Engine Wash/Clean

bluehash

Adventurer
I make sure my engine bay is usually clean, although many don't care.
Anyway, I traveled over 900 miles this long weekend and my bay is muddy from backsplash.

I know the battery, alternator and air intake are important parts that need to be covered up. Has anyone degreased their engines before? Any recommendations? Tips.

Any help is appreciated. Thanks!
 

1stDeuce

Explorer
Unless you're driving an OLD Ford, or using a pressure washer with like 10,000 psi or steam, just wash it. You won't hurt ANYTHING under the hood, and it'll start and drive off no problem. (What do you think happens when you drive through a hard rain?) :)

Actually, I'd suggest not putting the wand right up close to anything, but rinsing any mud out of the alternator would actually help it's life! Same with rinsing the crud off your battery, and from around it. Nothing built since 1985 has an intake you can even spray water into. If you have an open element filter, just don't spray it directly.

I normally spray everything with a light degreaser like Purple Power or Simple Green, let it sit for a minute or so, and then rinse it off. Even just using the soap setting on the engine first, and then coming back and rinsing before you drop the hood and finish rinsing the outside will work wonders, and your engine and underhood will thank you!!

While you're in there, don't forget to do your best to spray out the radiator! It tends to accumulate that same dirt buildup over time, and is the leading reason for a lot of vehicles overheating after splashing through puddles like a TV commercial! If you have A/C, spray out the condenser from the front, and the radiator from the back with low pressure. (Don't want to bend the fins shut, and they bend pretty easy!)
Chris
 

Presto88

Adventurer
I regularly wash the engine compartments of all my vehicles. I never scrub or degrease, just regular washings at the car wash. I would say that most times I don't even bother with the soap cycle, instead I just hit it with rinse water as I am rinsing the rest of the car.

I mostly agree with 1D above - these aren't your daddy's Fords and you don't have to wrap anything in foil to keep the water out! But I do make a conscious effort to avoid directly spraying the brake and clutch reservoirs (I just occasionally wipe them down with a rag) and I definitely don't let the water spray directly into the air intake. Other than that, I think you can just go crazy with it.
 

Phoenix

Adventurer
Agree with the above, below is my technique

Step 1. Get it dirty
Step 2. Open the hood, cover the air intake if you don't have a snorkel
Step 3. Put the host on a lightly pressurized setting.
Step 4. Spray the whole area, bottom of the hood, engine bay, nooks and crannies where crude builds up - 5 minutes
Step 5. Spray over top the engine bay with simple green (I like it, use what you like). 1/8th of the bottle, yeah that much
Step 6. Move the hose onto a sprinkler and put it under the engine, trickle down, trickle up. - 10 minutes
Step 7. Put the nozzle back on the hose, and spray down the engine bay - 2 minutes
Step 8. Remove anything you may have put in the air intake, close the hood, go for a 10 minute drive. Yes the whole thing will steam
Step 9. Open the hood and be amazed.
 

JIMBO

Expedition Leader
:sombrero: If you have a later than '07 jeep Wrangler--be sure and put a ZipLock over the air intake, the rest is OK as stated above-

Good luck

:costumed-smiley-007:bike_rider: JIMBO
 

Presto88

Adventurer
Agree with the above, below is my technique

Step 1. Get it dirty
Step 2. Open the hood, cover the air intake if you don't have a snorkel
Step 3. Put the host on a lightly pressurized setting.
Step 4. Spray the whole area, bottom of the hood, engine bay, nooks and crannies where crude builds up - 5 minutes
Step 5. Spray over top the engine bay with simple green (I like it, use what you like). 1/8th of the bottle, yeah that much
Step 6. Move the hose onto a sprinkler and put it under the engine, trickle down, trickle up. - 10 minutes
Step 7. Put the nozzle back on the hose, and spray down the engine bay - 2 minutes
Step 8. Remove anything you may have put in the air intake, close the hood, go for a 10 minute drive. Yes the whole thing will steam
Step 9. Open the hood and be amazed.

That's impressive. I especially agree with step #8. Whether you do a quick rinse, or a real cleaning, it's important to dry things off before parking the beast.
 
I usually wash my engine once a month. That way I can tell if I have any leaks and I don't get as dirty when I have to work on one of my vehicles. I use a hose with a spray head and have never had a problem in 25 yrs with any vehicle I've owned (cars,trucks, motorcycles and motorhomes) just don't heavily spray any electrical parts. I usually use simple green but be careful not to leave it sit on aluminum for more then 10-15 minutes as it can discolor aluminum.
 

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