Engine Bay Clean

[Anquetil]

After the recent Skidpan day my entire engine bay is covered in just... crap basically, and since my radiator went on the weekend I wanna also get rid of any coolant stains that may be on the belts.

Are the engine bay cleaners at places like Carlovers any good? I certainly dont want to do it with elbow grease cause it would take for ever?

Covering the air filter and AFM is a good idea, any other sensitive electrics that need covering up?

Thanks

[MJ]

wont degreaser get rid of all of that? yeah cover up the electrics, dont forget the alternator too

[hippy]

degreaser works like you wouldn't beleive ... just give it a try .. 2 bucks a can ...

[predator]

covering electrics is optional as long as you leave the bonnet open for a good few hours afterwards to dry out fully. There isn't too much that water can do to get in, unless you just stand there in the same spot with the hose.

[WHITE R32]

im a car detailer... just take it to car lovers use the degreaser provided aswell as 1 can of $2 stuff for grimy areas and leave for a few mins the just attack it with the hi pressure soap for a sec which neutralises the de greaser then rince it well with water making sure to get it all off..... dont cover electrics at all and dont worry about leaving bonnet open just take it for a 15 min drive afterwards and that will disipate all the water enough.... just watch the degreaser on the paintwork on the outside of the car cause it will mark it if left on (the engine bay paint doesnt really matter cause it is a matt finish most times anyway) if you do mark the paint just attack it with a cream polish till its gone.... if you have any other detailing woes feel free to ask me cause ive done it for years....

[jlnewton]

I have been cleaning mine gradually since the skidpan day. Made quite a mess. I have alway been hesitant to hose under the bonnet with all the electrics and all, but it doesn't sound too bad, but wait the disclaimer.

[Anquetil]

Looks like I got a date with Carlovers and a can of degeaser tomorrow night :aroused:

Ta guys!

[AutoTrust]

If you can get your hands on a product called Shift-It made by Kenco, I think this stuff is magic. the only things in your engine bay to be careful of are the pod filter if fitted, and the alarm siren, Happy cleaning!

[MotoX]

i used the high pressure hose on mine, and some water got into my boost controler. played up for about 1 day, then it was working fine. but all other electrics should be fine as jon said.

good luck in the search for the sparkly engine bays

[qikr33]

i use degreaser on mine all the time and it comes up schmiko just dony use a high pressure spray on the engine bay.light pressure and be direct at what ur cleaning i dont suggest just going crazy with it

[jlnewton]

I did mine a couple of days ago with degreaser and it came up pretty good, missed and farted for a while though.

[BelGarion]

yer my engine bay looks terrible since the skidpan, but i never have the time to do nething about it

[Guest INASNT]

im a car detailer... just take it to car lovers use the degreaser provided aswell as 1 can of $2 stuff for grimy areas and leave for a few mins the just attack it with the hi pressure soap for a sec which neutralises the de greaser then rince it well with water making sure to get it all off..... dont cover electrics at all and dont worry about leaving bonnet open just take it for a 15 min drive afterwards and that will disipate all the water enough.... just watch the degreaser on the paintwork on the outside of the car cause it will mark it if left on (the engine bay paint doesnt really matter cause it is a matt finish most times anyway) if you do mark the paint just attack it with a cream polish till its gone.... if you have any other detailing woes feel free to ask me cause ive done it for years....

what about steam cleaning the engine bay?

i was told if i steam cleaned it all the hoses and wires would become brittle and start to crack and squeek after a few months. Is this true?

[WHITE R32]

when i worked at toyota we steam cleaned every car like mad even the new ones so no harm can be done... the worst thing can be water in electrical connectors which cause an intermittant miss for a short time..... goes away after half hour driving...

[WHITE R32]

if anything causes hoses to be come brittle etc its under bonnet heat and age...

[Guest INASNT]

so whats the best way to clean engine bay? Steam clean or good degreaser and a gurnie?

[WHITE R32]

depends what it is that u wanna get off... if its the grimy grey stuff on the paint thats hard to shift... i have a chemical here i made that gets that off but if u wanna clean engine just go and buy a concentrated orange oil cleaner like made from citric acid etc thats usually good and mix it a little more powerfull than they reccomend but just watch the paint on the top of ur guards... what i do is wet the outside paint on guards bumper etc first then chemicals wont be so likely to attack the paint on contact....

[Guest INASNT]

i need to clean general grease and grime which has accululated frrom the car being at the workshop with the bonnet opne for 4 months.

[666DAN]

Does anyone know where you can get a good steam clean done...it's hard to find somewhere that the EPA hasn't cracked down on!!! Anyone here work at a semitrailer cleaning place?

[WHITE R32]

dan i could do it for u but it involves a fair drive .... i used to be a car detailer... so i make em look as good as they can...