whole story and realized how ridiculously long it was. i killed a COP.
 
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Yup washing it or leaking/spilling coolant can do that

CLEAN ENGINE BAY WITH WIPES OR COMPRESSED AIR FOLKS.

No water. And clean up any spills asap.
 

deweysmith

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Mmmmmeh! I did something stupid when changing my coolant and ended up with coolant and chemical flush all over my face, hood, garage door, and engine.

I hosed it down lightly while it was running (and a bit later while it wasn't) and everything was fine.
 
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