Engine Bay Deep Clean Help

T

texadelphia

New member
Anyone have any tips for doing a deep clean on the engine? I finally replaced my leaking valve covers but I'm still getting some drips of oil in the driveway. Problem is that everything lower than the valve covers has so much crud all over it that I can't tell what's leaking. When I look in the engine bay it seems pretty daunting to try and get everything clean, mainly for lack of access/space. I keep having visions of lying on my back in the driveway with foaming engine degreaser dripping in my eyes and mouth while contorting myself to get my hands up beside the engine to scrub and cussing the whole time.
 
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texadelphia said:
Anyone have any tips for doing a deep clean on the engine? I finally replaced my leaking valve covers but I'm still getting some drips of oil in the driveway. Problem is that everything lower than the valve covers has so much crud all over it that I can't tell what's leaking. When I look in the engine bay it seems pretty daunting to try and get everything clean, mainly for lack of access/space. I keep having visions of lying on my back in the driveway with foaming engine degreaser dripping in my eyes and mouth while contorting myself to get my hands up beside the engine to scrub and cussing the whole time.
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Get a Hand Wash mitt with all the little fingers on it, and bucket of Dawn. Thats it. You need to get it there and scrub every last little nook and cranny. I use low pressure water to clean under the hood. For doing the Valley where the injectors are, a bottle of Soapy water and an air blower works great.
 
Everything in the engine bay is designed to get at least a little bit wet. There's no distributor (assuming V6...), so you don't have to worry about ignition issues if things get wet. Generally avoid the alternator, but it can also get wet without issues.

I usually do wet-down, simple green spray (or other foaming cleaner, whatever), scrub what I can reach and spray off. Regular hose pressure with a pistol grip sprayer. I have used a fan spray pressure washer for really stuck on stuff, but you do have to be more careful with that - water can get inside through grommets, etc. if you aren't careful.

-Charlie
 
Do NOT use regular simple green! It can damage aluminum I believe. There is a sport version or something like that that I believe is safe for All metals... Can someone else confirm?
 
jross20 said:
Do NOT use regular simple green! It can damage aluminum I believe. There is a sport version or something like that that I believe is safe for All metals... Can someone else confirm?
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Confirmed.

Looks like there's a Pro HD version that's safe. I'll probably just try to use something else like Dawn dish soap or Gunk engine degreaser.
 
texadelphia said:
Confirmed.

Looks like there's a Pro HD version that's safe. I'll probably just try to use something else like Dawn dish soap or Gunk engine degreaser.
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Okay great, wanted to try to save some other guys from ruining their rigs.

I think dawn would be fine... but wouldn't degreaser damage rubber?
 
jross20 said:
Awesome, that's great to hear! It always makes me nervous when I think about cleaning under the hood.
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Which is why I have never done it on mine. I did it once before years ago on an engine with a distributor and it died on me a few months later. Never did it again, oil drips, grime and all.
 
jross20 said:
Okay great, wanted to try to save some other guys from ruining their rigs.

I think dawn would be fine... but wouldn't degreaser damage rubber?
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I have been using Dawn for years to clean under hoods. No issues yet. It doesn't stain metal like some degreasers tend to.

It doesn't really seem to bother the rubber either. IT works fantastic for cleaning dirt off of my tire sidewalls and I'm sure it is less harsh than Purple Power or other degreasers. I never did like simple green.
 
jross20 said:
Do NOT use regular simple green! It can damage aluminum I believe. There is a sport version or something like that that I believe is safe for All metals... Can someone else confirm?
Click to expand...
Can, yes. Wash it off well and there's no issue. Purple Power is probably similar in terms of damage possibilities.

-Charlie
 
Just watched a video about Gunk Original (not foaming or gel) and apparently it's basically just kerosene and diesel fuel? No wonder they want you to use it on a cool engine. haha
 
And whatever you do, do not spray water on top of the engine. It will find its way inside the spark plug tubes and can cause rough idling/misfires. Even though the tubes have a rubber gasket/seal up top.. they don't seal very well for copious amounts of water as you'd have when rising off. YMMV

Water everywhere else is ok (except alternator).
 
shadow247 said:
I have been using Dawn for years to clean under hoods. No issues yet. It doesn't stain metal like some degreasers tend to.

It doesn't really seem to bother the rubber either. IT works fantastic for cleaning dirt off of my tire sidewalls and I'm sure it is less harsh than Purple Power or other degreasers. I never did like simple green.
Click to expand...

Ah but don't forget that simple green and boiling water is great for cleaning off cosmoline.
:reddance:
 
lockedlex said:
And whatever you do, do not spray water on top of the engine. It will find its way inside the spark plug tubes and can cause rough idling/misfires. Even though the tubes have a rubber gasket/seal up top.. they don't seal very well for copious amounts of water as you'd have when rising off. YMMV

Water everywhere else is ok (except alternator).
Click to expand...

How does one clean the valley between the valve covers?
 
I have used simple green for decades with NO adverse effects.
270 k miles and it still cleans up nice.
 

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I admit, I never knew about Simple Green affecting aluminum... but I guess I just never got around to cleaning bare aluminum with it.

Good to know about that though. I've used SG for pretty much everything else in my life, lol.
 
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