Zaphod B

I have a year's worth of accumulated dust under the hood of my GS. Every other wash or so I'll hit the easy-to-reach bits with a damp rag, but the nooks and crannies are getting dirty.

What's a good solution? Some Simple Green followed by a gentle spray wash? Do you guys / gals cover anything before wetting down the engine compartment?

Thanks!

GregNYC

I'll be watching for answers too...

budgreen3564

I use Tub of Towels. Damp cleaning sheets in a tube.

white90conv

I use compressed air for the nooks and crannies. I am afraid to use a water spray on the engine but I may get to that eventually.

thirtythird

I usually wash out my engine bay using gunk at a hand spray car wash. I don't use full pressure , though, and I try to be careful not to hit the electrical box or alternator very much.

Have not done to my Vette yet, but just did this to my F150 Raptor truck. Drove it on the hwy for a bit to try and evaporate any water that may have gotten into crevices. I would not fear doing the same on my Vette IF it had 36K miles on it like my truck.

I have been doing this for quite some time on my vehicles and as far as I know have not seen any negative issues (that I am aware of). I don't think this works for everyone, and I do know that there are more electrical and electronic devices under the hood now than there used to be. I used to do this once or twice a year but now maybe once every 2 years per car.


I would say for dust that using damp rags would be good enough.

joemessman

Water bucket with Microfiber rags and a small size boars hair brush. Dip the brush in water and sweep the places in the corners an ribs. Dip to rinse and do it again. Then dry the brush and sweep the nooks and crannies again to dry those tight areas. Larger areas work with just the microfiber cloth. Water should be fine. It is the least aggressive. If you need a cleaning agent use diluted simple green. This is what I do once a month on my car with 42,000 miles on it. I vacuum the bonnet pad and that get the dust. The motor compartment on mine looks brand new using this system. If you do it monthly it only takes about 10 minutes.
The last time I was at Bradley Chev for my oil change the mechanic told me that he couldn't believe how clean that engine was with all those miles. He said he'd never seen anything like it except on car show cars that are never driven.

Frosty

Been cleaning my engine bay for decades with a garden hose and never a problem. I don't shoot it directly at the electronics. Then I take my gas powered echo leaf blower and blast all the water out, finishing off with a drive for a few miles.

Black 00 Coup

Zaphod B

Thanks, all.

blkvet6

One note of caution:

Although, at least to some extent, since the engine compartment is open on the bottom, most items have to be able to withstand some water, if for nothing else, water from rain, puddles, etc, that will make its way into the engine compartment.

Notwithstanding that logic, I would suggest that one be sure that the engine block is cool before putting water on it - I know of at least one situation where this situation MAY have resulted in cracking the short block.

767guy

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ yes, very important, good advice^^^^^^

Frosty

agree as well

chefcg1

I use simple green or purple power, whichever I happen to have t the time. Shop towels and compressed air.

Trihawk

A word of caution. I wipe down my engine bay with a damp microfiber at every wash so after three years it is still very clean. But I decided to try Gunk Engine Shine Protector just for the heck of it, just a light coating. Huge mistake. It left a sticky residue on everything that the dirt is sticking to and it won't easily wipe off. Struts, hoses, every nook and cranny, etc now has sticky dirt covered goo. I accidentally took the paint off the engine cover lettering trying to wipe this s*** off. It's going to take a lot of work with a toothbrush to get it all off. So p*ssed.

Frosty

I used some well known cleaner once and it permanently stained some of the alloy metal. Can't remember which one did that, but if I use a cleaner now it is something mild like simple green which has already been mentioned. It seems that by my age I would have learned all the lessons I should have learned by now, but there always seems to be a new one.

-HAIRBALL-

I use spotless water when I wash mine so every now and then I open the hood and rinse off the engine and it keeps it nice and clean. While I use simple green on the truck, let it stand for a minute or so, then rinse it off, I don't use it on the Z as it does not get that dirty. The only thing I cover is the cap for the brake fluid as they are vented and I don't want water going in there so I just use a small piece of aluminum foil and seal it off. Some people have issues with spraying water on the alternator but I have never had any issues.

joemessman

Yes. It just like cleaning the interior with these commercial cleaners. Once you use them everything sticks. Please! Water only.

JoeD-C8

Engine degreaser diluted 1:1, plenty of different size brushes and ceramic sealed all painted surfaces and Trim Shine to all black plastic.

juanvaldez

Take it to the quarter car wash. Everything on the engine is designed to be wet.

Sullyvette

I used the Tub of Towels last night. I used them to clean the underside of the fiberglass floor. Worked great!!!