Cleaned Engine Today
- Thread starter Kjmack
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wemay
Site Donor 2023
Just fantastic!
Wow. Stop it guys!
Those engines are cleaner than the inside of my car.
Those engines are cleaner than the inside of my car.
Nice. If you stay on top of it keeping it clean gets much easier. Even here in FL everything gets dusty under the hood real fast. Keeping the engine clean in my 70 Chevelle is a whole different story.
Looks good! Will get to mine on a few weeks.
Originally Posted by WylieCoyote
I applied 303 Protectant to my engine cover after the last cleaning as a test to see if it attracted grit. Happy to report that it doesn't.
I totally agree. My engines look just like all the ones in the pics.
I usually spray down with soapy water at car wash, rinse it off, hit it with spot free final rinse, and then drive it for 15 minutes to dry it all off. Then spray down with 303 and let it sit over night.
Sometimes I spray it down with soapy water at home, rinse with the hose, and dry it with my Stihl backpack leaf blower....then spray down with 303
I applied 303 Protectant to my engine cover after the last cleaning as a test to see if it attracted grit. Happy to report that it doesn't.
I totally agree. My engines look just like all the ones in the pics.
I usually spray down with soapy water at car wash, rinse it off, hit it with spot free final rinse, and then drive it for 15 minutes to dry it all off. Then spray down with 303 and let it sit over night.
Sometimes I spray it down with soapy water at home, rinse with the hose, and dry it with my Stihl backpack leaf blower....then spray down with 303
Originally Posted by Phishin
Originally Posted by WylieCoyote
I applied 303 Protectant to my engine cover after the last cleaning as a test to see if it attracted grit. Happy to report that it doesn't.
I totally agree. My engines look just like all the ones in the pics.
I usually spray down with soapy water at car wash, rinse it off, hit it with spot free final rinse, and then drive it for 15 minutes to dry it all off. Then spray down with 303 and let it sit over night.
Sometimes I spray it down with soapy water at home, rinse with the hose, and dry it with my Stihl backpack leaf blower....then spray down with 303
Ditto...a clean engine is a happy engine (and so is the owner).
Originally Posted by WylieCoyote
I applied 303 Protectant to my engine cover after the last cleaning as a test to see if it attracted grit. Happy to report that it doesn't.
I totally agree. My engines look just like all the ones in the pics.
I usually spray down with soapy water at car wash, rinse it off, hit it with spot free final rinse, and then drive it for 15 minutes to dry it all off. Then spray down with 303 and let it sit over night.
Sometimes I spray it down with soapy water at home, rinse with the hose, and dry it with my Stihl backpack leaf blower....then spray down with 303
Ditto...a clean engine is a happy engine (and so is the owner).
![[Linked Image]](https://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums/attachments/usergals/2019/05/full-10596-32612-img_0026.jpg "[Linked Image]")
Here's a newer image taken recently
![[Linked Image]](https://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums/attachments/usergals/2019/05/full-10596-32613-img_0025.jpg "[Linked Image]")
Last edited:
![[Linked Image]](https://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums/attachments/usergals/2019/05/full-10596-32614-img_0026.jpg "[Linked Image]")
What am I doing wrong?
![[Linked Image]](https://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums/attachments/usergals/2019/05/full-10596-32615-img_0028.jpg "[Linked Image]")
![[Linked Image]](https://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums/attachments/usergals/2019/05/full-10596-32796-img_0026.jpg "[Linked Image]")
one last time
![[Linked Image]](https://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums/attachments/usergals/2019/06/full-10596-33222-img_0036.jpg "[Linked Image]")
Compare photos
Originally Posted by Kjmack
Originally Posted by NO2
How did you clean it?
I used a leaf blower to blow off any dust. Put plastic bags over alternator , battery box and fuse box. Used car wash soap and a spray bottle and covered engine bay , rinsed off , leaf blower to get water out of nooks and crannies . Microfiber towel wipe down . Nothing difficult just time consuming taking care to not get electric parts wet .
I don't mind the gentle yet time-consuming approach either. I did the car wash approach once on another car and really had a hard time getting it started again. Admittedly, I probably didn't cover something that I should have but am more comfortable doing it this way now. Plus, once cleaned, it really takes minimal effort in the future. Well done.
Originally Posted by NO2
How did you clean it?
I used a leaf blower to blow off any dust. Put plastic bags over alternator , battery box and fuse box. Used car wash soap and a spray bottle and covered engine bay , rinsed off , leaf blower to get water out of nooks and crannies . Microfiber towel wipe down . Nothing difficult just time consuming taking care to not get electric parts wet .
I don't mind the gentle yet time-consuming approach either. I did the car wash approach once on another car and really had a hard time getting it started again. Admittedly, I probably didn't cover something that I should have but am more comfortable doing it this way now. Plus, once cleaned, it really takes minimal effort in the future. Well done.
Originally Posted by harry j
Here's a newer image taken recently
Harry,
How many engine details do you get per Oil change? Is your compulsion, "attention to detail"?
Here's a newer image taken recently
Harry,
How many engine details do you get per Oil change? Is your compulsion, "attention to detail"?
JC1, attention to detail for sure, makes all the difference
Picked up a 2009 Mazda 3 a couple weeks ago. 130K miles, garage kept, pretty well-maintained, but as typical for most owners, the engine was never touched beyond fluids & filters. It was a disgusting mess under the hood. Thankfully the seals (even the valve cover gasket) are all still holding, so the greasy messes were at a minimum. But the dust, cobwebs, cottonwood, and grass clippings were everywhere. Under the engine cover was an especially ugly mess.
Covered the alternator, soaked everything down with citrus cleaner, and got after it with the pressure washer. As with one of my previous Mazdas ('06 Speed6), the coilpacks sit in an inadequately drained valley in the valve cover, so I had to blow all that out with a compressor afterward. This job was particularly unnerving, as I blew two coilpacks in the Speed 6 after two separate engine washes, so I made double-sure there wasn't a drop of water left anywhere between the compressor and the leaf blower. Then a final wipe-down with 303. Turned out pretty good, but would really like to have a go at it from beneath some day.
Covered the alternator, soaked everything down with citrus cleaner, and got after it with the pressure washer. As with one of my previous Mazdas ('06 Speed6), the coilpacks sit in an inadequately drained valley in the valve cover, so I had to blow all that out with a compressor afterward. This job was particularly unnerving, as I blew two coilpacks in the Speed 6 after two separate engine washes, so I made double-sure there wasn't a drop of water left anywhere between the compressor and the leaf blower. Then a final wipe-down with 303. Turned out pretty good, but would really like to have a go at it from beneath some day.
I decided to get on the clean engine train. A little elbow grease goes a long way.
Originally Posted by harry j
![[Linked Image]](https://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums/attachments/usergals/2019/05/full-10596-32399-img_0021.jpg "[Linked Image]")
Original engine and automatic trans, now with 542,000 miles on it.
Yes! I love seeing your high mileage Honda on here. Keep it up, I'm rooting for a million miles!
Original engine and automatic trans, now with 542,000 miles on it.
Yes! I love seeing your high mileage Honda on here. Keep it up, I'm rooting for a million miles!
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