Cleaning the engine bay.

[Big Man]

Ever since I bought my L, I have never cleaned the engine bay. Now its all dusty and dirty and I need to clean it. I don't want to spray any cleaner in there and wash it off with a water hose because I don't need water dripping down into the spark plug holes. So Im going to hand wash it. Whats a good cleaner to use for hand washing?

 

[HISSMAN]

If it is just mainly dusty, and you do not want to use a hose, I suggest just using a rag, and some detail spray. That is all I use. When My 04 arrived, the bay was nasty, and I just used detail spray and a little elbow grease.

 

[rkomo]

'ZEP' (Green colored) All purpose cleaner and degreaser from Home Depot worked well for me. Buy/use a spray bottle. 'Sparingly' spray it on and wipe off with damp cloth. Try to keep it from seeping into the seams of the CAI tube and spark plug covers. You may also want to buy some "Armor All Protectant Wipes' to use on the plastic parts of the engine bay like the CAI Tube etc. It sharppens it up real nice......

 

[SOLISIMO]

When your done spray wd40 on the engine and you will be surprised at the shine you will get!

 

[SID297]

Just use a damp cloth.

 

[jonw440]

Here are some great engine detailing tools and cleaners/protectors.
Engine detailing stuff
Engine detailing article

 

[spree]

Simple Green works great too.

 

[jonw440]

Simple Green works great too.

IF you use Sg be sure to flush with a LOT of water if it touches ANY aluminum parts!
Here is a quote from SG site

Aluminum is a soft metal that easily corrodes with unprotected exposure to water. The aqueous-base and alkalinity of Simple Green or Crystal Simple Green can accelerate the corrosion process. Therefore, contact times of All-Purpose Simple Green and Crystal Simple Green with unprotected or unpainted aluminum surfaces should be kept as brief as the job will allow - never for more than 10 minutes. Large cleaning jobs should be conducted in smaller-area stages to achieve lower contact time. Rinsing after cleaning should always be extremely thorough - paying special attention to flush out cracks and crevices to remove all Simple Green/Crystal Simple Green residues. Unfinished, uncoated or unpainted aluminum cleaned with Simple Green products should receive some sort of protectant after cleaning to prevent oxidation.

I wouldn't recommend Simple Green.
Sonus All in 1 cleaner is just what you need to clean the entire engine compartment!

Just use a soft towel and a QD spray for painted pieces, Sonus Total Eclipse for rubber pieces

 

[EastCoast5.0]

I've used simple green and rinsed off many times and I get compliments on how my engine bay is clean for how many miles I have on it. If you do use it just be sure to thoroughly rinse it down.

 

[Big Man]

Just use a damp cloth.

I did already try that, not much luck. The water hoeses still looked like chit. I'll try this other stuff you guys recommended.

 

[CobraStyle97]

Clean and looks good

Use Enddust,Its cheap, works good, :rockon: small can to get in the tight spots.

 

[ravenknight]

Here are some great engine detailing tools and cleaners/protectors.
Engine detailing stuff
Engine detailing article

buy some aerospace 303, I just used it on my engine bay and works great, but make sure to read the directions. :thumbsup:

 

[Hillbilly Cobra]

Hey Big Man, I had a buddy visit you guys in Eddieville for about two years, said it was a nice place.

 

[97CasperCobra]

When your done spray wd40 on the engine and you will be surprised at the shine you will get!

WD40 will attract dust like you won't believe. That's why you're not supposed to use it in key holes or bike chains. It attracts dust and can make it more dirty.

I used Simple Green. Sprayed the engine w/water, then simple green, then started scrubbing. Washed off w/water then repeated. After that I used compressed air to blow a lot of the water out of the crevices and such and dried the rest off w/a towel. Then applied Armor All to the black parts and presto...clean, shiney engine. :-D

Before:

Notice i took out the intake and battery so I could clean underneath those as well.

After: