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washing engine bay

5K views 9 replies 8 participants last post by  markmnj 
#1 ·
Guys my engine bay is terrible. I have been thinking about spraying some degreaser in there then washing everything off.

Just wondering how many of you have done that with ease and no future problems or electrical gremlins came up.

Just concerned with washing the bay and then have problems creep up.

Thanks,
 
#3 ·
When I first got my EXT, I did a quick rinse of the engine compartment with a garden hose. I was amazed at how large the openings are around the inner fenders and frame. I live in "Salt Central" during the winter, so my biggest fear was how bad the salt and sludge would build up over the course of each winter. I went to the Dollar store and purchased a roll of inexpensive rubber truck bed liner, and proceeded to cut/fit it into the fender wells, sealing up those huge openings, using some of those plastic push fasteners to hold them in place. I did this well over a year ago, and what a HUGE difference inside the engine compartment. There is more than enough airflow throughout the engine compartment, so I had no worries about a heat problems during summer. I have not had to rinse the engine since. I just do a wet wipe down of the plastic covers, etc once in a while. Biggest thing for me was the fact that I was able to keep the lousy salt out of the engine compartment!!
 
#7 ·
I put together a toot for my s197 forum pals a few years back (believe 2008) that really is killer for making this work effortless. I'm copying it over - use if you like:


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_...se_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 but do not ground out the hot link of the alternator. 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 or brush as necessary, 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 and doesn't catch dust/dirt like the more clingy counterparts in that dressing market.

Hope it helps, I do it twice a year to my DD's -

Here's a few before and afters on one of my avalanche's-








 
#9 ·
I did mine...regular handheld gun on the hose. I've been washing engine bays in all my vehicles and never had any issues. I just try to stay away from the alternator. Afterwards, I used to use CD2 Engine Detailer...was an awesome spray. Just sprayed it everywhere and let is sit 10mins then started it up. Would last weeks! But since they no longer sell it, I tried out Gunk's Engine Detailer. I don't like how it sprays (extremely watery) but after letting it sit about an hour, looks really nice.
 
#10 ·
Regarding electrical gremlins...I would be careful not to spray too crazily near the ends of the upper intake manifold. A few years ago I did that to the 5.3 liter v-8 in my chevy and washed in a P0332, (knock sensor 2 low input code). There isn't much in the way of protection to keep water from getting under the upper intake and causing knock sensor issues. The sensors are mounted in the valley cover underneath and prone to water related problems. What happened to mine was water and cleaning agents oxidized the aluminum knock sensors threads and caused grounding issues. Since then I am rather careful when hosing an engine compartment.

emay, that's one spiffy engine compartment!
 
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