tips on cleaning the engine bay

[90five0oh]

just as the title states. i need to clean it really bad and nothing seems to help. what do yall usually do to clean it up??

here is you pic. but i have a cai polished valve covers and throttle body/egrg and headers now. if it matters.

http://img85.imageshack.us/img85/20/coreysnewmustang004px4.jpg

 

[Ozz]

Back when mine was 'normal' I used to use Simple Green diluted a little bit, scrubbed in with a brush where needed, and hosed off. That's all. Any kind of those degreasers will work well and the process is basically the same. You can break out the heavy bristle brushes, toothbrushes, etc. too. Some parts are stained with oil and crap and the best way to really make the part look new is to paint it to match what an OEM color would look like...if that's what you're going for.

 

[90five0oh]

well i have used the degreasers before but i never scrubbed it lol. maybe thats the problem huh. i appreciate it

 

[Ozz]

You may find it helpful to warm the engine up a minute or so to loosen some dirt, too. Repetition of that spray/scrub/rinse process will likely be required at first too, but once it becomes clean 1 shot will maintain it

 

[90five0oh]

ok ill try that this weekend. we are supposed to wax it and all this weekend so i was gonna clean up under the hood too. thanks for you help

 

[Ozz]

Steam cleaners work too, I hear. Never did it myself but if you have trouble that's always another option

 

[RUNINAGT]

I was thinking about this on the way in this morning. My question (not trying to jack your thread) is what can not get wet??? Other than the dist. Do you just soak it and spray everything????
Fortunatly for me I dont have any leak issues, I can honestly say mine is bone dry from any leaks , but I do want it to look better for the carshow in January @ Silver Springs Fla I believe.

 

[Ozz]

Some say everything may get wet and be ok, but still I always used to cover the battery terminals, alternator and distributor with plastic bags. I've seen people hold a hose spraying fully onto an alternator for a minute straight and have no problems though. Careful not to flood the plugs too, obviously any bit of wetness can harm spark. I had that problem once, oddly enough when I barely used any water in there too

 

[fivespeedsteed]

i avoid spraying the door lock circuit breakers and master coil on the driverside engine bay also. i usually take 2 plastic bags (from a grocery store, ect) and lay one over the dist, wrapping it up good, and one over the wires where the master coil is. they came with a plastic cover there, but mines broken. and then i just lightly spray..

 

[Ozz]

Oh yea, the coil too and the plug that goes with it. Usually covered it's not a problem, and I forget about since mine isn't in the engine bay

 

[RUNINAGT]

Cool mine still has the rubber boot covering the dist cap., I guess I will cover those other items. How about the salt and pepper shakers @ the back.???

 

[2000xp8]

Don't be totally alarmed if after you do this the car misses a little bit, until it's hot enough to burn the water off. So don't go beating on it the second you pull out of the driveway.

 

[nisreo]

I ended up just taking stuff off, throwing it in the parts washer at work. A little bit of soap, and wire brush and painted it.

 

[90five0oh]

well i dont really wanna take anyhting off but if i have to i will...i just wanna clean the majority of it. thanks for all your help guys

 

[25thmustang]

Soap, water, wax and some tire shine on mine for shows...

 

[90five0oh]

wax?? what for?? and tire shine too? never heard of that. how does it work???

 

[Foxfan88]

i'd blast the engine at the carwash with degreaser and rinse it well. i'd refrain from spraying directly on the dizzy and coil.

then take some simple green and some rags for the tough to get spots and some armor all for hoses and the like.

 

[Ozz]

Wax for the paint, tire shine for the rubber. He and I don't exactly have stock looking engines

 

[ryan218]

warm the engine up..let it run for 5-10 mins...hose it down with simple green....then scrub and powerwash off...thats what i did to mine.

 

[25thmustang]

Manson's right, I have mine welded up and painted so it's easy to clean and keep decent looking. A stock engine bay really only takes one big scrubbing and then maintenance.