Cleaning Engine Bay

[BANDITCAR]

Too keep mine looking new this is what I do about every 6 months.

Remember to do this when your engine is cool.

I cover some of the electronics with aluminum foil to keep them dry. Usually just cover the PCM and coils.

Using a selectable spray nozzle, I put it on drizzle/shower for a low pressure rinse. Rinse the entire engine bay getting it initially wet and helping to loosen any dirt. Then use a 50/50 mixture of Simple Green in a spray bottle and spray the entire engine bay with that. Let soak for 5 minutes. Then use a brush (toilet brush works great) to loosen the dirt in hard to reach areas and all around the engine bay. Rinse the engine bay fully with water on the same setting as before. If your engine bay is really dirty you may want to repeat that procedure a few times to get it real clean.
Once you are to the point you think it is clean enough use a towel to soak up any collected puddles of water and then leave the hood open to air dry for 30 minutes. Go back and towel dry any areas that might still be wet.
If you want your black wire loom/hoses/intake to look nice and black. Spray on some Eagle One Nano Protectant and let sit for a minute then wipe dry.
If you want to skip the Nano Protectantl, then the best way to get your hoses black and nice again is to use a cleaner wax on them. Just follow the directions of the cleaner wax.

[LS2Tuner]

Unless they have changed the formula I ruined a upper intake on my first 5.0 back in 91 by spraying it with SimpleGreen. It discolored the alum. and made it a cloudy dark gray color.
Just thought I'd share my experiance with ya all. Maybe read the back and see if it still has the warning about not using on alum. cause after I did it I read the label........

Who needs instructions........Right.......

[TheChad1371]

i go to the car wash, put it on tire cleaner and lightly spray everything. the only thing i mess us is my freakin parking and fog lamp on driver side get water in them and break the damn bulbs. but then i let the steam clean all the built up gunk, and then the spotless rince to get the green stuff off. my shop vac doubles as a blower, thats how i dry everything. works like a charm and is damn clean.

[Wesman]

Unless they have changed the formula I ruined a upper intake on my first 5.0 back in 91 by spraying it with SimpleGreen. It discolored the alum. and made it a cloudy dark gray color.
Just thought I'd share my experiance with ya all. Maybe read the back and see if it still has the warning about not using on alum. cause after I did it I read the label........

Who needs instructions........Right.......

I've never seen Simple Green ruin cast aluminum...

I man you can spray the stuff on your hand and it does nothing...how is it going to ruin metal

Perhaps it just needed to be polished up with come metal polish.

[TheChad1371]

do they even make stainless steel headers? or they just too damn heavy?

[LS2Tuner]

I've never seen Simple Green ruin cast aluminum...

I man you can spray the stuff on your hand and it does nothing...how is it going to ruin metal

Perhaps it just needed to be polished up with come metal polish.

It turned it a dark cloudy gray!! Our hands and alumminum are a little different I think.

[trans-am nut]

CD2 engine detailer and a rag= flawless

I use th cd2 and after it dries it isn't shinny anymore. I clean everything, let it dry apply cd2 let it breath for a few min, and take it for a ride to "set" it, am I missing something? Instead I have been using tire shine on the hoses and intake and I am very impressed.

[nytmare4me]

Hey Guys.....Im new to this site and enjoy learning and reading about everyones do's and donts...it is great. Just wanted to add one thing to you list of cleaning supllies.......I can tell you one product that will cost you less than $3 a can.....and you will be thinking me everday I told you about it. A very good friend of mine has owned and operated a professional detailing business for over 20yrs and this product is truley awesome. You can clean almost every inch of your car with it........Kickpanels, dorr sills, any plasic trim or rubberm, hoses, chrome especially, and windows easily. You will never buy another bottle of Windex...EVER!!!! Even when you go out on an evening cruise and get bugs all over your front end.....then next day spray this on and walk away.......come back in 5min....wash mit and soap or wet rag and bug wipe off easily!!! The reason im sharing this is i have learned a lot from you guys and want to make things much easier for you as well. My friend call this the can of "chrome"!!!!! I have seen them use it for years.....but it was just a chome can and we wouldnt ever tell me what the heck it was until recently.... Its called "Sprayaway" Blue label on a chrome can......really made for windows.......but can be used every where else and even harmfull to paint and clear. The is the SHIT......is swear guys.....you will be thanking me!!!! You can even get it at walmart over by the windex and cleaning supplies....The blue label peels right off and presto.......carry it with you to your next car show and you will have guys begging you to tell them what it is.
Just thought some of you might have never heard of this and wanted to share.
Thanks, Travis

[LS2Tuner]

Hey Guys.....Im new to this site and enjoy learning and reading about everyones do's and donts...it is great. Just wanted to add one thing to you list of cleaning supllies.......I can tell you one product that will cost you less than $3 a can.....and you will be thinking me everday I told you about it. A very good friend of mine has owned and operated a professional detailing business for over 20yrs and this product is truley awesome. You can clean almost every inch of your car with it........Kickpanels, dorr sills, any plasic trim or rubberm, hoses, chrome especially, and windows easily. You will never buy another bottle of Windex...EVER!!!! Even when you go out on an evening cruise and get bugs all over your front end.....then next day spray this on and walk away.......come back in 5min....wash mit and soap or wet rag and bug wipe off easily!!! The reason im sharing this is i have learned a lot from you guys and want to make things much easier for you as well. My friend call this the can of "chrome"!!!!! I have seen them use it for years.....but it was just a chome can and we wouldnt ever tell me what the heck it was until recently.... Its called "Sprayaway" Blue label on a chrome can......really made for windows.......but can be used every where else and even harmfull to paint and clear. The is the SHIT......is swear guys.....you will be thanking me!!!! You can even get it at walmart over by the windex and cleaning supplies....The blue label peels right off and presto.......carry it with you to your next car show and you will have guys begging you to tell them what it is.
Just thought some of you might have never heard of this and wanted to share.
Thanks, Travis

Welcome to the site Travis the only thing I can say about that cleaner is most "glass" cleaners when sprayed on paint will strip the wax or glaze off. I'm not familiar with the produst your talking about but I will check it out.

[TheChad1371]

welcome nyte. im pretty new myself. mod on, and good luck.

[Speedy_Gonzales]

stp son of a gun works great for me ......no water

[nytmare4me]

Guys you will love this stuff......I will tell you that I try not to get it on the paint...but when I have it doesent hurt or at least I can tell it does and my friend has been using it for years.
Thanks for the welcome and hope you guys try it
Thanks,Travis

[sharptransam]

Read the thread. And... this link: https://safety.army.mil/warrior_stor...nid=2004930-42

If the DoD says it corrodes Aluminum, and I've seen it happen personally, I think I believe it.

That is GOD DAMN HILARIOUS seeing as my entire time in the Marines we were patch deep in Simple Green cut 2 SG to 1 Water. We cleaned everything with it. I don't put it in my engine though cause I get sick of my hands burning from it.

[kebie05]

i have some super clean degreaser in the purple bottle from walmart, it is really strong, works really good on other things. do you guys think it would be ok to use it in the engine bay. how would you recommend the dilution? thanks

[sharptransam]

It turned it a dark cloudy gray!! Our hands and alumminum are a little different I think.

I think what has happened here is some people get the concentrated simple green. there is also the stuff already cut ready to use. The concentrate WILL burn your hand. Personal experience. I don't use the store bought stuff cause I learned to hate it in the marines. spraying concentrate on an engine is probably not so good.

and what the hell happened to this thread. I thought this was about how to clean an engine bay, not the pros and cons of that cheap crap?

[LS2Tuner]

I think what has happened here is some people get the concentrated simple green. there is also the stuff already cut ready to use. The concentrate WILL burn your hand. Personal experience. I don't use the store bought stuff cause I learned to hate it in the marines. spraying concentrate on an engine is probably not so good.

and what the hell happened to this thread. I thought this was about how to clean an engine bay, not the pros and cons of that cheap crap?

TRUE THAT!!!

[Speedy_Gonzales]

this stuff cleans it all $5 a gallon

[4get gto]

Quote-----"this stuff cleans it all $5 a gallon"

Yea it does.....Castrol Super Clean is another for about the same price. Both work real well...

Tip.........Never spray either of these's on dry paint or metal. Always dampen with water alittle first. Can leave some nasty stains if you don't........

[99'CajunFirehawk157]

I had a 2000 Ford Expy and hung out at the FTW forum (Ford Truck World) and everyone there cleaned their engine bay this way:
Let engine bay cool down, if your afraid to hurt something cover it with foil or plastic wrap. If your engine is really greasy use GUNK EB1, allow to soak, then rinse w/low pressure h20, if its still a lil dirty but not too bad or you need to do a light cleaning, go to wal-mart and buy the WM brand bathroom cleaner in the green can, its just like scrubbing bubbles mentioned a few pages back, spray on, let sit for 5 minutes but don't let dry, rinse down with LOW pressure water, air hose dry or leaf blower or wait until dry, then detail any way you like, cheap, works good, smells good too. Kind of like my 1st wife.... ;P

[4get gto]

then detail any way you like, cheap, works good, smells good too. Kind of like my 1st wife.... ;P

LOL ........But you still have the car.........