cleaning the engine

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0311_Lifer

New member
i was wondering what i should use to clean my engine and protect the rubber hoses and stuff. i have a new crown 2004 crown vic sport. im pretty much a beginner at this i just want to keep the engine clean and free of dirt and oil and stuff. what products are good for painted valve covers ? is there some kind of super product that can be used on any part the engine ? what should i cover up while im rinsing it out ?
 
I clean mine with P21S Total Auto Wash, but most any all purpose cleaner or degreaser will work as well. Although I hear some can cause adverse effects. As for dressing, any water based plastic and rubber protectant will do.
 
0311_Lifer said:
i was wondering what i should use to clean my engine and protect the rubber hoses and stuff. i have a new crown 2004 crown vic sport. im pretty much a beginner at this i just want to keep the engine clean and free of dirt and oil and stuff. what products are good for painted valve covers ? is there some kind of super product that can be used on any part the engine ? what should i cover up while im rinsing it out ?
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The secret to keeping your engine compartment looking good is to clean it regularly.
After each wash job, I wipe down the underhood area with the still damp towel that I used for the door jambs, door edges, and trunk area.
Very rarely will I have to use anything else. When I do feel like I need to actually wash the engine compartment, I wash the entire area with my regular car shampoo and an old wash mitt.
As far as covering things when rinsing, I don't. I rinse under the hood with a low pressure stream, same as I do on the exterior of the vehicle and try not to direct the water flow on any electrical components.
This has worked for me for lots of years on lots of vehicles, with no problems.
Most recently, these.
1988 Chevrolet Astro Van - 14 years, 168,000 miles. (now gone)
1998 Pontiac TranSport Minivan - 7 years. 145,000 miles.
2000 Pontiac GTP - 5 years, 43,000 miles.

Charles
 
zymolKK said:
I clean mine with P21S Total Auto Wash
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Interesting, I have used S100 Total Cycle cleaner diluted 30% with water with good results. Since my vehicles are rarely if ever very bad, I have gone back to my regular cleaning with my car wash soap.
The P21S and the S100 can be an expensive way of doing it if you don't really need their cleaning power.

Charles
 
CharlesW said:
As far as covering things when rinsing, I don't. I rinse under the hood with a low pressure stream, same as I do on the exterior of the vehicle and try not to direct the water flow on any electrical components.
Charles
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Same here - I dont think it will harm anything as long as you are careful!

I have never tried using car wash soap on it - I will have to give that a try!
 
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