Engine Cleaner
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Senior User
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 213
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From: PA
Engine Cleaner
How do you guys clean your engine bays after mudding?
The last time I went mudding was like 2 months ago and I had a hard time cleaning my engine bay. the way I cleaned mine was the old wet rag and wiping all the dirt and grime from the engine(on a cold engine of coarse)
I'm going to go off roading or mudding this weekend and I would like to make it easy to clean my whole engine bay this time. Are there any suggestions? I'm not going through 10" of mud or anything its more like semi-deep water thats really dirty and running through that if I can't fing anywhere else to go.
The last time I went mudding was like 2 months ago and I had a hard time cleaning my engine bay. the way I cleaned mine was the old wet rag and wiping all the dirt and grime from the engine(on a cold engine of coarse)
I'm going to go off roading or mudding this weekend and I would like to make it easy to clean my whole engine bay this time. Are there any suggestions? I'm not going through 10" of mud or anything its more like semi-deep water thats really dirty and running through that if I can't fing anywhere else to go.
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Senior User
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 213
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From: PA
Engine Cleaner
well, its obvious that I have to do this while the engine is cold but wont all that water hurt the electronics? I guess I should cover those vital parts with a plastic bag or something
Postmaster
Joined: Mar 2003
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From: La Tech University, La
Engine Cleaner
Well, hopefully all the electrical components are already water proofed? being that when driving through a rainstorm you normally get water in the engine bay. or when washing your truck but the real quistion is....why are you washing it? I only wash mine because it si a new 2x4
Post Fiend
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 9,987
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From: Memphis, TN
Engine Cleaner
I never go to sleep with mud under my truck. (I don't worry about the paint.
) As soon as I get back from a muddy trail ride, I get under it with the hose and rinse everything off THOROUGHLY. If you start at the bottom and work up, the engine will be cool enough to rinse most of it - just don't hit the exhaust manifolds until they've cooled from the lighter overspray. If it's still kinda warm, any water inside the dist cap will evaporate by morning. Everything else should be able to handle it.
) As soon as I get back from a muddy trail ride, I get under it with the hose and rinse everything off THOROUGHLY. If you start at the bottom and work up, the engine will be cool enough to rinse most of it - just don't hit the exhaust manifolds until they've cooled from the lighter overspray. If it's still kinda warm, any water inside the dist cap will evaporate by morning. Everything else should be able to handle it.
Senior User
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 112
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From: Northwest Arkansas
Engine Cleaner
Down here in the south, circle track racing on dirt tracks is extremely popular. The racers down here have what is called mud release. Like the baby oil idea they spray their whole car with it and go have fun. After the race they just pull into the local car wash and use the pressure washer, you would never know it had mud on it at all. My cousin races dirt track and uses this stuff. I have know him to wait as long as three days and the mud still comes off with no problem.
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Senior User
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 333
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From: Safford, Arizona
Engine Cleaner
Some guys at our mud bogs spray the bottom of their trucks the same way.
The other thing is preventive maintenance. I don't know about your truck, but mine still has all of the guards that keep too much stuff from getting into the engine compartment. It doesn't keep it clean by any means, but it does make it much easier to clean up the engine compartment.
The other thing is preventive maintenance. I don't know about your truck, but mine still has all of the guards that keep too much stuff from getting into the engine compartment. It doesn't keep it clean by any means, but it does make it much easier to clean up the engine compartment.
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Senior User
Joined: Apr 2003
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From: Northwest Arkansas
Engine Cleaner
I have also used Simple Green to clean my engine compartments. Works really well I think. Make sure that you get the bottle with the new nozzle that allows it to foam as it is sprayed out, then let it sit for a few minutes and hose it off. Good as new 
Senior User
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 112
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From: Northwest Arkansas
Engine Cleaner
You can find Simple Green just about anywhere that sells cleaners of any kind. There is also a new automotive grade Simple Green, but I don't care to much for it. It does not seem to work as good as the regular Simple Green, although you would think that it would be stronger. Down here the Autozones do carry it. I think that your best shot would be Wal-mart or some place like that though.
Posting Guru
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 2,404
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From: Cleveland, WI USA
Engine Cleaner
Find a big water hole and give 'er.
The pressure washer idea is great too. I only covered the intake to keep water out of the carb when I did mine. The distributer (if equipped with one) is easy enough to dry out.
I do like the baby oil idea too. I'll have to try that next weekend.
Kevin K.
The pressure washer idea is great too. I only covered the intake to keep water out of the carb when I did mine. The distributer (if equipped with one) is easy enough to dry out.
I do like the baby oil idea too. I'll have to try that next weekend.
Kevin K.
Postmaster
Joined: Feb 2003
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From: Muskegon, MI (home)
Engine Cleaner
You could take the truck to one of those coin car washes. The ones with the spray guns, wash your truck on the outside first; get the worst of the mud off the body. This should give the engine enough time to cool off. Some places have a degreaser in the wash selections for the spray gun, I don't personally like it. I like to use "Greased Lightning" just put some in a spray bottle and bring it with you to the car wash. Spray that stuff all over the engine compartment, let it sit for a little bit then just spray it off. It's pretty strong stuff, I have had very good luck with it. I use it for degreasing engine blocks before I tear them down for rebuilding.
