Washing the engine bay question

[bigwayne3000]

Ok so whenever this tsunami of rain storms stops in NJ I will be trying to detail my car. I havent cleaned the engine bay since I got it back in end of December 2010. For those of you who wash yours, could you provide me with any tips on how to do it effectively and not water damage anything? Last thing I need is to get in there and blast the wrong thing w/ water and then be s.o.l. Thanks for the help guys!

[krauser1980]

interested also

[Moose]

I always prefer the "old school method";

1. A spray bottle of 'Orange Blast'/'Simple Green', diluted with water
2. A roll of paper towels and some old rags
3. A good quality wax/polish
3. A good quality rubber treatment/protectant
4. A couple of detailing brushes

I clean by hand.

I know other's ahve used steam cleaning, etc., but I prefer to detail by hand.

Ed

[jmelchio]

Adams has some videos on cleaning/dressing the engine bay. Here's a link to the cleaning video.

http://www.adamspolishes.com/t-Detai...ngine_Bay.aspx

[wrbear]

I've cleaned mine with a jet of water from the water hose attachment and blowing the excess water off with a leaf blower. Do this on a cold or driven out of the garage temp engine. I have not scrubbed it yet still pretty clean. I would check and re-check some of the products that will be recommended. They could discolor, stain, or etch parts. Do your homework. I have also taken cars to the local DIY car wash and used a power wand. That's effectively if it's really dirty just don't shoot it straight onto the engine block.

[bigwayne3000]

So I should be fine with water on the engine so long as I'm not doing it on an excessively hot engine? There's nothing I need to worry about though in terms of electrical stuff that may be damaged?

[Mr_Draco]

Originally Posted by bigwayne3000

So I should be fine with water on the engine so long as I'm not doing it on an excessively hot engine? There's nothing I need to worry about though in terms of electrical stuff that may be damaged?

Yes. Don't do it on a hot engine.

The electrical connections and compartments will stay dry as long as you use normal water hose pressure at your house. If you use a pressure washer then you run the risk of forcing water into areas of the engine bay that water should not go and could make your car be inoperable for a few hours or worse.

[NicksVSix]

I've heard that washing the engine is bad. At least with water (ie: an engine shampoo) I'd just do what Moose suggested.

[bigwayne3000]

Originally Posted by NicksVSix

I've heard that washing the engine is bad. At least with water (ie: an engine shampoo) I'd just do what Moose suggested.

Yea, I mean I've seent he Adams video before and he uses water to clean it. I think so long as its not prolonged exposure to direct water I should be good. Some of that stuff gets wet when it rains anyway.

[Chobbs11]

So no one covers anything with plastic? It's good to just spray into the engine bay without covering anything? I currently use a couple of rags and just wipe everything I can get to every single time I wash the car, then I blow out the engine with forced air. But I would love to be able to just spray,brush,rinse, blowdry!

[greg_74]

Idk if this would hold true for the LS3 but I would assume so... But I've washed my engine bay on my LS1 using a spray bottle with an orange clean mix after I wetted the engine down with a regular hose and spray nozzle with just a light shower, not a real hard stream, and then sprayed it down after the orange clean and then just towel dried it. My engine bay was pretty dirty on my car when I bought it but I keep it clean now doing that about once a summer and then just wiping everything down after I do a normal wash on the car. The only thing I try to avoid getting too wet is the the pcm and electrical stuff up by the firewall. I know its not a good idea to use water on LT1 Camaros but thats because of the opti.

Btw are you guys' engine bays already that dirty? Your cars are like 2 years old or less!

[Chobbs11]

Just not gonna let it get dirty. My goal is to KEEP it clean.

[wrbear]

I've washed all of my cars at one time or another at a do it yourself car wash and power washed the engine bay. I once had a problem starting the car but it was old school distributor and carb. Back then I would pull the filter off and cover the carb. No problemo with the new technology...so far.

[bigwayne3000]

Ok, so general consensus is its ok to wash/hose it down just dont excessively wet it. Thanks guys. I havent looked at the bay so idk how dirty it is, maybe I will get by with just wiping it down.