Cleaning engine bay-What's best?

[reflexboy]

Having detailed my new (to me car) I really want to clean the engine bay. It's not oily at all, just dusty and it has been three and a half years of not being touched. I'm obviously not going to use a jet washer but I am pretty worried about getting water into places it shouldn't be. Should I just use something like Flash APC with a sash brush and then rinse under low pressure with a garden hose or am I asking for trouble? Is it best to leave the engine running whilst cleaning or not? Or is there a better method or product I can use safely?

 

[merc85]

i use wd40 on a rag

 

[Giantvanman]

^That or a garden hose with no nozzle and only a trickle coming out so you can be sure where the water goes for rinsing and a sponge cut into two/three pieces and soapy water……….as long as you don't soak anything electrical, you will be fine.

 

[evdok]

I snow foamed mine

 

[WDB124066]

Water blasted mine yesterday, looks great, goes even better.

Nothing wrong with a quick swipe or two, except, watch those stickers!

 

[Guy.Pap]

WD40 I used to use it until I found Gibbs oil, I have used this stuff for years and being a gun oil does not leave it sticky for dust and grime to reattach itself. Gibbs Brand: Home

 

[CaptainRAVE]

I used to use WD40, but recently I tried Autoglym engine degreaser...absolutely fantastic stuff. Spray, agitate gently with a brush (I use a small paint brush) and then rinse down with water. It easily lifts off all of the grease, oil, dirt etc. I would usually steam clean the tricky to get to places, but mine has broken

What worked well in the past was to spray WD40, agitate with a brush and then soak up with a microfibre cloth.

 

[reflexboy]

Thanks guys. Think I will try the AG stuff or the Meg's stuff. So it's ok to rinse with a hose on low pressure?

 

[WDB124066]

A water blaster does not use much water, a hose does tend to, so a quick swipe with a blaster does no harm on a M104 at least. Maybe keep it away from the brake fluid though and leave the bonnet up in the sun so things dry before starting...

 

[Minz]

A water blaster does not use much water, a hose does tend to, so a quick swipe with a blaster does no harm on a M104 at least. Maybe keep it away from the brake fluid though and leave the bonnet up in the sun so things dry before starting...

So he can only do this 1 week in the year?

 

[markjay]

We used to steam-clean engine bays back in the 70' and 80', it worked a treat but in those days you only had to worry about covering up the distributor and coil. You had to be careful not to remove any factory wax sealant from the the metal panels though.

I used Gunk on my previous car, worked well but the car had oil leaks so it made sense, not sure about using engine degreaser on a dry engine.

I am also not convinced about using WD40 - the thin protective film it leaves tends to attract dust.

Not sure what is the best way to clean a modern dry-but-dusty engine - perhaps high pressure air line - while avoiding direct blasts on any delicate wiring?

 

[CaptainRAVE]

Thanks guys. Think I will try the AG stuff or the Meg's stuff. So it's ok to rinse with a hose on low pressure?

Yes, just avoid electricals and the altenator. Make sure you do it on a cold engine. Probably worth giving the car a run afterwards, not that I always do!

 

[DerekEddlestone]

Engine bay cleaning.

Having detailed my new (to me car) I really want to clean the engine bay. It's not oily at all, just dusty and it has been three and a half years of not being touched. I'm obviously not going to use a jet washer but I am pretty worried about getting water into places it shouldn't be. Should I just use something like Flash APC with a sash brush and then rinse under low pressure with a garden hose or am I asking for trouble? Is it best to leave the engine running whilst cleaning or not? Or is there a better method or product I can use safely?

Your car was designed to be driven at 100 mph in the worst winter weather that can occur in Northern Europe so don't worry about getting the engine bay wet. Bad oil/grease build up is easiest to clean with a proper water soluble de-greaser but general grime will nearly always respond to one or more applications of a good snow foam washed off with a domestic water hose. If you have a compressor, the excess water can be largely blown away or you can take the car for a drive to dry everything. For 'dressing' the cleaned engine, I've been using 303 Aerospace Protectant for a long time and I'm happy to recommend it.

303 Aerospace Protectant | 303 Car Care & Detailing Products

 

[boxbrownie]

Your car was designed to be driven at 100 mph in the worst winter weather that can occur in Northern Europe so don't worry about getting the engine bay wet. Bad oil/grease build up is easiest to clean with a proper water soluble de-greaser but general grime will nearly always respond to one or more applications of a good snow foam washed off with a domestic water hose. If you have a compressor, the excess water can be largely blown away or you can take the car for a drive to dry everything. For 'dressing' the cleaned engine, I've been using 303 Aerospace Protectant for a long time and I'm happy to recommend it.

303 Aerospace Protectant | 303 Car Care & Detailing Products

Total agreement, I used to film wade testing and environmental wind tunnel testing using minicams at various locations underhood, absolutely everywhere got drenched at one time or another, everywhere!

Just avoid using high pressure jets at electrical connectors too close, they are designed to be environmentally sealed, but not 1000+psi @ 12".....

 

[boxbrownie]

Oh yes, the AG engine cleaner is brilliant stuff, works as well as Gunk without the secondhand car dealer smell afterwards...........either the car or the dealer

 

[reflexboy]

Oh yes, the AG engine cleaner is brilliant stuff, works as well as Gunk without the secondhand car dealer smell afterwards...........either the car or the dealer

Thanks guys-Just done the engine bay with the AG stuff and you are right-it works very well indeed. Thanks

 

[gIzzE]

Engine Degreaser from ECP, about a fiver for a 5L can.

This was my 14 year old C-Class that looked like it had never been done since new after 10 minutes with this stuff in a jar with a paintbrush.

 

[Ted]

Now spray it with Autoglym rubber and vinyl treatment and watch it look even better!!!

 

[gIzzE]

I have got some of that, I will try it on the ML.

 

[Ozmikeuk]

Another vote here for 303 aerospace.