# Sticky  How to Clean Your Engine



## Nismo1997 (Dec 26, 2003)

Warm the engine by starting it up for a few minutes and then shut it off. Cover the distributor, and you can either cover the alternator and fuse box, or use low pressure spray in those areas. Wet the engine with high-pressure spray. Spray engine and compartment with Simple Green at full strength (dirty engine) otherwise use a 50/50 mix (50% Simple Green, 50% Water). Let sit for about 5 minutes. Use a brush on heavily soiled areas. Rinse with high-pressure spray, but use low pressure around electrical components. Don't forget the underside of the hood. 
After rinsing, start the engine and let run until the engine is dry. Go ahead and start wiping down the painted areas-but be careful while the engine is running. After the engine is dry, wipe down and towel dry the areas that you couldn't reach when the engine was running. Finish up with Silicone Spray on hoses and plastic parts and your ready to go. 
As long as you have no oil leaks, you shouldn't have to clean your engine more than 2 times a year.


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## Marvin (Oct 16, 2002)

Those of you with exposed air filter's may want to use a plastic bag and some tape or a zip tie.


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## pete? (Jul 6, 2004)

> Finish up with Silicone Spray on hoses and plastic parts and your ready to go.


You may want to strike that part from the write up. never use silicone, it greatly reduces the life of rubber and plastic. at the very least dont use this on your tires and engine hoses.........,however, your interior is not vital to your safty so spray away in there.


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## Blank (Aug 21, 2003)

1.6pete said:


> You may want to strike that part from the write up. never use silicone, it greatly reduces the life of rubber and plastic. at the very least dont use this on your tires and engine hoses.........,however, your interior is not vital to your safty so spray away in there.



use a vinyl dressing instead... vinylex werks great, and looks good too, anything safe for tires can be used on hoses and belts, just let it drip dry first before you start the car as sometimes the propellent is flamable and it could splatter everywhere...


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## am3rican (Feb 26, 2005)

Im ashamed to admit this, but where is the distributor/fuse box and other electronics located on my car. ive never actually washed an engine bay...lol...so i have no idea where this sh*t is.


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## Blank (Aug 21, 2003)

am3rican said:


> Im ashamed to admit this, but where is the distributor/fuse box and other electronics located on my car. ive never actually washed an engine bay...lol...so i have no idea where this sh*t is.


fuse box is going to be a big black plastic box labled fuses... other then that watch for any groups of wires, watch where the plugs connect to the wires your MAF sensor(near your intake) or anything else that exen makkes you think electronic.,...


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## wildmanee (Nov 21, 2004)

Pete and others, if you used 100% silicon lubricant it will NOT harm any rubber/plastic components. It is the silicon that has additives mixed in with it that chew away at the plastic and rubber.


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## Exalta (Jan 21, 2003)

I'd like to add a link here for this thread:

How to detail your engine 

Just click! :crazy:


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## sybergato (Aug 23, 2005)

JRinke I finally got ballzy enough to do it today. I cleaned my bay out n' it started up afterwards. Here are my pics of what I covered, if I should have covered something else, someone please state it. I'd like to be safer next time if I should be.
















The two fuse boxes, disconnected positive battery terminal (covered whole thing), intake box, and alternater. I was pretty happy with the outcome, I didn't get the hood too well cause I forgot to do it until last and I had run outa mean green. DON"T FORGET UNDER THE HOOD! Lots of crap under there.


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## sybergato (Aug 23, 2005)

My engine bay definatilly needs a good cleaning. But I'm afraid of screwing up electronics in there.. . .


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## JRinke (Jan 10, 2006)

Im with you here Syber (first time I added oil, forgot to put the cap back on...DOH). Can anyone provide pictures of a completey sealed engine bay as in before you do the spray? Or does someone know of a method that offers more control than spraying but a little area that toothbrush? Perhaps a stiff bristle paintbrush and some of the Simple Green or some other grease detergent.


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## MyGreenMax94 (Dec 17, 2005)

Adding to this sticky: I use leaf blower to dry the engine bay and especially the electrical components/harness connectors...This will help prevent water from shorting out electrical components.....


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## sybergato (Aug 23, 2005)

lol, I'm guessing if I just use a garden hose and try to be carful not to actually AIM it at electronic components I'll be ok??


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## Matt93SE (Sep 17, 2003)

you guys forgot about spraying water on a hot exhaust manifold = BAD.

you also forgot to mention that simple green will corrode bare alumium and leave a thin layer of white aluminum oxide on it.


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## pimpride (Mar 28, 2005)

Yea be careful, the last time I cleaned my engine bay I got water somewhere. Maybe it wasn't that, maybe it was the DAMNED WATER STORM that night that forced me through about foot deep water. That was about $300 in damages to get it running (mechanic pricing).


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## PulsarPhill (Oct 9, 2005)

might want to try using a steam cleaner this doesnt to any damage to any electrics and due to the heat removes alot of oily substances


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## thestunts200sx (Jul 11, 2005)

PulsarPhill said:


> might want to try using a steam cleaner this doesnt to any damage to any electrics and due to the heat removes alot of oily substances


This would work really well.....


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## sweet3rdgen (Jun 9, 2006)

DO NOT USE A STEAM CLEANER!!!! Steam in the engine bay is bad. Steam can go where even water cannot. Steam will settle in electronic connectors and eventually cause corrosion there. Those little connectors under the hood do a great job keeping water out of the connector but will let steam in, and once the steam gets in it returns to water.


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## jobeken (Oct 3, 2005)

just cover the electrical components with a tight plastic wrap. and use the steam sparingly.


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## NoLmit-B13 (Sep 23, 2006)

lol well i tried this, covered everything
warmed it up, sprayed it with autozone degreaser, and rinsed it and dried everything off

and now i have a studdering exhaust and bouncy idle...lol i dont really care im getting wires and plugs soon, im just worried about that o2 sensor...


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## stonersentra (Nov 29, 2006)

i use wheel cleaner to clean the engine then go over it with maguires (maby spelled wrong but o well) protectant for the inside... the motor LOOKS GREAT AND NEW stays shiney for months i load it down with the shine


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## pintaraTiman (Jun 1, 2008)

I was just curious, wtf is green?


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## datsun210deluxe (Dec 4, 2008)

If you leave the engine running you dont have to cover a thing, that how the pros do it.


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## joeysworld (Dec 22, 2009)

The fuse box should be able to accept a little moisture as long as you don't continually blast the box with a high pressure pressure washer. 

I didn't warm up the engine. I low pressure sprayed with some commercial grade degreaser over engine. Waited a few minutes and then high pressure sprayed and got good results. Be wary of stickers flying off the body if you use to high a pressure washer 
(I blasted one of my fuse box diagrams off). Also, drive belts may become dry and begin to make noise. 

I started the enigine afterward and drove down the block to dry off.

Remember to pay extra attention to electronics and air intake areas, such as covering, and or avoiding prolonged direct conact of high pressure spray.


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## jamesw1954 (Sep 23, 2014)

I washed the engine on my 2002 Nissan frontier 4x4 (3.3 liter, I've done it several times before) let it run for a while, now it will not start. it has 150,000 on it and the distributor was replace about 6 months ago.


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## jameshenry (Aug 11, 2015)

Engine cleaning is basically the work of expert mechanic. But if you want to do it you have to take care of each and every part while cleaning and later them have to adjust them properly. If certain part gets not fitted properly it can make your vehicle in standing. You have to do the proper oiling of the engine parts and have to thorow look over vehicle's batterty also. I once tried this work and was sucessful in my operation. But it took me around 8 hours. While trained mechanic can save your minimum three hours in it.


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## davidjones (Aug 21, 2015)

Be careful in its use, otherwise it may damage electric system of your vehicle.


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## jasmondelle (Jul 22, 2019)

Use pure silicone and it will work perfectly


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## Blackdude (Apr 24, 2020)

pintaraTiman said:


> I was just curious, wtf is green?


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## Blackdude (Apr 24, 2020)

Simple green degreaser. It’s green liquid. Cost is about $5 give or take.


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