What is the best way to clean a 3rd Gen. engine with everything stock except for an open intake? What are the best products also?

 

i use engine clean, i cover my pettit intake and my alt. just to be safe, always works for me

 

yeah. cover up whatever you don't to get wet (intake, alt., etc.) and spray on your favorite engine cleaner (degreaser), leave it on for a few mintues and rinse away with cold water. If it is still not clean enough, repeat as necessary and even use a brush for the hard to reach places and scrub away.

never do this on a warm-hot engine.

 

Degreasers don't mess up paint and plastics do they? I normally just get my car detailed so I have no idea.

 

They will mess up paint if left on too long.

I just did mine for the first time this past weekend. I had the battery removed, so I covered the clamps, and my air intake. Sprayed the rest. While I was waiting for the degreaser to set in, I use a scrub brush and scrubbed on some areas (I don't think my engine has even been cleaned).

After about 10-15 minutes, I just hosed it off. I let the car sit with the hood open for a few hours before trying to start it up.

On the first start up, some of the left over degreaser smoked out of the engine, but then it was fine.

 

Castrol Super Clean is suppost to be really good. Cover the battery, intake, alternator and give it hell.

 

DO NOT use Castol Super Clean on aluminum! I learned this the hard way when cleaning out my engine. I sprayed some areas and some of it got on my Cusco bars. Needless to say, it tarnished the really nice polished surface! I was told that I may be able to get a rubbing compound to buff the area, but if not, I will have to get my bars repolished.

Just a word of advice!

 

Good ol' Simple Green works great too. Just don't leave it on for too long and follow the advice mentioned above for covering stuff up and you should be fine.

 

for that tarnished strut bar.....
use mother's aluminum polish......works great!

 

What about steam cleaning??

 

I did something experimental on my engine. I put on interior cleaner. I dont know the name but its in a green compressor type can. I can get the name later and I just washed it off. No residue, didnt **** the paint and all the hoses and plastics were shinning like brand new.... This stuff is used for seats, tires andstuff like that BUT Worked great on the engine..... no wiping need either, just air dry

 

Yeah my bad for not saying anything, cover up the polished stuff. I was assuming a stock engine bay. I covered my HKS bov.

 

Thanks for the help