What is the best way to clean my engine compartment?
 

The aluminum things have corrosion on and and some other things that should shine don't.

I don't just want to steam or pressure clean it if anything is going to get ruined.

WHat's the best way to get this spiffy?

I've always been instructed to spray down the metal parts with engine cleaner/grease solvent and just hose it off,
but what I've always done in practice is wipe it down by hand with cloth.

When I had my valve covers out I took grease absorbent disposable towels and wiped all the crap off by hand and scrubbed it with some goo gone or whatever.

Take your time and clean a section at a time by hand. This way you can't screw up anything in the engine. I use 'simple green', it's safe on almost anything. Always read all labels before you apply anything on aluminum.

Cleaning
 

Hi Yellowbird, The best way , as I understand it, is to sell your car for cheap to "Chike" and then buy it back a few months later. Allowing Chike to make a small profit in the deal. Your welcome. Take care, BOBB

LOL! :D

I'll use the degreasers, goo-be-gone, simple green and good ole fashioned elbow grease.

Wipe downs with thos dispoable shop towls and some mild solvents. Chrom polish works great in getting off years of BS from the exhaust tips. Armorall on the plastics is the way to go. Thats how I got my Sciroccos bumpers from 21yo sun bleached to new looking black. Also, every other wash or so open the hood and clean the engine, this will help cut down on big stuff.

I've never used Simple Green on an engine but I know it doesn't evaporate like goo gone and similar solvents. It might be a little less irritating to use the green.

Had Penny's engine steam-cleaned by a professional just before we drove to IN for the 10th Meet. It was so nice.....
Just had the same guy steam-clean the engine on our '88 Ranger which had never been cleaned. It even sealed up the oil leaks for awhile!

Armorall on the plastics is the way to go.

I'll second that, I do all the rubber stuff with it too

do not steam clean - the steam can find its way inside connectors and condense, causing corrosion later.

i use Foamy Engine Brite for the bad parts - use baggies and rubber bands to seal off electronikal type stuff (alternator, fuse box, etc.), and hose off with a LIGHT flow. stubborn stuff gets more Engine Brite and convincing with an old toothbrush.

cheap dollar store type protectant on the plastics.

Mother's Aluminum and Metal polish works good on some metallic surfaces under there, and doesn't smell nearly as bad as some other metal polishes.

don't forget to clean and wax the painted areas around the engine bay and on the bottom of the hood, too.

pm svxcess - you could eat off the engine in his old pearl 92. I don't know what he used but that has to be the cleanest 92 I have ever seen.

PLEASE - DO NOT use Simple Green. It will turn aluminum, discolor it, do a job on it!! Simple Green will interact with aluminum and it will look terrible! I speak from experience.

I would recommend using a good "engine cleaner" in a spray can. Read the directions and go from there. Be careful when you rinse it off. I hosed my engine off once and until the engine warmed up good, every warning light the car has was lit up. After about 20 miles, they all went out. Clearly, water got where it was not supposed to be.


Harry

whenever i've cleaned my engine it was in the evening (or on a day where i wasn't going anywhere), so that it could dry overnight. never any problems.

haha, I remember when he first got his car, he cleaned something like Two POUNDS of dirt off of it, which I guess is why it is so clean.

I always just use Engine cleaner for the block with some degreaser. and for the rest- Armor All works well.....it's been awhile though.....