my engine is dirty (okay its filthy). what tools/cleaners should i use to brighten it up? ive never cleaned an engine before, its my first car.

 

Relatively easy and simple way - spray crab cleaner onto a small area and scrub with a toothbrush. Rinse and carry on to next spot.

A little risky - if your engine bay is also a mess, use a pressure sprayer (like at a coin-op car wash) and blast the hell out of it. This is how I cleaned mine, which was lined with both dirt and some kind of ratty undercoating goo that looked like it was dredged from the bottom of a mill pond. The difference was like night and day afterwards.

NOTE: Spray only the bay, NOT the motor! You don't want to smash sensors or vacuum hoses - your 7 may not run afterwards!

Another option - a little tricky. Ever used Bug & Tar Remover on your car? It's basically kerosene. So instead of paying $5 for a little thing of B&T Remover, go spend $5 for a big jug of kerosene. Put some on a rag and gently rub whatever you are wanting to clean. NOTE: if you are using it on a painted surface, don't rub too hard or you will starting lifting up the paint. Be very gentle. I initially used kerosene on the engine bay and it worked very well, but it also was taking a really long time to make any progress. The pressure sprayer solved that problem in minutes. But there are areas where I wouldn't dare use the sprayer, and that's where carb cleaner and kerosene come in handy.

 

thanks. i have my own pressure washer, but it sounds kinda sketchy, im afraid ill **** something up.

 

I was nervous, too. Just keep that nozzle pointed AWAY from the motor and you should be fine. Avoid the brake master cylinder and coils, too. Just aim for fenders/steel and you won't have a problem. Your confidence will grow, just don't get cocky or stupid - there's some relatively fragile stuff in there.

 

bump...


i know this has been discussed before, and i read some that i searched for. keep in mind that i pretty much am clueless as to whats what, although i could probably lok in my haynes manual and figure it out . can i just spray fantastik or something all ove, the engine and everything? do i need to cover anything up? im just afraid that ill **** it up and then hate my self forever. thanks.

 

if its really filthy, you could pay to get it steam cleaned... thats usualy the best way to clean an engine.... or you could go and take some castrol superclean (mmm purple goo of death) and dilute it about 15:1 with water, and spray that on your cold engine... let it sit for about half a minute and then spray it off (and MAKE SURE you dont get any on the paint ) and then start the engine to let it dry

its powerful stuff, but really works, just be careful with it...

 

i've heard bad things about mixing old rubber lines (for whatever) and steam (to clean with)...

Super Clean is effin' wicked, but yes, be careful.

if most of the crap on there is tar/oil based/suspended in oily crud/carbon/whatever/organic, then a can of brake clean or two (not the same as the Gunk carb cleaner we had at the garage i useta work at... might be the same as what Amur was suggesting) works wonders: just melts that crap right off... tooth brushes help for nooks and crannies, but rags, small hands and dashed knuckles (well, REALLY dashed knuckles for my big meaty hands) make pretty quikc work of it.

NOTE!!: the stuff on your engine is actually pretty damned toxic!!! if you can fashion some sort of huge pan for the crap that drips off, it'd be extremely cool beans for the environment to take it to a disposal/recycling facility where they can do whatever they do to really damned toxic engine crap.

 

Did mine last summer, A few steps.

1st - Did not want my cement driveway mucked up with cleaner/greese/oil/etc so took it to a car wash that has a detailing section. They steam cleaned first then power washed. Covered both ignitors and altinator with plastic bags and stuffed rags into air intake. Cost $6.50. The guys loved the car and spent nearly 1 hour cleaning/drying the engine and bay. No poblems starting. It cranked right over. Came out nearly like new.

2nd - Brought it home and used Simple Green on the residual dirt and hard to get at places. Now it looks new. Finished by treating rubber hoses and plastic with
Armorall.

The few bucks for the steam/power wash saved a ton of time, eliminated the grief of filty driveway, and frankly getting my self slopped up as well. Have kept it clean and see no reason to have to repeat the process for a long time.

 

Use Simple Green to clean the engine. It's not toxic and it won't harm the rubber lines. I wouldn't use anything that's highly flammable
Simple Green works wonders on grease and it's safe.
Get the engine a little warm (not to normal temp!) to loosen the grease and dirt. Then cover the alternator and coils with plastic bag or whatever then use a spray to wash it down. We are not stupid to spray water on a hot engine right?
After spraying it down start the car to dry everything up.

 

thanks guys!

 

There's stuff called GUNK engine cleaner, comes in an areosol can, it works great, you spray it on and let it sit for about 10 mins it dissolves all the crap, then you can just spray it off with a low pressure garden hose, works great and safe for all engine parts.

 

For the Engine Bay- use Gunk remover. Spray It liberally and allow to soak. From there, use low pressure water to rinse of the gunk. Use a rag and wipe off to shine. You will have to start removing components, to get under, over etc., In order to do a complete job.

As for the Manifolds - Don't bother using Gunk Remover or equivelant. All your doing Is smearing and relocating all the crap there to begin with. You want to do It right? Take them off. Apply a wire brush wheel ( Black&Decker part # 70-140-03) attached to a drill and lightly run the brush wheel over the Manifolds. You will not only rid the crap of the aluminum but you'll reveal the shine the Manifolds should have to begin with.

If you see my EB, you will know what I mean.

 

My engine bay was pretty nasty, so I went to the garden section at Home Depot and bought one of those things that you can spray insecticide or fertilizer. You know, it's got a three gallon (or so) tank...you put your mixture in it, screw on the lid and pump the handle to pressurize it. Then, the mixture will spray out of a trigger-actuated nozzle. The spray pattern can be adjusted from a mist to a hard stream.

I put some lightly diluted Simple Green in this thing and it was great! You can really target specific areas because the nozzle is on this long wand that can get down into small spaces. The pressure is great, but not severe enough to damage anything. After I'd go through a tank of the Simple Green solution, I'd go back with just plain water and rinse it all down. I did this cycle a couple of times and then went through with a towel and dried as much as I could. After that, a short drive dried everything I missed.

The engine bay is now spotless. Plus, I did it all for the cost of the sprayer ($18) and a bottle of Simple Green ($7) and used a safe, no-worries method.

 

You guys have to remember that when you wash down the engine bay, there are more chances for corrosion at the critical connectors such as the grounds. When you get a chance to get under the manifold, use die electric grease on all connections as this will keep moisture out. Also, cover the coils and alternator. After you spray it down, start it up and dry it out. Don't let it sit overnight wet.
This will keep you from having weird electrical problems later.

 

Castrol SuperClean will eat Aluminum if you let it sit. Careful with it.

 

I use the purple stuff to cut the gunk.

Here's the trick - after you rinse it off - dry it with a leaf blower (or air hose).

If wou want to shine it up, use a light spray of Armorall and make it shine evenly with the blast from the same leaf blower or air hose.