Engine Cleaning
 

What have you all found to be the best way to get all the grit, grim, and dust off of your engine? Any special cleaners ect? Also is it safe to pressure wash your engine?
Thanks

I have seen people do it but I wouldn't recommend it (pressure washing)...just think about all of the unwanted places that water could end up...I better alternative would be to use that cleaner called Black Magic or something like that i've heard good things and it really shines up your engine....

would a hose be ok to wash it down with instead of a power washer? seems like it would be a little less abrasive

I have pressure washed my trucks engine many times and have no bad side effects...just watch out for the intake and the distributor...i have also heard good stuff about that black majic stuff!

I power wash my whole engine bay every week at the car wash. I use the tire clean first because I saw the tire clean at another car wash as an engine cleaner so I thought that I would give it a try. Ta-daa! It works wonders! I know that this sounds all garbled but I give my engine a good washing with the tire clean, then soap, then rinse. As lone as you havent done any crazy stereo mods or something that would be dangerous to soak in water, then I would say that you are ok.

I found a degreaser called purple power at advanced auto that works real well
I also hook the hose up to the hot water line and that seems to help alot in cleaning of the motor after spraying it down and letting the cleaner set for a bit

i keep my engine clean, so i don't know if your talking mud or dust or what, but I spray it down with a degreaser and hit it with a brush, then a rag. then, (on the 5runner since it has rubber and plastic) I spray it down with son of a gun tire foam...let it sit, spray it down again, then bust out with the rag and brush. then i rinse...turns out lookin pretty nice, though i haven't taken the time to paint the valvecovers or intake manifold (yet)

I've used Simple Green with EXCELLENT results. It's a fantastic degreaser and it's biodegradable.

Okay - just following the OP's thought train here....lets say it isnt a greasy oily motor, lets say mud. Old mud, hard baked mud....what do you guys recomend?

yes it is thats what i use to clean mine

x3 for simple green.

for mud?

i pressure wash mine.. no issues so far. of course, avoid the aforementioned parts. and x3 on the simple green. i've never used it for the engine bay, but it's some incredible stuff nonetheless.

edit: x4 on simple green

Wd-40

to get hard mud off my dirtbike, it use a waterhose, soap, and a scrubbrush...but on a truck, you might not be able to reach...dunno

High pressure wash all the time at the car wash. If it's all mud I pressure wash first and then do the cleaning part with a stuff called Mean Green that you can buy real cheap at the Dollar store and it cuts grease and grime even better than Simple Green at a third or less of the price. Just spray the engine and hoses and whatever with the Mean Green.Then I spray the tires with Mean Green and start washing the truck and finish up with pressure wash on the tires and engine. My engine compartment looks like the day I bought my truck 5 years ago. Mike

:rockin: I second Purple power!

Purple Power will discolor some paints BTW...

Stick with Simple Green.

Oh and elbow grease helps too :)

Simple green or Dollar general brand works as well just cheaper.(MEAN GREEN) After you clean it soak it with Formula 2001 or similar product. Start the engine and let it warm up... dont have to wipe anything off

another vote for simple green and a reasonable power washer. In the past I have used Purple and variety of other brands.