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Anybody have any suggestions regarding how to go about cleaning the engine bay, in a safe and effective way? Any products in particular, or methods I should use?

My buddy who works at a BMW dealership said the guys literally take a pressure washer to it, after it cools, but in all honesty that kinda makes me nervous!

 
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i wouldnt use any kind of water in there. lots of electronics and stuff cant be getting wet. try some orange clean degreaser on the oily areas but usually for dirt, water and a cloth should work. you can use something like mothers billet polish on the metals.

 
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There is no problem at all using a pressure washer to clean it off. Just use common sense. No close spraying and dont spray into electrical connections directly or in to the alternator directly. You will be just fine. Spray it with Simple Green, then spray it off with high pressure. Then use an electric leaf blower to dry off.

 
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you can just cover the distributor cap, battery, and air filter (i would) with a plastic bag. oh ya, and disconnect your battery and you can hose it down and use engine degreaser... thats what i usually do

 
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and prolly alternator/starter too

 
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I didn't even think about trying that . thanks for the tip.

 
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I just cover my intake with a bag, coat everything with degreaser, let it sit, then hose it all off. Never had a problem.

 
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It is perfectly fine washing your bay with a water hose even hitting the electrical stuff, another reason why why the wires are insulated so it won't hurt a thing unless the wires have cuts or something on them where the guts are showing. After I wash mine I just take off the intake filter and put it in the sun to dry off alittle and I let the bay dry to.

 
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D17 motors have a very differant style of spark arrester. So a pressure washer is ok. However on other motors I would be careful not to soak the arrester as there may be issues with sumersion. I once washed a mitsu with a pressure washer and somehow, dont ask me how because I cant tell you, but somhow I soaked a plug and didnt know it. The engine bay dried but the plug didnt, I took the car out for a spin and noticed a smell like rotten eggs, turned out the four cylinder car was running on only three cylinders, bad news. With that said recently I have pressure washed my civic and need to again soon but its ok as long as the weather is warm and the pressure is low.

 
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Last I tried cleaning the engine bay my car wouldn't start cuz I sprayed some water into the distributor cap. I think that was my very first post here asking how to fix it...LOL!

But I also bought the wrong kinda spray...I was looking for the foam not liquid degreaser.

 
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I think the distributor on the older motors would he the only obstical cause the cap doesn't have a o ring or a seal on it which would allow water to get into it.

 
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I've always low pressure washed the engines on my Integra and on my Civic. Never had an issue. 10 years for both cars. I do it every other week.

 
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Degreaser for a couple min, light pressure spray and wipe down...she needed it

 
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I've found a great mixture that works fantastic under the hood:


- Spray bottle (old glass cleaner or equiv.)
- 1/4 full of SimpleGreen
- 1/8 (est.) WD-40
- the rest is water


Spray areas and let soak for several minutes, but try to avoid the belts/pulleys if at all possible. then, a pressure-washer on low-pressure to rince away. Should you get the belts, the cleaner will 'dry' up the WD-40 on them EVENTUALLY, but not immediately.


It's a 'golden-rule' mixture that I use when I raced nitro R/C vehicles, and leaves a spot-free finish that looks like Armor-all when dry

 
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Its perfectly safe if you take some measures first gunk degreaser go to self wash open the hood let the car cool down for about 10 to 15 minutes. Than spray the degreaser over the engine completely let it sit for about 15 minutes than run the rinse mode and rinse the entire engine with pressure wash. Make sure when you do it do not directly aim parts such as alternator etc. I have been doing it for a very long time and had no problem plus your motor will look clean all the time. Hope this help.