Engine Bay cleaning

iceman · 09-01-2009, 05:41 PM

Is there a list of what to cover and area to be careful around? while pw the engine. I have been searching for awile and cant find anything.
Thanks
Ice

traintech86 · 09-01-2009, 06:47 PM

from what i hear you def want to RM the battery and cover everything electrical with plastic and tape. i am sure there is more tho.

UglyMR2 · 09-23-2009, 02:35 PM

I have pressured washed more motors than I can count and I have never had one single issue when doing so. All I do is cover the air filter if its an open element and that's about it. With EFI cars these days all the connections are secure enough to keep water out so you really don't have to cover anything up. I usually spray a degreaser over everything and go to work. I keep the pressure washer back at least a foot from the motor itself at 1600psi.

muffinman · 09-23-2009, 02:40 PM

cover the dist. and ignitor and don't wet things more then you need too.

mr.ac · 09-27-2009, 04:08 AM

dont use the full power of the pressure washer. Use some degresser first. then gently wash your engine.

mr.asian.m2 · 09-27-2009, 02:32 PM

don't forget to cover the starter too....

Sang · 09-27-2009, 03:30 PM

I've been washing my engine about once a month for the last 4 years or so, and twice a month when they were doing construction on the road I lived and ended up living off a dirt road for a little over a year...

I cover the filter with a plastic shopping bag. I've had my share of alternator problems, so I cover top with aluminum foil (with battery disconnected) so water will drip around it. Whether this part is actually necessary or not, I don't know nor do I care, that's just how I do it.

I spray the engine with citrus engine brite (smells like crap but works well), let it sit then scrub any exceptionally dirty areas. Then rinse. I repeat the process until I'm happy.

te51levin · 09-27-2009, 06:10 PM

Keep water out of the spark plug wells. When you're done cleaning, make sure there is no water left in there. Vacuum it out with a wet/dry shop vac or blow it out with compressed air if there is any water inside.

Wear eye protection and use common sense. Getting greasy, acidic wash water in your eye is not fun.

GR8MR2 · 09-29-2009, 09:52 AM

One more tip. All the gunk you remove from your engine will wind up staining your driveway. Put down a tarp to collect the sludge if this matters to you.

I also use a low power PW (only 600psi) to clean the engine compartment. I use my compressor to blow out all the water paying special attention to the plug wells. I use plastic bags to cover electrical components. I wash the engine when it is slightly warm to aid in drying. I use a degreaser and a brush to dislodge stubborn dirt. I do cover the alternator, BTW as I don't want any degreaser on it to shorten it's already short life.

After cleaning, I use CD/2 engine detailer, an acrylic based spray-on product, that dries hard. I avoid oily dressings as they just attract and hold onto to dirt and make the engine get dirty faster.

Not the greatest shot but this is the engine bay on my 91 NA.

byza213 · 09-29-2009, 07:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by te51levin

Keep water out of the spark plug wells. When you're done cleaning, make sure there is no water left in there. Vacuum it out with a wet/dry shop vac or blow it out with compressed air if there is any water inside.

Wear eye protection and use common sense. Getting greasy, acidic wash water in your eye is not fun.

yea this happened to me a few weeks back lesson learnt my car was missing etc i was like ah ohh what now! but was the water in the spark plugs

LeePeyton · 10-02-2009, 01:27 AM

I hear good things about super clean. I'll have to try the acrylic spray when I drop the shiny new motor back in.

09-01-2009, 05:41 PM	#1 (permalink)
iceman Cage Fighter Join Date: May 2007 Posts: 105 Thanks: 3 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts iTrader Rating: (3/100% )	Engine Bay cleaning Is there a list of what to cover and area to be careful around? while pw the engine. I have been searching for awile and cant find anything. Thanks Ice

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09-01-2009, 06:47 PM	#2 (permalink)
traintech86 Traintech86 on all im's Join Date: May 2009 Location: Norfolk VA Posts: 920 Thanks: 14 Thanked 25 Times in 24 Posts My Google Map iTrader Rating: (2/100% )	from what i hear you def want to RM the battery and cover everything electrical with plastic and tape. i am sure there is more tho.

09-23-2009, 02:35 PM	#3 (permalink)
UglyMR2 I clean cars really good! Join Date: May 2009 Location: Ketchikan, Alaska Posts: 3 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts iTrader Rating: (0/0% )	I have pressured washed more motors than I can count and I have never had one single issue when doing so. All I do is cover the air filter if its an open element and that's about it. With EFI cars these days all the connections are secure enough to keep water out so you really don't have to cover anything up. I usually spray a degreaser over everything and go to work. I keep the pressure washer back at least a foot from the motor itself at 1600psi.

09-23-2009, 02:40 PM	#4 (permalink)
muffinman Brain Surgeon Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Ft. Lauderdale Posts: 1,797 Thanks: 24 Thanked 102 Times in 99 Posts My Google Map iTrader Rating: (1/100% )	cover the dist. and ignitor and don't wet things more then you need too.

09-27-2009, 04:08 AM	#5 (permalink)
mr.ac Just Say NO to Snorkes Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Central Coast, CA Posts: 329 Thanks: 0 Thanked 15 Times in 15 Posts iTrader Rating: (1/100% )	dont use the full power of the pressure washer. Use some degresser first. then gently wash your engine.

09-27-2009, 02:32 PM	#6 (permalink)
mr.asian.m2 SoCal/houston's mr2 Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: houston texas Posts: 1,274 Thanks: 20 Thanked 21 Times in 19 Posts iTrader Rating: (0/0% )	don't forget to cover the starter too....

09-27-2009, 03:30 PM	#7 (permalink)
Sang Go Magic! Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Home: Tampa, FL School: Gainesville, FL Posts: 3,399 Thanks: 19 Thanked 220 Times in 200 Posts iTrader Rating: (5/100% )	I've been washing my engine about once a month for the last 4 years or so, and twice a month when they were doing construction on the road I lived and ended up living off a dirt road for a little over a year... I cover the filter with a plastic shopping bag. I've had my share of alternator problems, so I cover top with aluminum foil (with battery disconnected) so water will drip around it. Whether this part is actually necessary or not, I don't know nor do I care, that's just how I do it. I spray the engine with citrus engine brite (smells like crap but works well), let it sit then scrub any exceptionally dirty areas. Then rinse. I repeat the process until I'm happy.

09-27-2009, 06:10 PM	#8 (permalink)
te51levin Lithia Toyota Parts Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Oregon Posts: 1,921 Thanks: 33 Thanked 146 Times in 125 Posts My Google Map iTrader Rating: (125/100% )	Keep water out of the spark plug wells. When you're done cleaning, make sure there is no water left in there. Vacuum it out with a wet/dry shop vac or blow it out with compressed air if there is any water inside. Wear eye protection and use common sense. Getting greasy, acidic wash water in your eye is not fun.

09-29-2009, 09:52 AM	#9 (permalink)
GR8MR2 MR2 owner since 1990 Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Wisconsin/Florida Posts: 53 Thanks: 2 Thanked 21 Times in 12 Posts iTrader Rating: (0/0% )	One more tip. All the gunk you remove from your engine will wind up staining your driveway. Put down a tarp to collect the sludge if this matters to you. I also use a low power PW (only 600psi) to clean the engine compartment. I use my compressor to blow out all the water paying special attention to the plug wells. I use plastic bags to cover electrical components. I wash the engine when it is slightly warm to aid in drying. I use a degreaser and a brush to dislodge stubborn dirt. I do cover the alternator, BTW as I don't want any degreaser on it to shorten it's already short life. After cleaning, I use CD/2 engine detailer, an acrylic based spray-on product, that dries hard. I avoid oily dressings as they just attract and hold onto to dirt and make the engine get dirty faster. Not the greatest shot but this is the engine bay on my 91 NA.

10-02-2009, 01:27 AM	#11 (permalink)
LeePeyton Building Motor from Hell Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Tennessee/USA Posts: 204 Thanks: 5 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post iTrader Rating: (0/0% )	I hear good things about super clean. I'll have to try the acrylic spray when I drop the shiny new motor back in.