What do I need to know about cleaning car engine?

2

2Charlie

New member
This is my second post. I'm a newbie to car detailing.



What do I need to know about cleaning and washing the engine? I've watched some youtube videos some say to turn on the engine while hosing the engine and some don't. What's the best way?



Any suggestion is much appreciated.
 
2Charlie- Welcome to Autopia!



Some engine compartments are a *LOT* mor water/moisture-sensitive than others and it pays to err on the side of caution. Unless/until you know what you're doing, it's probably best to not get things too wet. I mean, gee...I don't think I've *EVER* really "hosed down" an engine compartment on an in-servive vehicle.



Lots of low-moisture approaches you can use, from rags and swabs damp with solvent to steam or even some kind of sprayer (or even that hose) set up to spray a minimal, and very controllable, amount of water.



Cover the "usual items of concern" with aluminum foil and/or plastic wrap if you want to be on the safe side. And if you're not sure what those "usual items of concern" are for the particular engine in question, then maybe you simply shouldn't be getting stuff wet in there ;)



Also, unless you're already quite familiar with underhood components (can point at most anything and say what it is, what it does, whether it's moisture/static electricity/whatever-sensitive), then IMO the first order of business is *learning* that stuff so you know what you're working with.



Eh, you can get engine compartments really nice with just the solvent approach. It takes a long time but no real worries about messing anything up. A can of New Car Prep or Clean Solve along with a big pile of rags can work wonders.
 
Keep the water away from the wiring connectors, coil packs, sensors, computers, etc. I actually never put a hose to an engine compartment, just asking for trouble. The videos you've watched, I consider those and anyone else who hoses their motor down lucky they didn't get water in the wrong place. The dealers I work with always wonder why I won't hose down a motor. These are the same guys who later start complaining because they just did it themselves and got something wet and now the car won't start. I will usually use ONR or a degreaser in a spray bottle and lightly wet things down so they can be cleaned but never to the point where the water or cleaner is dripping wet and can creep it's way into s sensitive spot. Chances are that if you do get everything soaking wet it will be fine, but one loose connector or a seal that went bad and you may be screwed.
 
In addition to New Car Prep and Clean Solve, I was wondering if we can generate a list of *safe* solvents to use on the engine compartment. We don't want any fires :scared: I think Brad B made mention of one or two more in the past. Maybe he will chime in to add to the list.
 
Thank you so much for all your suggestions and recommendations. It's very useful.



What are some good brand degreaser or solvents?
 
The ValuGard New Car Prep is non-flammable and non-combustible.

It is also sold under various names by Ford Motorcraft and Chrysler MoPar parts.

Very safe on paint, has no carcenigenic components or clorinated.

Grumpy
 
ExplicitDetails said:
The videos you've watched, I consider those and anyone else who hoses their motor down lucky they didn't get water in the wrong place.
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One video I saw, the guy had a hose with full pressure hosing down EVERYTHING including aternator, and everything electrical. I'm amazed it started right up with nothing noticeably wrong with the engine. But I'm a bit nervous to do it. Is it safe to do around the spark plug wires?
 
2Charlie said:
What are some good brand degreaser or solvents?
Click to expand...

I've heard that Simple Green and Citrus Cleaner are pretty good for engines and can be bought most anywhere.

Simple_Green.jpg


7040051_ppo_4397ps_pri_larg.jpg
 
ExplicitDetails said:
Keep the water away from the wiring connectors, coil packs, sensors, computers, etc. I actually never put a hose to an engine compartment, just asking for trouble. The videos you've watched, I consider those and anyone else who hoses their motor down lucky they didn't get water in the wrong place. The dealers I work with always wonder why I won't hose down a motor. These are the same guys who later start complaining because they just did it themselves and got something wet and now the car won't start. I will usually use ONR or a degreaser in a spray bottle and lightly wet things down so they can be cleaned but never to the point where the water or cleaner is dripping wet and can creep it's way into s sensitive spot. Chances are that if you do get everything soaking wet it will be fine, but one loose connector or a seal that went bad and you may be screwed.
Click to expand...



There is a section on electrical component protection in this article: http://www.autopia.org/forum/autopia-detailing-wiki/136609-engine-bay-detailing.html#post1448628
 
If you want to safely degrease your vehicles use an environmentally safe product that can also clean your paint, wheels, tires, engine bay, wheel wells, trim and etc



• P21S®® Total Auto Wash

• Optimum Power Clean All Purpose Cleaner Degreaser

• Wurth Engine Cleaner and Degreaser

• Simple Green® Aircraft & Precision Cleaner

• ValuGard New Car Prep
 
I use 3D's Grand Slam 4:1 degreaser on engines or the Orange Degreaser. As far as hosing down the engine or not, this is what "I" do and you may or may not like it, or follow it.



Heavy Duty Degreaser for Car Engine, Machinery| Wheel Cleaner – 3D Grand Slam



Car Interior/Exterior Cleaner for Removing Toughest Stains, Stickers, Grease | Orange 88 Citrus Degreaser



Btw, I hugely prefer a pressure washer over the traditional hose when doing engines. If I were you, I'd invest in one, they are not that much $$$. I use the one from Costco and very happy with it.



*** Engine should be cold***



1 - rinse the engine and the the whole front of the car, (to dilute the cleaner in case it gets on the paint)



2 - spray my degreaser in the engine compartment



3 - wait a few minutes to let the degreaser melt the grease. (may or may not have to agitate with a brush)



4 - turn on the engine



5 - rinse engine well, while it is running



6 - close hood



7 - let car idle for 15 or so minutes.



I am not exactly sure how many engines I have done this way without ANY issues, but the number is between 500-1000?



Of course there are other ways to clean the engine, you CAN do it without an oz of water, like these car's





P1080101 by thomasdekany, on Flickr





P1080096 by thomasdekany, on Flickr
 
Buffer_Wannabe said:
One video I saw, the guy had a hose with full pressure hosing down EVERYTHING including aternator, and everything electrical. I'm amazed it started right up with nothing noticeably wrong with the engine. But I'm a bit nervous to do it. Is it safe to do around the spark plug wires?
Click to expand...





Just because you see somebody do something, apparently without problems, on the internet that doesn't mean you oughta do it ;)



Don't get the engine compartment really wet without *knowing in advance* that it's OK for the given application. You don't know that in this case...



And hey, it's not like I'm really paranoid about this; I get my Audi V8/A8/S8 engine compartments wetter than you could with newer models. No problems with the Tahoe either. But I know better than to get too much water around certain things on the Crown Vics or the Jag, so those get treated differently. Gets back to having to gather knowledge before you start doing stuff.

buffer_wannabe said:
I've heard that Simple Green and Citrus Cleaner are pretty good for engines and can be bought most anywhere...
Click to expand...



Gotta be careful what you get (regular) Simple Green on; it can mess up aluminum.
 
I haven't done nearly as many as Thomas, but I do a simular technique and have not had any problems, even with that (may destruct at any moment VW I drive)

sorry, but my GTI has been pretty good, but the peanut gallery of automotive experts just know that VW's are crap.......
 
Charlie, check out the appropriate articles listed here: Internet Resources for Newbs.



I remember one piece of advise that I thought was very good: Before washing the engine bay of a given vehicle, visit an internet forum devoted to that vehicle and ask the folks there for tips and advice. If they have encountered problems with a particular make and model, that's where you will find out about it.
 
Accumulator said:
Gotta be careful what you get (regular) Simple Green on; it can mess up aluminum.
Click to expand...



Indeed, regular Simple Green can stain and corrode aluminum, particularly if it's allowed to sit.



Simple Green Pro HD is safe for aluminum. It's purple. :)
 
I had not heart about Simple Green Pro HD before. It looks like it is safe to use to clean the engine bay. What about tires and wheels?



I checked the MSDS. Here are the ingredients listed:



Water 7732‐18‐5* ≥*77%

Triethanolamine 102‐71‐6 10%

Ethoxylated Alcohol / Quaternary Amine mixture Proprietary* ≤*5%

Propylene Glycol Butyl Ether 5131‐66‐8* ≤*5%

Tetrapotassium Pyrophosphate 7320‐34‐5* ≤*1%

Sodium Silicate 1344‐09‐8* ≤*1%

Colorant Proprietary* ≤*1%



Can anyone comment?
 
strat81 said:
Indeed, regular Simple Green can stain and corrode aluminum, particularly if it's allowed to sit.



Simple Green Pro HD is safe for aluminum. It's purple. :)
Click to expand...



From Simple Green’s FAQ-



Simple Green products have been successfully and safely used on aircraft, automotive, industrial and consumer aluminum items for over 20 years. However, caution and common sense must be used: Aluminium is a soft metal that easily corrodes with unprotected exposure to water. The aqueous-base and alkalinity of Simple Green or Crystal Simple Green can accelerate the corrosion process. Therefore, contact times of All-Purpose Simple Green and Crystal Simple Green with unprotected or unpainted aluminium surfaces should be kept as brief as the job will allow - never for more than 10 minutes Large cleaning jobs should be conducted in smaller-area stages to achieve lower contact time. Rinsing after cleaning should always be extremely thorough - paying special attention to flush out cracks and crevices to remove all Simple Green/Crystal Simple Green residues. Unfinished, uncoated or unpainted aluminium cleaned with Simple Green products should receive some sort of protectant after cleaning to prevent oxidation.



A ‘safer’ alternative Simple Green® Aircraft & Precision Cleaner - http://industrial.simplegreen.com/ind_prod_ext_mor.php

Meets Boeing Specs –D6 – 1748-7P (Water - based, no Hydrocarbon solvents)
 
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