mike9186

Do any of you here clean your engine bay? I took a look at the engine yesterday and it is just covered in sand and grime all the way to the front. It was shockingly dirty.

With my front engine cars I usually soak the engine with Simple Green and then hit it with my pressure washer from a distance with the nozzle set for wide spray. Cleans it up nice.

Of course I also cover the air intakes, any exposed electrical bits etc. with plastic.

Anybody have any tips they want to share?

Thanks

DC911S

I just use lots of rags and simple green and water and clean by hand. I never use a pressure washer on any modern day engine. Too many sensors and electrical connections. All it takes is one drop getting someplace you can't get access to to mess something up. I do remember the days of cleaning a grimy engine by spraying engine cleaner/degreaser all over the place then letting the car run while you sprayed it down.

Quadcammer

I don't clean it, period. Its not a motor anyone wants to look at and mine isn't so dirty that working on it is nasty, so I don't bother.

Blaine 997

+1 on simple green, water, and rags for all my engine bay clean ups.

BIG smoke

I'm a simple green, warm water and warm engine. 3-4 times a year guy.

997_Toronto

Clean it with warm water & shop rags each time the car is washed. If you use a drive-through car wash (shame!) you tend to forget about the engine bay.

david

We knew this.

david

And we knew this!

Nice work...

Robocop305

P21S total car wash and low pressure water with a cold engine. Never had an issue.

earossi

I also use Simple Green. I use the spray bottle to get the cleaner all over the engine parts, and then use a soft bristle brush to aggutate the cleaner. Use another spray bottle with water in it to wash off the cleaner and grime. Never allow any liquids to get into the alternator. That is usually just asking for trouble.

Petza914

Did this on my 928 motor before a show and ended up messing up the brake master cylinder pressure sensors. Had to replace them in order to get the fictional brake failure warning to go away. No more hosing down engines for me - hand wiping only.

Own Goal

Dry ice blast. Pricey but perfect.

911searcher

Wow.

wouldn't some plastic parts/wires be compromised by Dry Ice.

I guess you try to avoid plastic bits to avoid them getting brittle ?

In the video, it looks like it performs as well as hand washing but might be faster and cheaper ?

rbennett

I have power washed my motor and bay on my Porsches for over 15 years.

Just Simple Green everything then power wash off avoiding direct electrical water blasts.
Then afterwards take your car out for an Italian tuneup to make sure all water disapates

Lvt19672