How do you guys clean your engine bay from mud/dirt? I'm afraid of just taking the pressure washer at the car wash to it.

Thanks for the info!

 

I asked this question a while back and most of the responses said that if you use light spray of water, and not high pressured water, you can basically hose down your engine. And ofcourse try not to hose down the battery

When I tried to clean mine, I basically spent 2 hours using a wet rag and whiping down everything!! But it still didn't get all the dirt out.

 

Call around until you find someone that uses heated high pressure water. Steam cleaning is safe, and when used in conjunction with degreaser, works awesome. I detailed cars for a living once, and we always used high pressure steamed water. The worse problem I ever saw was water in a distributor cap and taking a chunk of paint off a Saleen Mustang spoiler (whoops ) - that was my fault for getting too close.

 

Steam cleaning is also expensive as hell though.

 

It can be, yes. But that depends on what your definition of "expensive as hell is." There is a Danny's Car Wash up here in Phoenix that does steam cleans. I think its $10.

*You dont HAVE to use heated water. But, as we all know, warm (hot) water has better cleaning properties and evaporates faster.

I have cleaned my engine bays (past and present vehicles) at least 15 times with unheated water and never had a problem. I always leave the engine running.

Most of the cost at the detail shops is liability. They just wont tell you that. (It only takes 10 minutes if they are good).

 

Use CD-2.





More info here:

http://www.toyotaoffroad.net/jnburtman/hoodlight.html

 

Damn Jason, you could eat off that engine

 

No doubt! And I thought I kept mine clean...

Nice website too. I love that outside temp. gauge Do you remember what kind of resistor that you used?

 

Two words: Simple Green. It's a degreaser, environmentally safe, and works damn well. Only problem is it smells like licorice... really. I used it, a toothbrush, and good old H2O and it did the trick. Apply it to a warm or cold engine, let sit for 5 minutes, scrub, then rinse with water. Repeat if necessary. I can't vouch for CD-2 because I could never find th stuff at Wal-Mart or Target, but I was impressed with the Simple Green. Oh yeah, the licorice smell goes away in a week.


Zach

 

I've used cd-2 and it works awesome, but I wouldn't use the detailer if I were planning on taking it off-road any time soon cuz it will attract the dust like a magnet. If you don't plan on taking it off-road anytime soon, it will look awesome. I just used Simple Green this past weekend(from all those puddles we drove through earlier this month) and it worked really well. I know what you're talking about the licorice smell....I kinda liked it, and it didn't last that long.

Salue

 

I've been trying for the past 2 years to find CD-2 with no luck whatsoever. I have been able to find the second part that essentially armor-alls everything at Auto-Zone, but I haven't tried it yet. I've always used Simple Green to do the job, and then rinse it off at the car-wash. Works alright for me, but there's no shine like after the CD-2.

 

I have used SimpleGreen and have not had great results. It just doesn't seem to come really clean. I soak down the motor and then spray a ton of the stuff EVERYWHERE. I let it sit for a few minutes and then rinse. It takes off the loose stuff but doesn't do anything to that last layer of mud. I have not scrubbed because I can't think of a good scrubbing tool. Any suggestions?

 

Toofbrush! It works really well actully for all the small crevices. Here's a joke, and I can say it becaue my Dad's from West Virginia. OK, how do you know the toothbrush was invented in West Virginia? If it was invented anywhere else, it would be a teethbrush! K, maybe it's not that great, but I thought it was funny. Here's a tip: don't use it in your mouth after you've used it on the engine. You make have trouble getting that fuel down the pipe. Really bad humor, but I'm in that mood. As for the elusive CD-2, I found it in Wal-Mart, but it was CD-2 tire stuff, not engine degreaser or cleaner. If anyone can confirm a definate place to find this stuff, please fill me in! Until then, I'll be stuck in the same boat as you, Toyota Punk.

Zach

 

Never used CD-2, but have used Gumout Engine Cleaner. Worked pretty good, garden hose, engine running...

 

i got to post a pic of my motor, i recently haD MY head of and while it was off painted it blue to match my truck. I work at toyota in the recon department so this is how we clean motors. we cover any distrubutors with a plastic bag. degrease the motors with all purpose cleaner made ny auto magic. Also called red hot. Powerwash it with ap pressure washer with heat. If you have a steam buggy, that will work too, it will just take a bit longer

 

I use Simple Green straight (not diluted) and don't wet the motor down first. After hosing and scrubbing as needed, I then spray the motor down with WD40 (not on the belts though). I learned that from a car show friend and have been doing it for years. Works great on the frame, axels and so on too!

 

purple power works but willl etch anything made of soft metal

 

Do you realize this a 5+ year old thread?

 

Here is a more recent thread if you'd like to discuss this topic.

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