How to: Clean engine and engine bay

[24j0hn]

Purpose: to clean that not so clean engine bay

Tools needed: Cling wrap Twist tie Electrical Gunk (Pepboys or kragen)( Foamy or regualar) garden hose bristle brush(not too stiff)

This is what mine looked like... not bad but not great

This is what the gunk i used... but u could use the other king

First off, you need to cling wrap the distributer... and the fuse box on the passengers side... and put electrical tape on exposed wire to keep moisture from getting to the wires



Once covered up electrical components... spray a generous amount of gunk on the engine... dont be shy! youll want to spray once and let it sit for 10min then spray again and use a bristle brush on the really grimey parts and parts that stand out!



Now once you scrubbed it down good... hose it down, im not saying use a fire hose but use your garden hose and use medium pressure

Then dry off with a towel and remove all cling wrap and let it run for five to ten minutes to make sure nothing shorted or got messed up while cleaning

[ThuG LyFe]

sweet...write...up...

btw serious question, is it really ok to spray the engine bay with water as long as those 2 things are covered up? i might just spray some water on the valve cover cause i'm 2 lazy to take it off (after cleaning it w/ degreaser i guess)

[heartofaskyline]

wow

it looks like all you did is clean the valve cover

[240dx]

thanks for the write up. just what im looking for

[24j0hn]

yeah... just make sure the spark plug wires are sealed on the valve cover good so that no water gets into the spark plug holes! it should be fine, i had no problem

[r34 gtr]

You forgot the strut towers.

I pressure wash my engine with impunity.

[24j0hn]

well, my engine wasnt that dirty in the first place... compared to other 180,000 mile engines... but it cleaned the strut towers, strut bar, valve cover, intake piping, intake manifold, and most of the block...

i posted this cuz some people were wondering and this is the easiest way to do it... and ive been doing it on all my cars

[mattblancarte]

Not trying to be a jerk, but that engine bay is still dirty as hell.

edit: I don't clean mine this way. I use three wash buckets and a bunch of rags.

[24j0hn]

well, your not really supposed to spray gunk on paint... so i just wet the stru towers and bruch it down and then wa**** down again...

pressure washing gives a higher chance for something electrical to get disconnected or shorted...

but this guide is for people who dont have a pressure washer

[24j0hn]

the engine bay is still dirty... but the engine is pretty clean

for the firewall and strut towers and firewall im gunna use dish soap( Dawn) and see how it does

[mattblancarte]

Good call. I just have three buckets of hot water. One for mild soap and two for rinsing. I buy these packs of microfiber cloths from autozone for like 10 bucks each time. If you wash the bay every time you wash the car it is a breeze.

[ThuG LyFe]

^then again you probably enjoy washing your bay more than people with stock KA's...

[ca18detgabby]

^then again you probably enjoy washing your bay more than people with stock KA's...

I know that.......

I use alot of that gun cleaner the CD2 style in a silver can does not require the water step....... SOOO MUCH MORE AWESOMENESS.

PS Ive been wire tucking the crap out of my engine bay...... it looks so much cleaner now. it makes it easier to clean too, as all the wires are no long exposed.......... And Im finding messes from 120k on the chassis

[24j0hn]

im finding messes from 180k on my chassis

[OutToWinPAHC]

did you foret to put a plastic bag over the altenator? They tend to lock up when the pinion bearing takes water.

[White Comet]

Not trying to be a jerk, but that engine bay is still dirty as hell.

edit: I don't clean mine this way. I use three wash buckets and a bunch of rags.

i only clean an empty engine bay this way

[presidential]

I can add to this one:

When you're done with the above steps, hose your entire engine down in Armor All's Foamy Tire shine. This will be the stuff that "cleans as it shines" if I remember correctly. Apply the foamy stuff, shut the hood and then take it for a drive.

I've done this many times when just flipping a car. It makes the engine compartment look brand new with little to no effort.

[drifter92sx]

nice work now you just have to do the rest of the engine bay like the strut towers and other parts under the hood and underside of the hood too

[24j0hn]

the towers are almost uncleanable... so when i do my engine swap ill clean up then...

[Shabbernigdo]

ive read the back of one of those engine cleaning cans it pretty much seys not to spray on anything other then metal parts.

Personally i use dawn dish soap works just as well and dosent damage anything also leaves your engine with a nice green apple smell : ) lol

Dawn eats the hell outa grease.

[brandonDavid]

a while back, when i first purchased my 240, i just took super88 degreaser in a spray bottle, sprayed it on almost everything(avoiding electronic goodies) and hit it with the garden hose. worked like a charm.

[24j0hn]

it doesnt have to be gunk... but it works great huh? better than scrubbing down the whole thing by hand!

[vancouverbc]

i sprayed the asphalt coating on the strut towers with struts in place. the top area never dries so it rusts like crazy.

[soupmotorsport]

definitely a good thread ! thanks

[Hooked on 240]

idk how many times ive cleaned my bay... lost count

Day i got it

When i put my Rad in and ditched the clutch fan for a Efan (which later died)

I really want to clean it now with all the salt....

[24j0hn]

wait, did u use gunk?

im lost here

[!Zar!]

idk how many times ive cleaned my bay... lost count

Day i got it http://i143.photobucket.com/al...1.jpg

When i put my Rad in and ditched the clutch fan for a Efan (which later died)http://img.photobucket.com/alb...a.jpg

I really want to clean it now with all the salt....

Why did you get rid of the shroud/clutch fan setup for an efan setup?

I hope you have a good reason or else it's pretty dumb.

But then again, putting an air filter on your valvecover vent when it BLOWS air out, isn't the smartest thing to do either... So I'm gathering you don't have a real reason.

[danielsan]

i just leave my engine running at the car wash. some degreaser and then water does a wonderful thing. i didnt cover anything up.

[24j0hn]

yup, thats how i do it!

[MastaYu]

rags and water work well