cleaning the engine

K

KITT

New member
How do you clean an engine?



A friend of mine who's pretty knowledgeable in cleaning cars says to literally just open the hood and start hosing it off. Is this true? I don't want it to rust and I don't want any parts to get damaged. What is the best way to detail it?
 
cj99si said:
If the engine is warm keep it turned on or wait for it to cool. if its cool then your all set.
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So you're saying it's completely safe to hose down the entire engine compartment?



And what are some good steps to take to do this?
 
Generally you try to protect some stuff that may not like getting wet- notably the intake, battery terminals, any visible connectors related for the spark plugs, things like that (anything that might short if you try using it when there's still some water on it). The engine compartment should be mostly waterproof already- it does get wet when you drive it. After you cover the stuff up (plastic bags or aluminum foil), it's perfectly safe to hose it off.
 
KITT said:
So you're saying it's completely safe to hose down the entire engine compartment?



And what are some good steps to take to do this?
Click to expand...



If its a newer car your all set. some of the older cars dont like to get wet and youll have to cover stuff up like the distributer. the most important thing is the engine temp.



Rinse.

use any degreaser.

use a rim cleaner on the firewall (stuff you cant reach but you want clean).

let it sit for a min. (you might want to scrub a few things)

hose it off well.

treat with a plasic protectant on the black stuff.
 
I tend to disagree with hosing down an engine, but it is dependent on what type of engine it is. For example, on mine, the spark plugs are located on top and down in a hole. When water gets in there it will either foul the plug, destroy the plug, or damage the coil-pack. I would recommend spending the extra time and use cleaner on a cloth and go over what you can.
 
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