When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
Aight...how y'all go about cleaning your engine bay?
Im tryn to convince myself that it's okay to hit it with a pressure washer but damn, theres alot of electrical in there.....my engine is just down right horrible to look at
I have copied and pasted my thoughts on the matter below, and provided a picture of SkySkiJason at the recent North GA Tech Day taking his method into action. Before choosing a path to success, take a before picture and then one after and post them both! We love pictures!
------------------------------------------------- Park at a slant/angle with the bed lower than the engine. I prefer to wash the engine bay on a cold, others prefer warm or hot. I prefer to use a shower nozzle or open running low pressure hose, others prefer to use a stronger sprayer.
I cover up the PS reservoir cap. I cover up the open air 6637 filter. I spray Simple Green over all of the surfaces and parts. I let it soak for 10-15 minutes, reapplying Simple Green if it has started to dry.
I rinse the Simple Green off with the shower nozzle or open running low pressure hose. Just be mindful of the fuse panel under the hood if you have one. I let the water drain out the valley and drip off the other surfaces. I will usually start the truck and take if for a short drive, but not always.
When I return from the short drive, or after the water has dried, I apply some 303 Aerospace Protectant on the plastic and rubber surfaces. I close the hood, and leave the truck at the treeline in the back of our property. I do this about once a year, maybe once every two years. Since the big initial cleaning 7 years ago, it really only needs touch up cleaning. I had some mice move into the valley last winter and they pissed on the batteries and what not, so I did a good cleaning after evicting them.
Post-T4/SXE engine bay picture.
Pre-T4/SXE engine bay picture.
SSJ taking his method of washing the engine bay to heart.
Nice...that earospray stuff, can be had somewhere or needs ordering?
lol..was in Montana, South of Bozeman, off 191 Lost in Forest Zip'n over the Gallatin
We have been through that area of the country more than a couple of dozen times. We have family in Orofino ID which is just to the west of that area. I don't know if you have spent any time on the Clearwater and Lochsa rivers along Hwy 12, but it is BEAUTIFUL in that area! The Nez Perce National Forest is a favorite stomping ground of ours as well as the Sawtooth mountains when we are out west.
As for the Earospray which is known as Aerospace Protectant 303 to the rest of the world...
I buy it in gallon jugs because I love the crap so much and use it on A LOT of stuff, but you can get smaller spray bottles from this link to Amazon.
That of course is AFTER you have cleaned it, not during or before!
I don't cover anything but I stay away from directly blasting the alt and P/S lid otherwise most all of it is fair game after spraying it down with Purple Clean. I use a Hotsy which if I remember correctly is rated at 2 gpm and 2000 psi. Been using the Hotsy about ten years (since I got it) and a regular 3 gpm/3000 psi pressure washer prior to that. I clean it several times a year, especially in the winter because of all the crap they put on the roads up here due to 700-800 inches of snow a year on average.
How times change! Use to be on here pressure spraying was forbidden, and simply green applied with hot water, followed with a light misting was the only solution! It does work really good.
My initial cleaning was with simple green and low pressure water but for my maintenance cleaning I use the power wash at the local DIY car wash. The wand sprays low pressure when you are not squeezing the trigger and high pressure when you do, so I can gently clean areas that are only starting to get dirt/dust accumulation and hit areas harder that need it, like at the boots to inter-cooler connections. It's easy to avoid hitting sensitive areas with high pressure this way as well. My engine is not quite as clean as Sous' but it clean enough to keep my hands from getting covered in grease when tinkering. I put the green Napa belt on mine but it didn't stay green for long!
I’ve been pressure washing my engine bay for years with no I’ll effect. Obviously stay away from directly blasting electrical items.
I use this same method on everything I own, including motorcycles with lots of chrome.
empty a can of degreaser on warm engine, perhaps if really caked up scrub the scum with appropriate brush. Next pressure wash, I use the lower powered nozzle. Final step empty a can of WD40 in the engine bay and wipe down areas you want to look pretty, wipe down optional. Done.
You would be amazed how a Harley looks after this same process, spraying entire motorcycle with degreaser, pressure wash, hit with WD, wipe down- done with out the hours of polishing chrome shiny parts.
Motor off and cold/not hot for me. After I spray it with Simple Green and let it soak a bit, I rinse it all down with low pressure water out of the hose with the engine OFF. I let the water dry a bit for 15-30 minutes or so then I take it on a short 15 minute drive through the country. When I get back is when I apply the 303 protectant to various parts under the hood. I do this with all of my vehicles and each of them has an engine bay that looks new.
Below is a picture of the engine of our 2008 Subaru Tribeca. This thing is a beast and goes over Forest Service roads, crosses rivers and has been cross country many times. Last November we were in Jackson WY on the back side of the Teton mountains with it. Before that in February last year we were rolling through the Rocky Mountains in a blizzard at 0300. We will forever own a Subaru... Same washing regime as the truck as pictured above.
I have copied and pasted my thoughts on the matter below, and provided a picture of SkySkiJason at the recent North GA Tech Day taking his method into action. Before choosing a path to success, take a before picture and then one after and post them both! We love pictures!
------------------------------------------------- Park at a slant/angle with the bed lower than the engine. I prefer to wash the engine bay on a cold, others prefer warm or hot. I prefer to use a shower nozzle or open running low pressure hose, others prefer to use a stronger sprayer.
I cover up the PS reservoir cap. I cover up the open air 6637 filter. I spray Simple Green over all of the surfaces and parts. I let it soak for 10-15 minutes, reapplying Simple Green if it has started to dry.
I rinse the Simple Green off with the shower nozzle or open running low pressure hose. Just be mindful of the fuse panel under the hood if you have one. I let the water drain out the valley and drip off the other surfaces. I will usually start the truck and take if for a short drive, but not always.
When I return from the short drive, or after the water has dried, I apply some 303 Aerospace Protectant on the plastic and rubber surfaces. I close the hood, and leave the truck at the treeline in the back of our property. I do this about once a year, maybe once every two years. Since the big initial cleaning 7 years ago, it really only needs touch up cleaning. I had some mice move into the valley last winter and they pissed on the batteries and what not, so I did a good cleaning after evicting them.
Post-T4/SXE engine bay picture.
Thinking since you volunteered to help me with my truck.... I'll bring the beer and a chair, so I can watch you make my truck looks so pretty...
I followed Sous instructions and it turned out great! I did put a bag over the alternator, and some foil over the PS cap then sprayed everything with simple green and let it sit for a couple minutes. Hosed off with the hose on shower setting then used the leaf blower to dry most of it. Used Aerospace 303 to shine it up. Definitely happy with the results!
This Hennessey Takes the Expedition Tremor's Off-Roading Capability to the Next Level
Slideshow: The VelociRaptor Expedition gains a lift, upgraded suspension, Brembo brakes, and trail-ready equipment while retaining the stock 440-horsepower EcoBoost V6.
Rezvani's Latest Post-Apocalyptic Monster Is a Ford F-150 Raptor Underneath
Slideshow: Called the Fortress, the 850-horsepower pickup combines Raptor underpinnings with military-inspired features, survival equipment, and a starting price of $285,000.
