Cleaning the engine bay

[Whayong]

Anybody do any steam cleaning at the car wash/detail locations? What's the concensus on these? Good? Bad? Unknown?

[steedafocusgirl]

Originally Posted by Oofast focusoO

foamy enging brite by gunk works good.

That **** stinks 4 a week!!!!!!!

[bustonit]

Hands down, Greased Lightning Orange Blast Auto/Shop Degreaser....I have never had a product work so well, and leave engine compartment parts clean like new.
No dressing needed.

[BLUE_02_ZX3]

I also used greased lighning orange and had great results

[GapBoyPCS]

Originally Posted by steedafocusgirl

That **** stinks 4 a week!!!!!!!

My sentiments exactly. The Gunk stuff stank...

I'm going to try other cleaners. So far Simple Green does a great job. I heard Castrol cleaner is very harsh...so don't leave that on your paint too long.

[BLUE_02_ZX3]

I used to work at arby's and we had this stuff that we used to clean the grease off the floors, and in its undiluted form, it will etch concrete, I used it on my wet engine, in my old geo, and then sprayed the shiite out of, and Im telling you, It went from 15 years of grease and dirt, to unbeliveable. I thin kit was from SF chemicls or somehting, I would love to get my hands on some of that again. but I think I would dilute it quite abit for my focus

[2focusd]

Cleaning products scare me when they have the potential of doing something like you just described bro

-Brian

[BLUE_02_ZX3]

they work though!, so you lose a vaccum hose or two, no big deal

[2focusd]

Who needs all that sucking anyway right?

-Brian

[BLUE_02_ZX3]

um speak for yourself

[moxiepwr777]

Is a damp paper towel ok for cleaning? It's a new car, so there's not much dirt built up...

[Honkeytonk Monkey]

Several hours of toothbrush, potato brush and tiny paintbrush with a bottle of Spray Nine... no LS1 like in the winter beater, but no dirt anywhere to be found. Of course the next day it rained...

[bryst06]

soap and water and a brush..

Before
http://www.zeebone.com/bryfsvt/04140...28Large%29.JPG

After

http://www.zeebone.com/bryfsvt/04140...28Large%29.JPG

[rtaber]

I've had good luck diluting Purple Power--Walmart has it for @ $4/gal--50/50 and spraying it generously over everything, even the inner hood. I might brush a particularly gooky area, then rinse thoroughly with a mist from the hose. It doesn't seem to matter if the engine's warm or cold. I've never had a starting problem with a number of different makes.

[John B]

Just don't get any water down in your spark plug boot holes. I did it once and my car ran like doodie. My check engine light even came on to tell me I had a misfire in cylinder 1. Thanks, Sherlock!

I had to take out my plugs and air dry them and also air dried the plug holes.

PITA

[LornesBored]

hey, quick question

I quirted oil all over the drivers side of the engine bay a month ago.

like fully on everything, all the harnesses, the air intake, everything. I was thinking of just powerwashing and using a soap and rag.

what should I tape off?

[gemiller]

heh i do it by hand on this car all the freaky electronics..

on my carburated rides i just take off the distributor and i bought a plug for it unbolt my carb and put the carb cover plate on the intake and pressure wash the crap! then detail it up with spray detailer on the chrome.

[GapBoyPCS]

Originally Posted by PerfectSaiyan

hey, quick question

I quirted oil all over the drivers side of the engine bay a month ago.

like fully on everything, all the harnesses, the air intake, everything. I was thinking of just powerwashing and using a soap and rag.

what should I tape off?

The owner's manual shows you what to cover off:
- air box
- engine fuse box
- coil pack

Personally, I got a step further in making sure you don't get much or anything by the spark plug wires going into the block. There's a small gap between the boots and the holes and you can easily get water in there.

[orionlion82]

for a STANDARD cleaning (its not a show car) every few months:

i have had good sucess with the Coin-op wand-type "tire and engine" cleaner setting.

1. complete wash of car - methods vary - but usually i do everything up to the spot-free rinse, but i hold short of that.
pop the hood.

2. tire and engine cleaner (usually very low pressure even with the trigger squeezed) - stand back about 5 feet. hit the underside of the hood, and then mist over the whole engine bay.
dont concentrate your spray in one area. resist the urget to "blast" any crud. go over it a few times, if needed, but stand back so as not to force the stuff in the seals. soak for a few moments. (dont let it dry)

3. spot free rinse. (fairly low pressure as well, even squeezing the trigger)
stand back 5 feet again - start with the underside of the hood. the detergent is usually fairly concentrated stuff, so it might take a bit...
once the hood is running clean of detergent, mist over the whole engine bay again, untill all the detergent is gone. pay attention to getting the stuff out of nooks and crannies and seals, but just spend more time - dont "blast" anything. letting that stuf stay over the long term is likely not-good.
spot-free rinse the whole car.

this is sufficient for normal cleanings, or probably a good "prewash" for the trophy engine bay. costs about a dollar more than a regular wand wash, but every other month keeps it acceptably clean.

i have NEVER had any trouble with electrical things getting wet.
high pressure jets - no doubt - are clearly a bad idea.
best done before a good waxing, because the detergent likely strips wax in the overspray areas.

Enjoy!

[Counterfiend]

I have always done a bottle of soapy water, some rags, q-tips, small brush's and a shop vac.

oh, and tools. so you can unbolt stuff and get under it, or around it

[COSitsWORTHit]

holy crap this is old!

[Silfox]

^^^ I was thinking the same thing. But its not really a zombie since there is a new post every month or so. Its just been around since 11/03!


I use diluted simple green. Spray around the use some good ole elbow grease, some rags, and a few tooth brushes. Clean it once a month and its pretty easy.

[zetecgt]

just remember....

Do Not Flood The Engine!!!

Too much water is a bad thing. Just lightly rinse it off and use an air hose to dry the cracks and crevices.

I usually use a little degreaser, soap, water, and a wheel brush. I finish it off with a little silicone spray to brighten everything up a bit.

dave.

[mpcv2000]

If there is a prize to win I should have it...this is when I bought my 00 ZX3 last fall :

























I used a presure washer and soap to clean dishes





































There's still rust but at least we can see the motor..........

[MaximusZTS]

^ WOW that looks great. How long did that take you to do?