algregory

My last car was an older model FI BMW. 29 years, 269k miles. People were always amazed how clean my engine bay was. I fact when the engine was being pulled for a 132k custom rebuild and tweak, a visitor at the shop thought it was being installed. Same story in my '89 GMC PU.

I've never done it to my '05 GT. What I used to use was a spray engine cleaner from the auto parts place, let it soak for something like 15 minutes, and hose down with the garden hose. Somewhere I heard not such a good idea on the '05 GT?

Anybody want to put my mind at ease? Or tell me what I need to do to before I spray, soak, and rinse?

TIA

cema93

Hey! I was in ur shoes a few months back. There is a correct way to do it. Glad u asked. Here's what I did:
Step 1)
Cover air intake, alternator, battery, and fuse box with Walmart sacks or something similar to keep water away.

Step 2)
Have ur engine warm or just about operating temp.

Step 3)
Take a degreaser of ur choice and either use it straight or dilute it. I used simple green. I diluted it. 2 parts water. 1 part simple green. Put it in a squirt/mist bottle and wet ur engine bay. U don't want puddles. U just want everything sprayed.

Step 4)
Close hood and let "bake" for 10-15 min.

Step 5)
Take a hose with a handle that has a shower setting. Then lightly and carefully hose off the degreaser. Remember. No puddles just a light rinse.

Step 6)
Now get a good towel and clean and dry.

Step 7) optional
Take some tire foam or armor all. (u get the idea) and lightly spray over plastics. Wipe off immediately.

Step 8)
Remove bags. Ur done.

Antonio323

I actually just did mine today. I put bags over the fuse box, CPU, and intake pipe (removed filter for cleaning as well) and I put aluminum foil over the altenator. I sprayed everything down with Simple Green, not diluted, let it sit for 10 minutes and then hosed it all down. Once done with that, I wiped everything down, especially the tougher spots. I also removed the bags and the foil and touched it up with a damp towel. It was pretty easy.

I personally prefer a clean look vs a shiny look, so I didn't touch it up with anything to make it shine. I'm happy with my results.

2005Redfire6

+1, same method I use minus the bags I just don't directly hit them with water. Also, I like to use the mist setting.

Art161

I understand that the air intake is covered while doing this step, and you say to wipe off immediately. Still, I would skip it. If any silicone vapors linger and get sucked into the air intake, they could foul some sensors. This might not be likely with the air intake covered and wiping the spray containing silicone off before removing the cover over the air intake, but I wouldn't do it. Your car, your choice.

algregory

I appreciate your replies. I have a Granatelli intake with a filter that is supposed to be washed with soap and water, so I'm thinking I don't have to worry about it too much, and water is not going to be getting into the intake in any quantity at all. I am thinking that I should think on covering the fuse box. On the alternator, in years of washing the old BMW, the GMC and their predecessors I've never experience a problem with getting the alternator wet. I've never dried my engines afterwards, nor have I used anything to pretty up the plastics or anything afterwards. I think, what I used to use was "Gunk" or something like that and it left the engine bay looking pretty good. I vaguely recall using another brand, a foaming type I think, and it didn't look very good at all. On the "Simple Green" use, I am/was (I'm 66 now) a bicyclist with some "high-end" bikes. I used "Simple Green" ONCE on one, it discolored polished alloy parts, permanently, and made my expensive wheel rims look like they had developed white measles. I was able to polish and more to clean up this and that, but the crank arms, and chain wheels were permanently discolored with a bluish hue. Its been years, maybe "Simple Green" is different, but, I've never touched it again.

Once again thanks for your inputs. I'll be glad to have a clean engine bay again. I was going to say, I never dried my car after a wash, but, I always made sure I had time to take it for spin so it got heat and air dried. One time I didn't, I had a '66 Chevy 396 at the time. Had to go to class the next day, did, but when I went to leave the car was stone cold dead. I actually rolled it down the four story garage ramp, it wouldn't jump start. In those days I had a tool box in the trunk. I pulled the battery terminals that looked perfectly fine, cleaned them anyway, car started right up.

JFitz

I have a Granatelli intake and happily switched to a Amsoil dry filter. No cleaning for 60,000 miles and no oiling. Also, since they're supposed to be pulled and rinsed inside and out, I don't think just spraying it down will clean it.


I've never experienced issues with the Alt getting wet either, but the fuse box and battery is a no brainer. I'm gonna have to give this a try.

Good to know about the Simple Green messing with your polished bits. My intake is the polished aluminum one, so I might have to work around that.

amyhughes

No worries, then, getting simple green or water on the belt?

Roy_R

The aqueous-base and alkalinity of Simple Green All-Purpose Cleaner can accelerate the corrosion process. Therefore, contact times for unprotected or unpainted aluminum surfaces should be kept as brief as the job will allow - never for more than 10 minutes.

Rather use Extreme Simple Green ....made for Aircraft.

http://www.simplegreen.com/products_extreme_motor.php

PS. Water will collect in the holes by the spark plugs, hope you have some compressed air to blow it out!

I've used this stuff on my older greasier cars, works very well....and the engine smells nice

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Trewax-32...specifications

potman

I just spray the engine at the car wash and dry off the plastic bits. I don't cover anything as what needs covered to prevent water entry has been manufactured that way already. (because water does spray up onto the engine while driving) The engine has never gotten greasy enough to use any kind of cleaner on it. Just sprayed the Tahoe engine bay this weekend. 190K and it looks new. The Mustang bay look like the car was just driven off the showroom floor.