bigherm00

I was just wondering what kind of products you all use when you're cleaning up your engine. Be it on the 'Stang or any other vehicle. I have an old pickup that I've had for 10 years that I've been working on restoring, and then I have my 06 GT to go with it. Getting a little anxious for summer time to do some more work on the truck and I decided I want to get the appearance under the hood taken care of, and I don't really know where to begin to clean it up. I've tried aerosol soapy engine degreaser and things like that but it didn't seem to do what I thought it said it would do. My GT engine isn't anywhere near as dirty as the truck, but I'd like to get them both looking spot on.

What kind of measures do you use to make your engine presentable? Names of products, or even procedures you take. I've tried looking around but haven't quite found what I'm looking for as far as write-ups go. Only found about one, and it was only specific to valve covers.

Thanks for input!

onederful100

i also have a truck and a 92 LX, and the dirt is caked on both of those vehicles. i like to use simple green, or engine degreaser, a rag and my hand. thats the only way i can get that caked on crap off the engine. theres no magic spray, none that i have found yet, only my hand and a rag to get all that grease and dirt off.

bigherm00

Do you go disassembling what you can to get better access and angles on things, or just go at it where you can reach it?

onederful100

i get what i can reach, or i use a swiffer handle w/ some rags tied on to the end so i reach into smaller places. i try not to remove things. one time i removed some intake tubing and had a vacuum leak, and took almost a week to correct it bc i didnt know what was throwing the code.
heres a link to something a little more detailed if you want spotless.
http://www.moddedmustangs.com/forums...ning-help.html

gtguyonli

I use all products from www.adamspolishes.com they make a great under hood cleaner, it keeps everything shiny and dust free, it isn't sticky so nothing sticks under there.

1morepart

elbow grease and simple green/purple power

Nuke

For really bad, caked on grease, I suggest you rent a steam cleaner. Also, you might be able to find some shops that perform engine degreasing. When I was in high school, our auto shop would degrease the engines of cars that were donated to the school.

I've used my pressure washer on my SUV, but that wasn't bad to begin with. And my Stang's engine bay is like the day I bought it after 28,000 miles. All I do is wipe it down with a damp rag whenever I wash the car.

nicksfoursix

I wash the engine bay about twice a year. I use a degreaser (simple green or purple power) a 1100psi Sears electric power washer, compressed air, water hose and some disposable towels.
In the shade, I start and run the engine until it is warm (not hot/less than operating temperature). I open the hood and spray down the fenderwells, firewall, core support area and engine and close the hood. The object is to have the underhood area warm enough to aid the chemicals in cleaning, but not to hot to cause the chemical to burn off or quickly evaporate.
TAKE HEED AND READ THE WARNINGS ON THE CLEANING AGENT(S) YOUR USING. MOST WARN ABOUT SPRAYING CHEMICALS ONTO PAINTED SURFACES. I dilute/wash off any of the chemicals I may spill on the outside painted surfaces with the hose.
After the chemical has sat a few minutes, I open the hood and use the power washer and blast the underhood being careful around the engine.
When the cleaners are thouroughly washed off, I close the hood and start the engine letting it run to operating temperature for a while, then shut it down and walk away for 15 -20 minutes.
I return, open the hood any wipe down any water residue or water spotting with the disposable towels.
My car is driven in the rain and the underhood does see some action. Dependant upon the dirtiness, I may increase the frequency of underhood washes.
The more you stay on it, the easier to keep it clean.
P.S. Stay away from the underhood "dress-up" sprays. The make everything look shiny, but they use an oil/silicone base to do so. These type of oil base dreesings do nothing but attract dirt and grime.
Good Luck

Intervention

I simply go to a self spray car wash, pop the hood, and use the degreaser. Of course, cover the filter with a trash bag, and end with a rinse. Afterwards, I take a little tire shine and go to town.

I washed my engine bay 2 weeks before this shot, pretty amazing since its a DD.



Only thing to be careful about I believe is remembering to cover the filter, and trying not to spray directly on the exhaust manifolds if the car is warm

svastano

+1 on the Simple Green!