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View Full Version : Cleaning your ENGINE BAY!?!



RedSiBaron
05-24-2008, 05:04 PM
so ive never really done a thorough engine bay cleaning, so i figured id ask everyone what they do for cleaning their engine bays!!
personally ive just sprayed down the engine bay and selectively used engine brite then rinsed
POST UP PEOPLE!!

L337Ep3
05-24-2008, 05:19 PM
I spray it down with a regular garden hose, then dry off the parts I can reach with a towel. Sometimes I use simple green for the tougher dirt/build up.

RedSiBaron
05-24-2008, 05:22 PM
I spray it down with a regular garden hose, then dry off the parts I can reach with a towel. Sometimes I use simple green for the tougher dirt/build up.

ive heard of simple green, but never tried it

MugsyTheGr8
05-24-2008, 05:42 PM
do you disconnect the battery or anything? and what about covering the alternator?

thisisagame24
05-24-2008, 05:43 PM
i use the mist part on my hose and then spray simple green pretty much every where....and scrub what needs to be....then hose it off again with i think the shower settting and let it sit over night

thisisagame24
05-24-2008, 05:45 PM
do you disconnect the battery or anything? and what about covering the alternator?

i dont do any of that.....because as long as you give it time to dry you wont have any problems with that.....which is why i leave this till last and know i wont be driving the rest of the night

RedSiBaron
05-24-2008, 05:47 PM
do you disconnect the battery or anything? and what about covering the alternator?

id like to know what to do with that, ive always avoided those areas

thisisagame24
05-24-2008, 05:48 PM
as long as they dry you wont have any problems...start them when they are wet and its a different ball game haha

jh604
05-24-2008, 05:53 PM
i hose the engine bay down first: then mix my simple green, then pour it into a spray bottle and spray away, let it sit for a little and/or scrub, then hose off again.

RedSiBaron
05-24-2008, 05:57 PM
where can i get simple green and what all does it do on the oxidation on the tie rods for instance?? i can only assume everyone else has lots of oxidation on their engine bay metal...

thisisagame24
05-24-2008, 06:01 PM
where can i get simple green and what all does it do on the oxidation on the tie rods for instance?? i can only assume everyone else has lots of oxidation on their engine bay metal...

i got a gallon jug of the concentrate from autozone....bought that a year ago and not even half way through it haha. get that an a spray bottle to dilute it a bit and your good to go

not too sure what it does to oxidation.....but if its surface rust like you get on rotors it will take it off with some light scrubbing

Soprano21
05-24-2008, 06:03 PM
yea charlie if you can get some simple green do it........ i forgot to mention tat earlier works great for cleaning the engine bay........once im all done with that i use the tire shine on all of the hoses(tire gel) it gives it a nice clean looks and helps keep the hoses fresh

RedSiBaron
05-24-2008, 06:05 PM
i got a gallon jug of the concentrate from autozone....bought that a year ago and not even half way through it haha. get that an a spray bottle to dilute it a bit and your good to go

not too sure what it does to oxidation.....but if its surface rust like you get on rotors it will take it off with some light scrubbing

hmmm...interesting, ill have to pick some up...

im just tired of all this oxidation in here

http://www.redpepperracing.com/gallery/d/206110-1/IMG_1507.JPG

if you look in the bay you can see it all

thisisagame24
05-24-2008, 06:07 PM
it will help on some of it but not all of it......like the rusted bolts i dont think it will do much to

beechstreet
05-24-2008, 06:12 PM
simple green ftw

RedSiBaron
05-24-2008, 06:14 PM
yea charlie if you can get some simple green do it........ i forgot to mention tat earlier works great for cleaning the engine bay........once im all done with that i use the tire shine on all of the hoses(tire gel) it gives it a nice clean looks and helps keep the hoses fresh

haha you forgot that part dude


it will help on some of it but not all of it......like the rusted bolts i dont think it will do much to

yah im not worried about the rusty bolts, ill just put rust stop on those that chemically neutralizes the rust and turns it black...ive got to do that before winter...though if things work out i may end up interning in california for winter muahaha

thisisagame24
05-24-2008, 06:41 PM
simple green ftw

troooofs

Soprano21
05-24-2008, 07:08 PM
haha you forgot that part dude



yah im not worried about the rusty bolts, ill just put rust stop on those that chemically neutralizes the rust and turns it black...ive got to do that before winter...though if things work out i may end up interning in california for winter muahaha

your in cali im flyin out to chill

RedSiBaron
05-24-2008, 07:25 PM
your in cali im flyin out to chill

sounds like a plan man, pray for charley designing for mazda, mitsu, toyota, or honda!!!

frm_808
05-24-2008, 07:28 PM
so ive never really done a thorough engine bay cleaning, so i figured id ask everyone what they do for cleaning their engine bays!!
personally ive just sprayed down the engine bay and selectively used engine brite then rinsed
POST UP PEOPLE!!

im guessing this is with the engine in? or are you doin a full clean for a swap

RedSiBaron
05-24-2008, 07:44 PM
im guessing this is with the engine in? or are you doin a full clean for a swap

im just talking about with the engine in...ill have to eventually scrub her down when i do my swap down the road...but in that case ill go nuts with engine brite



plus i had the idea for this thead today when hanging with soprano21 and figured it would be a good discussion for everyone and a good source of info down the road for others...:mbiggrin:

02TaffySi
05-25-2008, 12:13 AM
For me, the first thing I do is cover the alternator, the air filter intake with plastic bags (to avoid damage to the alternator or water going into the engine). Then I use engine brite or engine degreaser and spray down the entire engine bay with them. I let it set for about 10-15 minutes and then I spray down the engine with a water hose that has a pressure attachment on it. I make sure that I spray all of the engine degreaser out by looking at the color of the water that comes of the wash. If the water is clear, than I stop spraying the engine with the water hose, if it's still greases looking then I spray the engine down until the water that drain under the car is clear.

Once the all the engine degreaser is sprayed off the car, I then bring in my air compressor with a pressure air attachment to blow off all the existing water of my engine bay. I spend a good 10 minutes to make sure that there is no excess water in any part of my engine bay to avoid future rusting. Onces all the water is blow off of my car, I then spray on some armor all to give all the plastic and rubber hoses a glossy look (I heard armor all cracks the rubber hoses, but I put it on anyways and it has yet shown any signs of cracking). I then start the car and let the heat coming off the engine dry off the excess armor all.

After my engine is spotless and clean, I wash the exterior of my car to make sure that there are not excess chemicals on my paint that can damage it. I do this twice a year and so far things have gone well and my engine bay looks as good as cars you'll find in the dealership.

nrengle
05-25-2008, 10:43 AM
If you're worried about getting water onto sensitive parts try using either a quick detailer spray, or Optimum No Rinse Car Wash. With the QD, just spray on, wipe off, and then buff, apply trim dressing as needed to plastic, hoses, etc. Or with Optimum, wipe each section down with your wash mit or towel, then dry, and dress accordingly...

This way you don't have to worry about getting water into the alternator, or fuse box, or any other sensitive pieces...

RS_man
05-28-2008, 04:55 AM
I used some simple green and Gunk engine brite. use a bit of gunk to peel the road grime off. Then used a spray washer with a soap dispenser and it helps get into the nooks and crannies. let sit for about 5 minutes, rinse and repeat until sparkley.

Soprano21
05-28-2008, 05:52 AM
sounds like a plan man, pray for charley designing for mazda, mitsu, toyota, or honda!!!

HONDA!!!!please

parkjehhyun
05-30-2008, 06:47 PM
i used a carburetor cleaner. it works great! however, if anyone decides to do this, make sure you don't rub it in too hard. it can slowly take off paint. it works great though for rough spots like the intake manifold and heavily greased up parts.

T-MacK
05-30-2008, 07:05 PM
id like to know what to do with that, ive always avoided those areas

Put a plastic bag over it!
Thats what I do for my EG...anything electrical you'll want to avoid spraying.

kaisertj
05-30-2008, 10:23 PM
I blast the whole engine bay with a good industrial power steamer, cleans better then any other method imo. Any grease, dirt, oil, etc... is instantly washed away and looks like the day it came out of the factory.

QUEEN
06-08-2008, 02:01 AM
Simple green

civsirmt
06-08-2008, 02:40 PM
I blast the whole engine bay with a good industrial power steamer, cleans better then any other method imo. Any grease, dirt, oil, etc... is instantly washed away and looks like the day it came out of the factory.

thats kinda what i do, i drive my car for a while then go to the car wash and spray the engine really good then close the hood and spray off the car and after about 10 or 15 min i open the hood and spray it again. that seems to do a good job without any chemicals.

siver-SI
06-08-2008, 05:24 PM
I run the eninge for a few min to get it a little warm. Then with the hose wide open I just soak it down. Then spray down with simple green. After being sparyed down I take a soft brush and just go over the enigne. Let it sit for how ever long it states on the simple green bottle (i can not remember). Then just hose down the engine bay and wipe down the heavy water. Then just start up the engine and let it try the rest of the way.

It is nice and simple and I do it about once a month now.

twep
06-08-2008, 10:47 PM
cover up the alternator and filter and all the electrical wiring exposed so you make sure no water mess up anything!

Mini-Odyssey05
06-09-2008, 12:11 AM
hm... what about if you have a CAI?... i'd be scared ot start the car after spraying down my engine with a hose =(

na14yu
06-10-2008, 01:06 PM
I just use warm water for the most part and I try to clean my engine bay once every 10,000 miles or so when I do my oil changes. I do keep a can of Simple Green handy for the tough spots though.

Princess
06-10-2008, 01:20 PM
I wash under the hood everytime I wash my ep3. You don't want your engine too hot when you wash it. I never cover anything with plastic and so far no problems. The car is designed to be driven in the rain, plus I still have a airbox.

To be honest, under my hood looks like a brand new car. At home or at the local car wash I use normal car wash soap and then I rinse under the hood with lots of water so there's no leftover soap in the engine bay. Then I towel dry everything I can.

I heard that Simple Green is not the greatest to use on painted surfaces, I would dilute it with water for sure and not let it sit on there for too long. If you stay on top of cleaning the engine bay it will never get to the point that you need to use Simple Green. My engine bay is so clean that half of the time it only needs a water rinse to stay looking like new.

You could always wash the engine bay while the engine is running if you think it is safer.

mormonboy
06-11-2008, 03:02 AM
get the car warm.

spray on some simple green or engine degreaser (they sell them everywhere).

let it sit for a bit.

go at it with a brush if you want.

hose it down.

dry it off.

get some trim shine or something and spray down your bay so everything is nice and glossy black.

done.

oogy-boogy
06-11-2008, 04:47 AM
get the car warm.

spray on some simple green or engine degreaser (they sell them everywhere).

let it sit for a bit.

go at it with a brush if you want.

hose it down.

dry it off.

get some trim shine or something and spray down your bay so everything is nice and glossy black.

done.

Don't ever spray down a warm engine bay. You're asking for stains.

1 - Spray the bay with a hose (cover SRI's with a bag)
2 - Spray down with Simple Green
3 - Brush under hood, engine bay, etc with a soft brush
4 - rinse with hose
5 - repeat



Let it dry and you're all set. It'll take you 5 minutes. If you do it at every wash you'll minimize the time spent. My engine bay still looked brand new when I sold my EP after 5+ years of New England driving.

civiCholo
06-11-2008, 10:43 AM
Don't ever spray down a warm engine bay. You're asking for stains.

1 - Spray the bay with a hose (cover SRI's with a bag)
2 - Spray down with Simple Green
3 - Brush under hood, engine bay, etc with a soft brush
4 - rinse with hose
5 - repeat



Let it dry and you're all set. It'll take you 5 minutes. If you do it at every wash you'll minimize the time spent. My engine bay still looked brand new when I sold my EP after 5+ years of New England driving.


YES!!! i learned that early on working at a car dealership... hahahahahahaha...

WigginsSiR
06-11-2008, 11:33 AM
i use a honda motorcycle aerosol cleaner called honda brite. it works awesome...
i got it for free when i bought my cbr and used it on the bike w/ no problems...
works good under my hood too

socal_brandon2
06-11-2008, 11:58 AM
subscribed for some helpful info!

bmyers4321
06-14-2008, 05:08 PM
if you all really want to clean your engine bays good go to your local honda dealer and pick up a bottle of HondaBrite. it is the absolute best i have seen so far. we use it to clean the engine bays after working on them and the grease starts to come off as your spraying it on.

http://www.hondapartsworld.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=4326

siver-SI
06-15-2008, 05:08 AM
Never heard of hondabrite anyone else use it?

dichotomous
06-23-2008, 12:11 PM
its very common to use on motorcycles, where all the engine peices are sitting out for the world to see and still get greasy and grimy, and get so more so than under the hood of a car. you spray it on, leave it, and rinse it off and it gets everything pretty clean, its not perfect but its really good at getting almost everything off

3dkahuna
06-25-2008, 12:00 PM
never really cleaned my engine bay. Was always a little concern with water getting somewhere it was not supposed to. These posts hold some good information pertaining to the process. :msmile:

civiKSiborg
07-04-2008, 10:35 PM
At my ex-high school's auto garage we used to wash teachers cars' engine bays with engine degreaser and a good scrub with the brass brush. Then rinse it down with a hose... I have no idea if its bad or not, but thats what we were told to do.

v1c10us
07-04-2008, 11:50 PM
its pretty straight for watter to get on shit, I'd just try and keep your coil packs dry, I got one wet once and it busted and I had to get another one, 100 dollar mistake but you dont make it again.
I use mr. clean, the green kind that looks like antifreeze, i mix it like 1 ounce to 10 ounces of water and spray on everything and let it sit or a while, then I come back and blast it with a gentle mist untill it dilutes all the soap away and then I give it a carefully aimed blast from the jet nozzle on the hose.
Then I use tireshine on anything black in the engine bay, hoses etc.
Just make sure you're tireshine doesn't contain alcohol because it will actually dry out the parts and can cause tubes and hoses to crack.

88crx
07-06-2008, 11:58 AM
Don't ever spray down a warm engine bay. You're asking for stains.

1 - Spray the bay with a hose (cover SRI's with a bag)
2 - Spray down with Simple Green
3 - Brush under hood, engine bay, etc with a soft brush
4 - rinse with hose
5 - repeat


This is exactly what I do..... and yes the engine must be cold or you will stain your intake mani or any other metal parts that are hot/warm.

On top of that I like to get a bucket of car wash soap with some wax additives (wash & was soaps) and actually scrub the engine bay with that as well after the simple green routine. I find it really helps in shinning everything up all nice.




Let it dry and you're all set. It'll take you 5 minutes. If you do it at every wash you'll minimize the time spent. My engine bay still looked brand
new when I sold my EP after 5+ years of New England driving.
Werd.... I probably do mine 2 or 3 times a year and as long as you don't let it get really bad it'll always look spotless.

civictype_r04
07-06-2008, 12:42 PM
I spray it down with a regular garden hose, then dry off the parts I can reach with a towel. Sometimes I use simple green for the tougher dirt/build up.

I used that to looked good.

1stcivicsipilot
07-11-2008, 02:09 PM
Ive owned 10 cars in my day. Ive always just washed under the hood the same as the rest of the car. Ive never had any sort of problems with anything. What do youse think happens when you drive in the rain? Everything under the hood can get wet its ok.

Gunner02
07-16-2008, 07:11 PM
I use a bottled cleaner called "Super Clean." Its made especially for car engines and you can pick it up at any autozone or w.e. Its around 6 bucks. I prefer taking my time and going through the whole engine bay by hand to be on the safe side. Up to you though.

matth1054
07-16-2008, 07:15 PM
as long as they dry you wont have any problems...start them when they are wet and its a different ball game haha

My brother-in-laws a mechanic and he had his buddy turn on the car when he was almost done(but still doing it) to make sure everything was running great and he had him run it for the remainder. youd hate to find out that the car wont start two hours later. and simple green works great! and a hose will do, i would stay awy from pressure washing anything.

oogy-boogy
07-17-2008, 04:22 AM
My brother-in-laws a mechanic and he had his buddy turn on the car when he was almost done(but still doing it) to make sure everything was running great and he had him run it for the remainder. youd hate to find out that the car wont start two hours later. and simple green works great! and a hose will do, i would stay awy from pressure washing anything.

That's the perfect recipe for stains.

jimmy`
07-17-2008, 11:15 AM
we'll need a DIY video for this one.. I've tried it so many times, and my engine bay still looks like garbage. :mconfused:

frm_808
07-17-2008, 01:35 PM
is it cuz you live in vegas and we are limited to water days?