Anyone know how to clean the engine area properly? I don't really know what you can/can't touch. I've heard that there are some sensitive wires/sensors/etc. that I don't want to break. It's getting pretty dirty in there!

 

no issues and i wash mine monthly. i go to the .25 car wash... i use the soap & then rinse... followed up with a towel drying...

i do leave the engine running while doing so... turns out like new.

 

Ditto to Andrew and his advice and just don't spray directly on anything questionable, that's all and I've never had a problem cleaning my engine bay. BTW if the quarter car wash has the touch-free rinse, use it, as its always a lower pressure and has chemicals in it that generally leaves a spot free finish. Follow up the hoses and black plastic areas with your favorite tire shine and/or foaming product for that "bling" factor.

 

I just want to get this straight...

It's safe to spray water directly onto the engine?

I too, am concerned about causing an issue by wetting a "questionable" area, as Aero Blue put it.

My question is, what constitutes "questionable" or sensitive areas.

And... Can this be done safely with the plastic engine cover removed? And how much water pressure is safe?

 

I really don't advise washing the engine with the cover off, you could cover the air intake but I don't know if I would.

 

oops... it's been so long since I took the cover off that I forgot it is part of the air intake. Please disregard that particular question.

 

I've been cleaning under the hood of every car I've owned since 1974 and gone the gamut on different products and procedures.

Simple Green is a pretty safe biodegradable detergent and makes a wonderful degreaser. It won't turn rubber or plastic gray and rinses clean.

These days I use a 50/50 solution of Simple Green sprayed out of a bottle, wait 5 minutes and rinse with a GARDEN HOSE! 40-50 psig of water is all you EVER want in the vicinity of your engine and it's many triple seal electrical connectors. They (MB) designed these connector boots with the intent of 100-150 MPH air/water mix at atmospheric pressure. NOT a 400 MPH directed spray @ 2,000 psig. I learned this lesson well on my '76 Caprice, one connector leaked, filled up and held water for 2 days until I found it. It was the Throttle Position Sensor and made the car run like it had 5 cylinders until it was dried out. Today's engines and associated electronics are much more prone to problems than in the olden days. No reason to add to it.

 

P.S. to my last post:

NEVER wash an engine immediately after operation. It should be at ambient temperature.

 

I had the rear differential and entire under carriage as well as the top side of the engine bay steam cleaned a few weeks ago... looks like it rolled off the showroom floor.

Cost = $138 ... this was for the rear diff area, front underside and top side of the engine bay and a premium car wash.

Not too shabby when the regular cost for the rear diff, underside and engine area is normally $178 without a car wash.

 

I wanna see pics of the clean underbody MMZ.

 

Also if you get any water in any electrical contact points, you can use WD-40 to dry out the contacts. The name WD-40 was actually derived from '"Water Displaced on the 40th test".

 

Here is very good Engine Detailer Link:

http://www.autopia-carcare.com/inf-engine.html

This procedure takes into account the preparation that some may wish to use, to protect specialized Engine Components.

I personally use the "AUTOGLYM" Engine and Machine Cleaner, but there are probably a multitude of products that can degrease an engine and the engine compartment equally well.

Good Luck,
XFH

 

I'm sorry Andrew, but I beg to differ... No high pressure jets!

http://www.dccarcare.com/tipowk/tipowk13.html