# engine bay cleanign tecniques



## FadedKM83 (Jan 27, 2003)

my engine bay is getting pretty dirty in my car. any tips on how to clean it and keep it clean? ive seen the spray on stuff used before, but im reluctant to use it..... does it work well? what do you guys do to keep her looking sharp?
thanks in advance,


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## tolley (Jul 25, 2003)

Simple green does the job nicely...


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## rios (Jun 10, 2002)

i usually use a dry cloth and that gets rid of all the crud on there


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## sentrasel860 (Aug 6, 2003)

If your engine is dusty, and you have access to one, I highly recommend an air compressor...


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## samo (Apr 30, 2002)

#1 way to keep your engine clean: Don't let it get dirty. Seriously. It's sounds stupid, but that's why Sean's engine bay is so gorgeous - it never, ever, ever gets dirty. Ever.


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## Spelchy (Jun 24, 1987)

my engine is always filthy. drive down a gravel road and its a mess... was there some kinda pan that came underneath that I dont have anymore?


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## Boromir (Oct 13, 2002)

i pay my boy 5 bucks to steam clean it...look new afterwards


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## Exalta (Jan 21, 2003)

i put diesel in a spray bottle, spray it all over the whole engine compartment (cover the air filter, valve breather,alternator and distributor with plastic) and let it sit there for 5 min. then i sparay a detergent solution and wash everything out with a high pressure water hose.


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## BruHaHa (Sep 5, 2003)

I second the simply green route. At least its somewhat environmentally safe. 

I've never heard of the diesel route before.


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## Boromir (Oct 13, 2002)

wouldnt cold water hurt th engine especially if its warm?? or any part under the hood.


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## olsaltybastard (May 11, 2003)

I use Castrol Super Clean, as per the instructions. Then I go through and hand wipe everything with a cloth lightly dampend with WD-40. Makes the black parts nice and shiney.


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## 95 SentraB13 (Jun 14, 2002)

Best engine degreaser I've used is *Varsol*. I use a clear spray bottle(measurements on side) I found from the plant section at WalMart to apply it. Worked excellent to clean out the inside of my cylinder head at least and other grease covered parts. Check out the Aug03 section of my site for pictures. A mechanic at WalMart said the local Ford and GM dealerships use it to clean out sludged up engines. I don't like Castrol Super Clean as it's corrosive, to my hands at least, and I hate wearing gloves and I find Varsol works equally as good or better not to mention it's much cheaper, only $4 for 4L.

Depending on how dirty, take off any air hoses and scrub them with a souring sponge using *Simple Green* in a shallow container of water. I was amazed how clean they became. Afterward, shine them up with *Turtle Wax Plastic and Vinyl Protector* or *Meguiar's Natural Shine Vinyl & Rubber Protectant* as it seems thicker and gives a better, longer lasting shine. I tried fragrance free baby oil after hearing someone else use it but it stays oily/slubby and doesn't give an even shine.
Hmm, what else. A toothbrush or other plastic bristled brush will help clean tight spaces. A small wire brush, found at dollar stores, is great too to remove corrosion or stuck on grease, if any. A Shop Vac with a blower port is great as it removes dirt and dust in impossible to reach spots. I suggest doing this before hand as it can be messy.
As for cleaning the painted areas I'd use a suitable car washing soap, clear coat safe, like Meguiar's Soft Gel. You don't want to use too harsh of a product on the paint in the engine bay unless you're prepared to polish and possible wax after to keep the paint refreshed with oils and to protect afterward. It's probably a good idea to do this anyway to keep it looking new.


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## Pacman (Feb 25, 2003)

Your best bet is to have the engine bay steam cleaned. It may be a little costly, but worth it. Maybe you can put a armoral (? on spelling, no English major  ) type spray to keep it clean.


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## Exalta (Jan 21, 2003)

> I've never heard of the diesel route before.


It's the ghetto way of cleaning the engine bay here.(Commercial cleaners cost a lot) a full engine bay cleanup like i mentioned costs only Php 80.00 here.($1.50) thats why the majority of local car washes utilize that method..but somehow its not "quite" environmentally friendly despite proper sanitation and collection procedures.


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## ash (May 22, 2003)

On the QR motor, I just bagged the air filter & alternator, sprayed the whole bay down with some Fantastik and hosed the mother down. Household cleaners rock.


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## Ninety-Nine SE-L (May 5, 2002)

my engine bay is pretty clean http://1997ga16de.nissanpower.com/cgi-bin/i/images/dsc02155.jpg

I hardly ever clean it, but when I do, I just use a damp rag to wipe out the dirt and I use armor-all wipes on the valve cover, hoses, and plastic parts to give them a shiny look.


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## Ninety-Nine SE-L (May 5, 2002)

BTW, this is an older pic, I cleaned it up a bit more.


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## tekmode (Feb 22, 2003)




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## MrOldLude (Jan 16, 2003)

Screw steam cleaning. Do it yourself, save yourself the trouble.

I admit, that last pic is clean, but my Lude's engine is cleaner.










or 










Good old original 1989 B20A5

Okay, I wrote this a while back. It was floating on the lude boards, but the information is pretty standard except for some tech details. 

Okay, first off, you're going to need some tools and supplies. A garden hose with a supply of water, a strong bristled brust(not a flat one, but one able to get into the nooks and crevices), some rags, meguairs purple degreaser, some dish soap, high-temp clear coat. 

When I did this, I popped off the intake pieces that stick out and off my air box. With the hole that remained, I plugged it with a rag. And really delicate things I need to be liberal with water on, I covered with a rag. (like the valve cover's deep socket holes. I didn't water down in there.) You might be surprised that engines keep out water relatively well, so have no fear. 

Now, degrease the engine. Spray down large areas with a little bit of water, cover it with degreaser, and then scrub the heck out of it with the brush. Repeat till you have done the entire engine. You're going to start to think, "Damn! See the shiny aluminum." Next, make some soapy water with the dish soap to get rid of the greasy bit of film remaining using another rag. Rinse.

After this, start the car and go for a solid 15 minute drive. This is for two reasons: A. To feel proud of yourself. B. To dry the engine. 

For the extreme shine that does not fade, that is not greasy, go to step 2.

Once you're back home, wait for the car to cool a little bit, and take your can of 500 degree plus clear coat, and start painting the engine. If you're not so good with paint, ask someone who could help you. It's pretty easy. Just be liberal with it. If paint scares you, then you don't need it, it's just for extra super-shiny look. At this point, detail and paint whatever else you need. (like silver power-steering, the heat-shield needs 1200+ degree paint. I've seen 1500 in stores in like black and red) I've also learned that the duplicolor 1200 degree black fades. The silver 1200 duplicolor does not.


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## kwertis (Aug 7, 2003)

whatever cleaner happens to be around the house, a rag, and an arm


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## RandomGuy (Mar 2, 2005)

Greased Lightning... .some REALLY CHEAP STUFF you can get from the dollar store... just spray it EVERYWHERE (not on sensative areas tho).... let it sit there for like a minute or two.... spray some more and wipe with a damp towel... keep on doing this til its all gone... this cleaner isnt too abrasive... i dont even use gloves.


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## 510Mods (Feb 21, 2005)

Just let it get as dirty as you can, then when you get around to it, grab a can of black paint and go over everything. Once a year, twice maybe if you have alot of leaks everywhere.


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## Tavel (Aug 21, 2004)

POWER WASHER baby! completely environmentally friendly cus its just water, and it doesn't harm engine components unless you're stupid about id. stuff in an engine is desighned to get wet, but that doesn't mean you can pound on the injectors or whatever.


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## moymch (Jan 5, 2005)

Simple Green does the trick for me


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