washing engine bay?

[LS1TOY]

well my engine bay looks like a soil yard at the moment:shiner:. just after any tips or tricks to cleaning the engine bay. thanks.
Jake,

[BlackCalaisVVE]

I use to spray some degreaser on and leave it for a few minutes then get a gurney or hose on to it cover the battery though. Only problem is the smell of the degreaser lasts a while and can even be smelt inside the car

[Mungrel]

I bought a 5L container of concentrated degreaser, dilute it with water (4:1 from memory), spray it on using an ordinary spray bottle, let sit for a few mins and hose off.

I cover the alternator and battery with plastic bags too.

Never encountered any degreaser smell inside my car..

[ac2001au]

....and cover the ABS module/Connector (if Applicable).

[Bravotwozero]

I get the el cheapo degreaser from Autobarn for $3 for two cans & spray vigorously. Wait a few minutes and then hose off. I cover nothing, but I only use a trickle not a high pressure blast. And yeah it smells for a day or two.

And I don't do stuff like coils, battery etc etc.

[solid]

Go to your local car wash with your engine as cool as possible. Give it a quick squirt with hot soapy water then right after that, apply the engine degreaser/tyre cleaner agent (providing your car wash has this). Wait 5 minutes or so, then give it a hit with spot free rinse water. Comes out unbelievably clean. Ive been doing this for years now every 2 months or so, never had an issue. All the connectors have gaskets in them anyway, so no real threat of water ingress. Dont spray directly on the connectors though :)

[BLACK 346]

Dont get water under the intake manifold, it can get down
into the knock sensors and just sits there, farking them.

[LS1TOY]

thanks i bought a couple of cans of degreaser yesterday, so ill give it a go tommorrow. weve got tank water and my girlfriends nanna bought me a karcher for my b'day lol what a champ she is.:woohoo:
Jake,

[cbwolf]

With the engine warm (not hot) spray degreaser wherever you see appropriate. Then let it sit for a couple of minutes and rinse with a pressure washer (this is ideal as what comes out of a pressure washer is mostly air and very little water). Feel free to cover things such as coils, battery, fusebox, intake etc etc. I personally don't and have never had a problem on 30+ cars i have done.

Just a quick caution, avoid spraying degreaser on your belts and rubber hoses as it can dry them out and degrade them causing your belts to start squealing.

[steane]

If its just dusty and not greasy/oily then try using armorall tyre shine spray (the foaming one). Sounds weird I know but it does a sensational job. Spray it on, leave it until the foam has gone then wipe over with a rag and it all looks like new.

[Mozzie]

Citrus degreaser.. works wonders. Still be careful where you spray it but the benefit is that its not harsh on components and its biodegradeable and will leave a nice smell too :D But basically spray it on and get yourself a small gerni and run it at a lower pressure than you would wash the car at and spray top down so that it doesn't spray all over the place with crap. Leave the bonnet up and allow to dry thoroughly and use an old chamois to get to most of the areas you can.

[GRUNTS]

i always wash my engine STONE cold before i've even started it, use degreaser only where you have to then hose that off, after that wash everything in engine bay and engine with car wash as you would the outside, chamois off then run engine,i've been washing my cars engines like this for years and never had a problem

[georgec]

My advice would be NEVER use a pressure sprayer - degreaser and normal hose is all you need. Have been doing this for years and never had a problem. First time I used a pressure sprayer, bye bye coil. Admittedly, that was on my VS Calais, but I would never take the risk of using a pressure sprayer again.

[zapher007]

NEVER do it on a VL Commodore. about 8 years ago I bought one and the engine was dirty (bought it off a farmer living on a dirt road) and decided to clean it the day I bought it. It didn't start for 2 weeks. Not good when you can't drive your 1st car for the 1st 2 weeks!!

ha ha

[DVS VT Clubby]

All i do with mine is spray degreaser on then pressure wash it off, i then give the engine bay a blow out with an air blower and compressor. Never had any troubles.

[JaMeS_2007]

is it worth leaving the motor running with washing with a hose or pressure?

[Lincoln87]

ive been told..

COLD engine.

quick hose.

few suds and a sponge.

quick hose. see where there is heaps of dirt.

spray degreser where needed.

sponge again.

hose.



*******
but have also been told

cold engine, but running.

hose.

degreser

hose.

done.


*****


i personally dont know what to do.
just not to directly spray water into places liek the batter or alternator or the intake etc etc. (common sense??)

[255-LS1]

not just on cars, but when we wash our bikes we let them run on idle after washing to dry everything out. (of coarse with a fresh air filter).

[JET-33]

My advice would be NEVER use a pressure sprayer

agreed :goodjob:

[Raptor6L]

Export degreaser ($2 from Supercheap) and a hose, on a cold engine, then wash the ute.
Usually every 2nd or third time i tub the car.

[deeligan]

washed heaps of car engines when on the spanners at dealerships, best thing i found to wash engine with was kero,let sit for a couple of mins and then wash off with pressure cleaner and blow dry with compressed air and take for a drive to get up to operating temp,never had a problem

[miss monaro]

I use and found it the best truck wash in a spray bottle ,spray on,close bonnet,drink a couple of beers,open bonnet,wash off ,close bonnet,works a treat.

[whitels1ss]

....and cover the ABS module/Connector (if Applicable).

Yes, VERY IMPORTANT!!!
THESE SUCKERS GET A LITTLE BIT OF WATER IN THEM
AND A SHORT TIME LATER ALL THE WARNING LIGHTS
COME ON AND IT IS A VERY EXPENSIVE FIX!
NEW ABS/TRACTION CONTROL MODULE NEEDED!!!
SEEN THIS QUITE A FEW TIMES! :soap:

[Nugget69]

Yes, VERY IMPORTANT!!!
THESE SUCKERS GET A LITTLE BIT OF WATER IN THEM
AND A SHORT TIME LATER ALL THE WARNING LIGHTS
COME ON AND IT IS A VERY EXPENSIVE FIX!
NEW ABS/TRACTION CONTROL MODULE NEEDED!!!
SEEN THIS QUITE A FEW TIMES! :soap:


thanks for the above advice :)

[whitels1ss]

thanks for the above advice :)

No worries, the problem often takes weeks, and even sometimes months to show up after you wash your engine bay, but these units are not very well sealed and do not like any moisture at all. :vpo:

[HSVGTS215i]

Only time water will kill coil packs is if they are cracked, otherwise they are waterproof.

[his gts]

NEVER do it on a VL Commodore. about 8 years ago I bought one and the engine was dirty (bought it off a farmer living on a dirt road) and decided to clean it the day I bought it. It didn't start for 2 weeks. Not good when you can't drive your 1st car for the 1st 2 weeks!!

ha ha

x2. Had a VL turbo and it cost me $350 to replace a sensor. Pretty expensive engine degrease thats for sure. Just another learning experience.