3800 I wanna wash my engine bay

[00GTPSC]

Is there anything i should know before i do this??? My buddies said it should be fine if i just leave the motor un while i'm doin it and don't have to cover anything up, i was just gonna spray it down with simple green then hose it off, but i just wanna make sure, cause i thought i heard some of you guys say to cover the alternator, but they said it should be fine like i said as long as i keep the motor running. so am i good to go then?

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[Sinister Drag Designs]

just watch the coil packs and inake(aftermarket or stock), mafs dont like water i found that out the hard way, plastic bags ove rthe air filter work well, just make sure to take the bag back off, a few of us forgot about them and ruined the shape fo the filters <_< , good luck

 

[preussenGTP]

Yeah cover the things you said and just use a minimal amount of water - even a spray bottle. Remember, you're in no hurry so just fine detail everything with an old rag, getting the heavy stuff off first.
Simple Green FTW! :cheers:

 

[imported_Theautoguy]

Good amounts of Simple Green, a well aimed garden hose nozzle and preferrably an air hose.

Make sure the engine is cool, spray ample amounts of Simple Green on the more greasy areas, start the car, rinse off, repeat on the needed areas, scrub with an old toothbrush if needed and let the car continue to run for 10 minutes or so after you're done. Use an air hose and/or a rag to dry off what you can get to while it's running out.

I wash the engines on all of my cars twice a year and have never had a problem.

 

[xierxior]

I dunno I just spray engine degreaser all over mine, cover the alt and spray everything down with a garden hose

 

[Aircal]

A plastic grocery bag over the alt is a good idea. Otherwise just take it easy don't spray to hard.

 

[imported_GraFFix]

Basically what everyone said so far will work great.

What I do is...

1. Warm up engine. turn car off
2. Hose it down lightly with a hose no high pressure just to get some water on it.
3. Spray alot of simple green all over the engine bay, carefull to stay away from the alternator and intake/filter. let it sit on there for 10 minutes or so...keep applying to the motor if it dries it will stain...just keep spraying it every other minute or so to keep it wet.
4. While waiting the 10 minutes take a brush/toothbrush or whatever you want and scrub the places with heavy oil/dirt
5. Hose off engine lightly...make sure to get all the simple green off.
6. Wipe down the engine to get most of the water off...I also use a air compressor to get puddles out of areas I cant get to with a towel.
7. After wiping down the engine and most of the water is gone you can either leave it like that or move on to step #8.
8. Once ithe engine is dried off I use tire foam to finish the job. Any brand will work just spray the tire foam over the whole motor...again staying away from the alternator and filter. Let the foam dissolve. Some areas will be pretty wet so then all you have to do after the foam dissolves is take a clean rag and wipe everything down again.

Using the tire foam makes everything look new again..the hoses, wires...etc just make sure you wipe it down good. You just want a nice clean shine to everything dont leave it wet.

I dont have a before pic but this is a pic after ive cleaned mine.

HTH's