Talked to the veteran detail man at the dealership where I used to work about this. He said that he has never covered anything and never had a no start or problems after. He wets everything with degreaser, lets it set a while and power washes everything. He then lets the engine idle for 2-3 hours but he is also drying out the interior which was extensively cleaned. Not saying that it isn't safer to cover the afore mentioned places but according to him you don't "need" to. Just my 2 cents worth.

 

What about putting Krud Cutter in a spray bottle in place of simple green and using the same process?

 

Any degreaser should work, I use Wal-marts Purple Power many times.

 

Any degreaser will work. I like simple green, but any will work.

 

I am not going to read the rest of the posts but give my opinion to the OP anyway. I go to the quarter car wash that has the highest pressure I can find, but my 6637 in a good plastic bag. Use their engine cleaner setting, then blast away with the soap, then rinse with the wax setting. Maybe I have just been lucky but in all these years I have had zero problems and have a real nice looking engine compartment for 210,000 plus miles. Just don't forget to remove plastic bag. I remember a few years ago a member did just that and it crushed his filter like a cheap beer can.

 

Does using a pressure washer tend to work allot better than soaking and rinsing with a good degreaser?

 

Don't know, I've never let mine get bad enough to have to find out.

 

Mine isn't bad at all. No really dusty just some stuff that has gotten spilled and a few things like that mostly from the veggie oil conversion and what not.

 

Probably depends on how dirty your engine compartment is and what with. If you have oil around the turbo intake boots etc., using the degreaser would help loosen the oil and oil soaked dirt. That would lessen the time you would need to power wash to get the oil off.

 

Well, DEFINITELY cover the power steering reservoir cap. I think that's why my pump started whining. After a nice flush & fill with syn ATF it quit, but I think water getting in that cap started it...

 

well just got done degreasing. Worked out really well. Next time i do it i will get out a brush and do a slight bit of scrubbing but it's nice and clean in the mean time. Was hosing it down and got to staring at the foil and now I want to do the delete on that. Girlfriend is making me go to seattle for the weekend for a friend of her b-day party so i guess it will have to wait for now.

 

Congrats on the cleanup... it's always inspiring to see a really clean engine bay!

 

Be careful of some products. Found that Greased Lightning will damage aluminum and only lists that fact on the refill container.

 

I do mine every 4 to 5 months. I use a wash down gun to spray the Simple Green on. I use just enough air to suck the Simple Green out of the gallon jug. I can get into all the cracks, down into the valley, and around the turbo pedestal like that.Then use a water nozzle and wash it off. Clean as a new penny.

 

Your going to have to teach me that method Rick, but I learn better by watching!!!!