Tips to clean engine bay

[grampi]

Originally Posted By: buster
Can anyone recommend a safe and effective degreaser I can buy retail for engine cleaning? I have 303 for after. I ran out of my Power Clean degreaser and don’t feel like ordering more. Thank you.


Castrol Super Clean

 

[SatinSilver]

Do you clean the engine bay in the Corolla with all the miles on it?

 

[Chris B.]

I've done hundreds of engine bays in my day. I never use high pressure spray/water ever and I have never have a problems and I also never cover anything. It was only in my early days when using high pressure that I had a few problems getting water into where it should not be. I use dawn dish soap on really nasty engines. It cuts through everything with a soft brush. After everything is agitated it will easily rinse away with gentle pressure off the hose. If it is a clean bay, I just use a hand mit with car soap and gently go through the bay and rinse. After it is dry I will wipe it down with Vinylex. Here is a few engine I have done:

 

[grampi]

Originally Posted By: SatinSilver
Do you clean the engine bay in the Corolla with all the miles on it?


No, but the engine bay in my Vette will be clean enough to eat off of...

 

[demarpaint]

Originally Posted By: Chris B.
I've done hundreds of engine bays in my day. I never use high pressure spray/water ever and I have never have a problems and I also never cover anything. It was only in my early days when using high pressure that I had a few problems getting water into where it should not be. I use dawn dish soap on really nasty engines. It cuts through everything with a soft brush. After everything is agitated it will easily rinse away with gentle pressure off the hose. If it is a clean bay, I just use a hand mit with car soap and gently go through the bay and rinse. After it is dry I will wipe it down with Vinylex. Here is a few engine I have done:

You do nice work!

 

[irv]

Originally Posted By: Chris B.
I've done hundreds of engine bays in my day. I never use high pressure spray/water ever and I have never have a problems and I also never cover anything. It was only in my early days when using high pressure that I had a few problems getting water into where it should not be. I use dawn dish soap on really nasty engines. It cuts through everything with a soft brush. After everything is agitated it will easily rinse away with gentle pressure off the hose. If it is a clean bay, I just use a hand mit with car soap and gently go through the bay and rinse. After it is dry I will wipe it down with Vinylex. Here is a few engine I have done:

Great jobs!

Personally, I use citrus based cleaning products and rags but I do like the looks/sounds of that Green cleaner mentioned earlier.

I rarely clean my engine bays entirely, especially after getting my vehicles undercoated, but keeping the plastic/hoses and the like clean then spraying them with 303 or something similar makes a huge difference appearance wise.

 

[Chris B.]

Originally Posted By: demarpaint
Originally Posted By: Chris B.
I've done hundreds of engine bays in my day. I never use high pressure spray/water ever and I have never have a problems and I also never cover anything. It was only in my early days when using high pressure that I had a few problems getting water into where it should not be. I use dawn dish soap on really nasty engines. It cuts through everything with a soft brush. After everything is agitated it will easily rinse away with gentle pressure off the hose. If it is a clean bay, I just use a hand mit with car soap and gently go through the bay and rinse. After it is dry I will wipe it down with Vinylex. Here is a few engine I have done:

You do nice work!


Appreciate the kind words!

 

[Chris B.]

Originally Posted By: irv
Originally Posted By: Chris B.
I've done hundreds of engine bays in my day. I never use high pressure spray/water ever and I have never have a problems and I also never cover anything. It was only in my early days when using high pressure that I had a few problems getting water into where it should not be. I use dawn dish soap on really nasty engines. It cuts through everything with a soft brush. After everything is agitated it will easily rinse away with gentle pressure off the hose. If it is a clean bay, I just use a hand mit with car soap and gently go through the bay and rinse. After it is dry I will wipe it down with Vinylex. Here is a few engine I have done:

Great jobs!

Personally, I use citrus based cleaning products and rags but I do like the looks/sounds of that Green cleaner mentioned earlier.

I rarely clean my engine bays entirely, especially after getting my vehicles undercoated, but keeping the plastic/hoses and the like clean then spraying them with 303 or something similar makes a huge difference appearance wise.



Thank you!

 

[Chris B.]

Originally Posted By: grampi
Originally Posted By: SatinSilver
Do you clean the engine bay in the Corolla with all the miles on it?


No, but the engine bay in my Vette will be clean enough to eat off of...


Those are special cars! I'll bet you could eat off the tires too! Well....maybe not right after a Sunday drive but after a good detailing!

 

[HYUNDAIFAN0001]

Originally Posted By: Chris B.
I've done hundreds of engine bays in my day. I never use high pressure spray/water ever and I have never have a problems and I also never cover anything. It was only in my early days when using high pressure that I had a few problems getting water into where it should not be. I use dawn dish soap on really nasty engines. It cuts through everything with a soft brush. After everything is agitated it will easily rinse away with gentle pressure off the hose. If it is a clean bay, I just use a hand mit with car soap and gently go through the bay and rinse. After it is dry I will wipe it down with Vinylex. Here is a few engine I have done:

Amazingly clean work that you've done there sir!

You should be rightfully proud.

 

[Chris B.]

Originally Posted By: HYUNDAIFAN0001
Originally Posted By: Chris B.
I've done hundreds of engine bays in my day. I never use high pressure spray/water ever and I have never have a problems and I also never cover anything. It was only in my early days when using high pressure that I had a few problems getting water into where it should not be. I use dawn dish soap on really nasty engines. It cuts through everything with a soft brush. After everything is agitated it will easily rinse away with gentle pressure off the hose. If it is a clean bay, I just use a hand mit with car soap and gently go through the bay and rinse. After it is dry I will wipe it down with Vinylex. Here is a few engine I have done:

Amazingly clean work that you've done there sir!

You should be rightfully proud.


Thanks bud!

 

[demarpaint]

Not as clean as Chris B's. It is due for a quick clean up now. This was done a while ago.

 

[FastEddie]

A clean engine always "seems" to run better...

 

[Chris B.]

double tap!

 

[Chris B.]

Originally Posted By: demarpaint
Not as clean as Chris B's. It is due for a quick clean up now. This was done a while ago.








Looks just as good!

 

[Chris B.]

Nice work! How much time on average to do that? It seems to take me about an hour or so. Depending on how bad it is and how much room there is to work.

 

[demarpaint]

Originally Posted By: Chris B.
Nice work! How much time on average to do that? It seems to take me about an hour or so. Depending on how bad it is and how much room there is to work.


That sounds about right. One of these days I'll clean the engine in my E-150. It hasn't been done in many years, no oil leaks just dirty. I'd guess that's going to take about 2 hours or so. I might try Simple Green this time, and save the Simple Green purple HD version for the aluminum engines in my Jeeps. I have a one gallon tank sprayer with a wand I'll fill with it, which will make getting to the back sections of the engine easier in the van.

I might give Dawn a shot too, seeing the great results you had with it!

 

[RyanY]

Originally Posted By: grampi


Castrol Super Clean


Does Castrol still make Super Clean? Last time I checked their site it wasn't listed and no stores have it.

 

[grampi]

Originally Posted By: RyanY
Originally Posted By: grampi


Castrol Super Clean


Does Castrol still make Super Clean? Last time I checked their site it wasn't listed and no stores have it.


I don't know. I haven't used it in a while...I hope they do, I love that stuff, but if not, Simple Green works well too...

A quick google search came up with this, so it looks like it is still available...

https://www.google.com/search?source=hp&...1.0.W0Fh_1jdjDk

 

[SatinSilver]

Dawn Platinum super concentrated with 4x the cleaning power works great.