Cleaning the Engine.
11-16-2012, 02:05 PM
#21
Tech Contributor
Member Since: Oct 1999
Location: Charlotte, NC (formerly Endicott, NY)
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Everyone has an opinion about this. I'll give you my wisdom.
Cover you alternator with a plastic bag. Use Simple Green on a totally cold engine. Spray liberally and let soak for 5-10 minutes. Then wash off with a garden hose on very low pressure with a plant watering head setting. If you use a fire hose or high pressure you are likely to have expensive engine problems!
DO NOT use tire shine on your engine. All it will do is make a big greasy mess that will attract more dirt, make your hands sticky when you work on your engine, and be very difficult to remove.
There is an engine dressing can I bought at AutoZone but I cannot recall the name of it right now. It does not leave a greasy mess. You spray it on after cleaning then let the engine warm up and it dries leaving a nice finish. Safe and no residue unlike the horrible silicone products.
EDIT: It is called CD2 Engine Detailer
Cover you alternator with a plastic bag. Use Simple Green on a totally cold engine. Spray liberally and let soak for 5-10 minutes. Then wash off with a garden hose on very low pressure with a plant watering head setting. If you use a fire hose or high pressure you are likely to have expensive engine problems!
DO NOT use tire shine on your engine. All it will do is make a big greasy mess that will attract more dirt, make your hands sticky when you work on your engine, and be very difficult to remove.
There is an engine dressing can I bought at AutoZone but I cannot recall the name of it right now. It does not leave a greasy mess. You spray it on after cleaning then let the engine warm up and it dries leaving a nice finish. Safe and no residue unlike the horrible silicone products.
EDIT: It is called CD2 Engine Detailer
Bill
11-16-2012, 03:00 PM
#23
Team Owner
My engine never gets that dirty. Most of the time a wet sock will clean everything and then just some WD40 on another sock and it looks great.
I dont use it but my buddy does on his cars. Looks good too. He does it every spring and the car sees minimal driving so rarely gets dirty anyway.
I'm a big fan of CRC Silicone spray, in the red can, from most autoparts stores. It goes on very light & leaves zero residue, but it protects & makes all the black items, rubber, vinyl, plastic, etc look like new. I tried an off-brand silicone spray & it went on greasy & I tossed it, so be careful of that.
I dont use it but my buddy does on his cars. Looks good too. He does it every spring and the car sees minimal driving so rarely gets dirty anyway.
Last edited by TLS_Addict; 11-16-2012 at 04:52 PM.
11-16-2012, 03:24 PM
#24
Team Owner
Simple Green works very well. I don't worry about the alternator and just spray a 50/50 mix of SG and water over everything including the insulator on the hood. I let it soak in for a few minutes and then spray down with my hose set on a gentle spray. Once rinsed I close the hood, start the engine and let the car idle for about 20 minutes. This gets the engine hot enough to boil off the rinse water. Then I open the hood and dry off any deep puddles that form in various locations around the engine compartment. The insulator may take a little longer to dry than the rest of the engine compartment but everything will look sharp with a minimum of effort. I use a towel to clean the front of the frame rails and to radiator shroud under the air cleaner. Be very careful using any Tire Shine or other shine treatments in the engine compartment. Most contain silicone which is a huge problem for the O2 sensors and since the intake is right where you would be applying the products it wouldn't take much for it to get through the engine and onto the O2 sensors.
Bill
Bill
11-16-2012, 06:37 PM
#30
Race Director
Member Since: Apr 2007
Location: Henderson Nv-Rohnert Park/Sonoma C o. ca/born in NY Rockaway Beach.
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I used the black on black, and in and out spray they both work great..
I just purchased my 06 and the last owner lived on a dusty road, these sprays worked great..Turns them black like new ..
I just purchased my 06 and the last owner lived on a dusty road, these sprays worked great..Turns them black like new ..
11-16-2012, 07:43 PM
#33
Racer
11-18-2012, 06:43 PM
#37
Melting Slicks
Member Since: Feb 2011
Location: Canaveral Groves Florida
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St. Jude Donor '11-'12-'13
I'm a big fan of CRC Silicone spray, in the red can, from most autoparts stores. It goes on very light & leaves zero residue, but it protects & makes all the black items, rubber, vinyl, plastic, etc look like new. I tried an off-brand silicone spray & it went on greasy & I tossed it, so be careful of that.
last long also
11-18-2012, 07:39 PM
#39
Drifting
Simple Green works very well. I don't worry about the alternator and just spray a 50/50 mix of SG and water over everything including the insulator on the hood. I let it soak in for a few minutes and then spray down with my hose set on a gentle spray. Once rinsed I close the hood, start the engine and let the car idle for about 20 minutes. This gets the engine hot enough to boil off the rinse water. Then I open the hood and dry off any deep puddles that form in various locations around the engine compartment. The insulator may take a little longer to dry than the rest of the engine compartment but everything will look sharp with a minimum of effort. I use a towel to clean the front of the frame rails and to radiator shroud under the air cleaner. Be very careful using any Tire Shine or other shine treatments in the engine compartment. Most contain silicone which is a huge problem for the O2 sensors and since the intake is right where you would be applying the products it wouldn't take much for it to get through the engine and onto the O2 sensors.
Bill
Bill
Also APC works well if you dont have any simple green. Just another note, if you have an open air filter, cover that as well. Just dont forget to remove the bag before you start the car.