Washing the Engine Bay?

ucf11784 · Feb 27, 2008

Hey guys this might be a common sense question for some of you guys. I want to wash up my engine bay or at least wipe it down. I have a C&L street intake so from what I understand if I wash it I just need to cover the air filter correct? Is there anything else that I need to cover up before I wash it out with a hose? I also wanted to know what product you guys would recommend for cleaning the intake pipe since it is metal? Thank you for any information.

o0Dan0o · Feb 27, 2008

Not 100% about the new cars, but on my 96 when I washed it I got some water in the spark plug wells and it caused misfires like crazy. I don't know how well they seal on the new cars, but I would put some shop towels (paper or cloth) around them to keep a direct spray from hitting them and getting water into the wells. If you have any troubles, remove the coils and hit the wells with a bit of WD40 and then spray them out with canned air (you can buy it anywhere, bestbuy, compusa, walmart...).
Dan

1965coupe · Feb 27, 2008

On the Shelby, I put a grocery bag over the CAI, the alternator, and the black electrical box on the passenger side (sorry, I can't think of the name right now. ).

Then, I lightly rinse the cold or warm engine, NOT hot, with low-pressure. Next, I spray everything (watch your fenders) with either diluted simple green or purple power (Wal-Mart). After about 10-30 minutes or so, I come in with the pressure washer.. YES, I know, the pressure washer.. Just be light though, don't go crazy near any of the spark plugs, etc..

Final step is to dry with the air chuck and spray all of the rubber/plastic with protectant..

I also used to do this on the '04, minus the CAI.

1965coupe · Feb 27, 2008

Also, plan on doing the engine bay BEFORE washing the car. And yes, you will have to wash the car.. unless you don't care about water spots on the fenders.

Emay · Feb 27, 2008

Best way ever is the following, take it for what it's worth, it's tried and true..

Products needed: Simple Green, Turtle Wax F-21 tire dressing, several rags.

Here's a link to F21 so you know what it looks like:

http://www.turtlewax.com/main.taf?p=2,1,3,5

Here's the simple green for those that have never used it:

http://www.simplegreen.com/products_all_purpose_cleaner.php

Start engine, get it warm, not hot, just nice and warm. As an example if the car was fully cooled, run it for 5-8 minutes. Turn off engine.

Cover the alternator and air filter on your intake, Aluminum foil works great since the motor is warm. Everything else can be subject to light rinsing type spray, including the covered fuse panel. All of these areas get hit by water when driven in the rain.

Lightly spray entire engine bay with water from hose, you will see some light steaming, this is good.

Spray the entire engine bay, including firewall, plastic parts, metal parts, loom, coils and hoses with Simple Green. Set the hood down, not fully closed, just to it's safety catch point, and go find something else to do for 15 to 20 minutes. Let the simple green do it's work. Closing the hood let's the simple green interact with the steam you created with the warm motor. This loosens the tough stuff up so you don't have to work so hard in those heavily soiled areas.

Open hood, look for heavily soiled areas, wipe them with a rag, use more simple green if necessary. Rinse lightly with hose.

Spray entire engine bay with F-21, it foams, coat everything just like the simple green coating you did.

Close hood again, walk away for 10-20 minutes or until nearly all the foam has dissipated.

Open hood, Wipe up any areas that water settled and such. Wipe up any areas that the F-21 didn't dissipate on it's own.

You will note that the F-21 restores the black plastic parts to the same oem flat black color they were when new.. It leaves the paint shiney with no streaks on the fenders and fire wall. Best of all, it is not greasey to the touch.

Hope it helps, I do it twice a year to my DD, and once a year to Eleanor.

kooldawg6 · Feb 27, 2008

I've used the diluted cleaners a few times(never on the '06 yet), but mostly just the same car wash soap as the paint gets(seperate buckets of course )and rinse it off with a light spray from the hose or just take the nozzle off and let it moderately run over the engine. +1 on covering at least the air filter element. I then go over most of the plastic and rubber with Armor All Original and rags.

This is the most recent pic I have of under the hood(a few months ago). It's not as clean as it could be as there is some dust sitting here and there, but it did have around 35-37K miles on it and it gets driven in the rain, snow, whatever

kooldawg6 · Feb 27, 2008

Emay said:

I hope nobody minds, but the pic above makes me

Emay · Feb 28, 2008

lol, I own it, see it every day, and it still even makes me drool. By all means feel free..

All kidding aside, thanks -

steedman07 · Feb 28, 2008

Great tips guys..Do you rinse the simple green after it has set for a while, then apply the tire foam? Will the simple green and/or tire stuff hurt billet stuff in the engine bay? Ive got brushed aluminum and polished billet in the bay...And you definitley dont rinse the tire foam, just let it dissipate and dry??? The first nice day I get here im doing this...

Emay · Feb 28, 2008

yes, rinse the simple green, sorry, I'll edit if I can..

Hoboattacker · Feb 28, 2008

Emay, that engine bay shot looks like a magazine picture. Great work and awesome tips on cleaning the engine! I'll have to try it out sometime

xtweakerx · Jul 10, 2009

i need to clean mine, have never really done it and its starting to show some real dirt in their now at 20,000 miles.. kinda worried about spraying the motor with water, with all the electrical ***** around.

RacerX1307 · Jul 10, 2009

Emay, nice write up. I’ll eco one note worth mentioning to all. Use a light, non-greasy dressing for the hoses, plastic, etc. Cheap heavy stuff will look great but as soon as you drive it becomes a magnet for dirt particles and makes your next cleaning a headache.

Randy 25 · Jul 10, 2009

Just a couple of extra added notes to some excellent writeups. Do not put cold water on hot exhaust manifolds, cast iron will crack. Agree with the warm engine, but let the manifolds cool down somewhat before cold water hits them - use hot water if possible. Also, don't let simple green dry on your paint - try to keep it wet. If it does rinse off as soon as possible - especially on the paint other than under the hood paint, where it may have splashed out onto your fenders. Have experience with both - not good.

darien87 · Jul 10, 2009

Emay said:

Hey Emay,

What strut tower brace is that? Looks sweet. I looked up performance metal and it's a metal polishing company.

fuzzyrat123 · Jul 10, 2009

RacerX1307 said:
Emay, nice write up. I’ll eco one note worth mentioning to all. Use a light, non-greasy dressing for the hoses, plastic, etc. Cheap heavy stuff will look great but as soon as you drive it becomes a magnet for dirt particles and makes your next cleaning a headache.

What do you mean by, " use a light, non-greasy dressing for the hoses " another form of tire foam?

I'm wanting to do this to my 90 Mustang and I am very nervous since I really don't know what to cover.

mustangdave · Jul 10, 2009

He means don't use any product that has silicone in it or any dressing that is sticky to the touch: it will attract and hold dirt like you wouldn't believe.

#1stangFAN · Jul 10, 2009

Emay said:

where does everyone get engine covers that are colored like that? ive seen a black with a red pony that looks amazing

Blazing Saddles · Jul 11, 2009

Simple Green has been through Department of Defense (DOD) testing and was determined to be highly corrosive on aircraft aluminum and also a catalyst for Hydrogen Embrittlement in high strength aircraft alloys.

I've been using Simple Green Extreme Aircraft cleaner.

RacerX1307 · Jul 13, 2009

fuzzyrat123 said:
What do you mean by, " use a light, non-greasy dressing for the hoses " another form of tire foam?

I'm wanting to do this to my 90 Mustang and I am very nervous since I really don't know what to cover.

Sorry, I should have added some products. Please note I’m not for or against any of these, everyone has there own preference.

Right now and as seen in my pic, I’m using Meguiars Vinyl / Rubber care. It’s easy to find in auto stores, cheap compared to high end pro stuff and so far has worked great. I will be trying some higher end products I’ll post up-dates as I test them.

Some products I would not use under the hood are:
Armor All
Turtle Wax
Black Magic
They tend to leave a wet greasy sticky finish. Might look good but will pick up dirt and look horrible after 1 drive.

Washing the Engine Bay?

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mine works really well and can take a fair amount

mine works really well and can take a fair amount

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My rearend needs a stud and two nuts.

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