how should i wash msp engine bay?

[callphy]

alrite i am total noob, and ppl say different things on how to wash their engine bay...

i just wanna know how you guys wash ur msp engine bay...



do i need some special shampoo/soap/degreaser?

i got pretty greasy on engine front and sides mainly and dusty engine bay


i am in ontario, should i buy some special cleaner from walmart or canadiantire or homedepot or elsewhere

and use tooth brush to wipe down all the grease and dirty in my engine bay

and use no pressure garden spray to rain down on all the bubbles?

air blow dry?

then need some shine? wax ? rust check spray?




is air filter and battery the only thing i need to cover up?

 

[Preferio]

alrite i am total noob, and ppl say different things on how to wash their engine bay...

i just wanna know how you guys wash ur msp engine bay...



do i need some special shampoo/soap/degreaser?

i got pretty greasy on engine front and sides mainly and dusty engine bay


i am in ontario, should i buy some special cleaner from walmart or canadiantire or homedepot or elsewhere

and use tooth brush to wipe down all the grease and dirty in my engine bay

and use no pressure garden spray to rain down on all the bubbles?

air blow dry?

then need some shine? wax ? rust check spray?




is air filter and battery the only thing i need to cover up?

Use Purple Power. Soak the engine in it, but don't directly pour it onto, say, your turbo, ignition system, etc. Things that could malfunction from having a large amount of solvent poured onto them... Don't be afraid to get these components wet, but don't just POUR a gallon of purple power onto them. Let it soak for about 10-15 minutes. After it's soaked, get a hose ready and start the engine. Begin spraying off the engine WITH IT RUNNING! The reason to have it running is because if you start spraying something that will cause the vehicle not to start or run poorly, the engine will start to misfire or stumble and you can immediately stop spraying that component. After you've thoroughly cleaned the engine, allow it to idle while everything dries off. Once the majority of the water has evaporated, close the hood and take it down the road.

 

[bikingpro5]

I always wash mine with the engine cool and not running.. Warm motors lead to more issues IMO

these guys are closeish to you and carry everything you will ever need and more. they have a great step by step article

http://www.eshine.ca/How_To_Wash_An_Engine_Bay.htm

 

[Installshield 2]

yeah, i can't say i totally agree with hosing down the engine with it running...and using 'misfiring and other problems' as a gauge to know when to stop, either. While its true, almost everything in the bay is 'ok' to get wet (as you couldn't drive a car in the rain otherwise). multiple components can't handle a flood.

Also...hot and 'warm' are too different things. NEVER hit an exhaust manifold with water when its hot. Cast iron does NOT like that. While the steel components can swell and shrink effectively with heat cycling, cast iron can easily crack.

I would recommend staying away from spraying a hose on it entirely. I would just use a lot of rags...the first set soaked in some form of mild degreaser. The others in plain water. Wipe everything down that you can reach with degreaser with the engine off and cool, then clean it up with the water rags. It will take more time, but you won't accidentally fill your spark plug holes with water...which will short out and ruin most of the ignition system...or accidentally crack $1000+ worth of exhaust components.

 

[Preferio]

yeah, i can't say i totally agree with hosing down the engine with it running...and using 'misfiring and other problems' as a gauge to know when to stop, either. While its true, almost everything in the bay is 'ok' to get wet (as you couldn't drive a car in the rain otherwise). multiple components can't handle a flood.

Also...hot and 'warm' are too different things. NEVER hit an exhaust manifold with water when its hot. Cast iron does NOT like that. While the steel components can swell and shrink effectively with heat cycling, cast iron can easily crack.

I would recommend staying away from spraying a hose on it entirely. I would just use a lot of rags...the first set soaked in some form of mild degreaser. The others in plain water. Wipe everything down that you can reach with degreaser with the engine off and cool, then clean it up with the water rags. It will take more time, but you won't accidentally fill your spark plug holes with water...which will short out and ruin most of the ignition system...or accidentally crack $1000+ worth of exhaust components.

I've managed 3 shops over the past 10 years and once of which did full detail work. After performing mechanical repairs like an engine oil leak or power steering leak degreasing an engine has been the same process at all three shops involved the previously mentioned process. You start spraying the engine immediately after starting. Good luck using a wet rag to do this. Not once have I or any of my employees damaged an engine or component with this method, otherwise I wouldn't be okay with it because I would be footing the bill. They actually make a special nozzle for cleaning engines that cost a whole $10.

 

[Installshield 2]

Cool, bud. I'm not trying to argue with you. If we're playing the personal expertise cards, i'm a mechanical/electrical engineer...and have a decent idea of what is going on under the hood of a modern car.

I was mostly pointing out that there is a difference between a 'warm' engine, and a 'hot' one. Spraying a cool to warm engine with a hose after coating it in degreaser is effective, ridiculously easy, and makes a complete mess of the floor beneath the car. That is all exactly why a shop would do it. In 20 minutes the engine bay is acceptable, the shop is a mess, and they move on to other stuff...but that isn't necessarily what a lot of us would like to do to our personal work spaces.

As far as 'luck' with doing it by hand. Removing a few misc splash guards and intake pieces, and raising the front simply on ramps...you can easily reach nearly any section of the engine and gear box. What you can't reach, a hose isn't going to either (inside the timing belt cover, for example)...


'I'm not saying i'm right...I just know enough about this specific car's design (flat valve cover with plug holes in the valleys and a 100% exposed ignition system, unsealed fuse/relay housings, factory pre-cat and manifold being relatively weak, etc.)...as well as what a river of water can do to active electrical connections in the first place...is why i would never personally want someone cleaning my engine with a hose while its running...and using feedback from idling problems to know when to shut it off...yeah, shops do that, but we're all aware that a shop's techniques are not necessarily ideal for DIY maintenance...

 

[korangatang]

my personal experience. I just used a de-greaser on a cool motor, let it sit 10-15 minutes, scrubbed down what i needed to. and used a power washer from a decent distance and let it air dry over night. nbd. everything is sealed up pretty well. just stay away from the electricals.

 

[Bonks]

<img src="http://premiumfinishcare.com/images/products/large/Autoglym/AG-EC001[3].jpg" id="il_fi" height="460" width="478" style="padding-right: 8px; padding-top: 8px; padding-bottom: 8px; ">


+ paint brush.


spray carefully out with a hose then use a compressor to blow out the water

 

[BOOSTR]

Scrubbing Bubbles or Joy dish soap & ammonia. I try to avoid degreasers as they can and usually do leave stains on the hardware and other surfaces. A low pressure pressure washer. Old toothbrush, wheel brushes, long narrow brushes and a few rags make cleaning some of the more difficult spots easier. Blow it dry with a 250mph blower and it will be spot free.

My engines are never disgustingly dirty as I try my best to keep them clean and mainted so there are no leaks to contend with later.

 

[BRIAN_MP5T]

how should i wash msp engine bay?

By Hand