Cleaning under the hood

[kailor]

What precautions should be taken when spray washing the engine? What is the best way to clean the engine?

 

[pronstar]

Don't get anything electrical wet, especially the COPs if you have a 5.4

I recommend wiping things down with towels & diluted simple green. It's a bear the first time you do it, but once it's clean it's easy to maintain it by wiping it clean every week.

 

[Guest]

I use a spray product used "GUNK" any auto parts store carrys it. Spray it on at the car wash with the spray wands, use low pressure and rinse it clean

 

[toocivil]

If your going to clean your engine simple green works really well. One benifit is it does not have the fuel smell that gunk is known to have. There are off brand versions of the simple green that work well also. Try not to get the electrical stuff wet. Spray the simple green on the engine and let it soak a while. Then rinse down the engine, with low pressure water. A shower type sprayer works well. Let the engine air dry a little and then wipe up any excess water.

 

[kailor]

Question...

Should the engine be hot or cold?

 

[pronstar]

Re: Question...

Originally posted by kailor
Should the engine be hot or cold?

Cold, or moderately warm.
But not hot.

Hot metal + cool water = bad

 

[Blkexpo71]

When I was in the Air Force we ran some tests on cleaners and it was discovered that Simple Green was corrosive. Use spareingly and make sure you completely remove excess simple green.

 

[chuck s]

Simple Green will eat aluminum. Don't use on anything you care about. Gotta be lots of aluminum under the hood.

-- Chuck

 

[pronstar]

Originally posted by chuck s
Simple Green will eat aluminum. Don't use on anything you care about. Gotta be lots of aluminum under the hood.

-- Chuck

Yikes...I hadn't heard that.
I dilute it to about 1 part SG, 3 parts water.
I'm gonna keep an eye on it.

 

[wittom]

I have read countless times of people who had issues after washing the engine bay. I think that water can get in the spark plug wells and create different issues.

Being that I've read several times, for several years, that people have had problems after washing the engine I think the general consensus is that it's not a good idea.

Maybe steam cleaning?

There you have my $.02.

 

[davrober]

cover the electrics with baggies and connectors with aluminum foil. Use a medium paint brush to brush off surface dirt and dust . Use rags and spray a citrus cleaner on the rag and wipe greese of surfaces . Use the toothbrush to cleans crevaces and tight areas. After this use a wet towel thatrs been really rung out and wipe everything down . Take a compressor or a shop vac that can blow out and blow any dust or debris out the compartment. I removed the engine cover and air intakes parts and cleaned them seperate. I would not spray water or steam and emgine in this day and age witht the electronic. It took 2 hours but the engine and compartment came out really nice .Looks like a different engine.

 

[johnnystar]

If you use something thats powerful enough to cut through grease you are taking the risk of a) disposing of grease on parts that may need it, for lubrication. b) causing damage to your aluminum, or plastic housings. You are more likely to do damage to the plastic tho' IE: Castrol Superclean or Simple Green will eat it, if left on for a longer period of time, or c) both the above.

The Magic Orange stuff is a little less punishing as its more natural ingredients, But regardless, any cleaner should be diluted, and only applied in small amounts. So spray down a component with the cleaner then rinse, proceed to the next peice and so on. Hand polish and clean by hand as much as possible.


Pressure washing or Steam cleaning can also cause damage, as there is too much pressure on the engine. Any chips in finish or chrome can by exponetially damaged.