How do y'all clean your engine compartments?
What are some precautions I should take?
What shouldn't I do?


Sorry if it seems stupid. I've never done it before and I'm worried.

 

stay away from alt/dist

 

Just seal whatevever shouldn't get wet with a plastic bag, seal it up tight (battery distributer cap, sensors, ignition coil etc)
open the hood and let it sit in the sun for a little.
Get a degreaser and spray it everywhere thats needs it, work it into the heavy greased areas. Let it sit for 10 to 20 mins, then start washing it away with water and a brush. When your done let it dry before you start your car

 

I am mechanically challenged so I don't know what shouldn't get wet. Can someone make a list?

 

Fuze boxes or anything that looks electrical for that matter...

 

heck, i just power spray the whole thing, not the batter or cables tho, i keep away from those, but i just spray the rest of it, distributer and all...

itll kinda hesitate while excelerating, kinda sputtering/hesitation, but after a coupld miles it dries out and it runs smooth again

 

I am planning on doing the same thing. I have already packed the fuse pannel on the firewall full of silicone a while back for water crossings. I plan to grab 2 or 3 cans of good degreaser and spraying the whole engine, letting it sit for 20min then taking a pressure washer to it then let it sit in the sun for 30min to an hour then I will sit under it and find where that damn oil leak is coming from. It is very frusturating since I spent 6hours fixing the rear main seal...

 

I just power wash the whole thing.. Do the bulk of it with the engine off and use degreaser or even oven cleaner if its really bad.. watch it though that dries out rubber and eats away at the finish of the paint it left on for too long.

after finishind theoutside stuff I run it and do close to the alt distributor so that I will hear any change if ive been in one spot too long. Worst issue Ive ever had was one my toyota, the alternator was on its way out and it died. Ive been doing it like this for years and most detailers that prep cars for used car sales practice the same power washing technique...

make sure the engine was cooled off before pressure washing a hot manifold. When you start the engine dont let it idle too long before you start hosing the alt or distributor down so that the manifold hasnt become too hot yet.

Been doing it this way since my first car over 20 years ago... I luvs my pressure washer...

ohh lastly , make sure you dont have any exposed ports for vacuum or things like the pvc where the water could enter the motor... Water and oil=baddd and you wont be able to tell it from a coolant leak when you finally do notice theres water in the oil....

 

hey 92muddy I read something the other day about seals leaking from the thing that the oil filter screws into,sorry can't remember what its called.but it said that it makes it look like its leaking from somewhere else.