Alright cleaning guru guys. I want to detail the engine in my truck. I have never done this,so it iskind of dirty. Anything I can just spray on and wash off or is it just the old fashioned tooth brush and soap. Thanks.

 

First and foremost, you need to know that the engine compartment can be a very tricky area to detail. Everything YOU do YOU do at your OWN RISK... Now that the disclaimer is out of the way... on with a suggestion...

And I'm quoting from Meguiar's Application Bulletin for the Engine Compartment dated 3/04...

1. Park vehicle in shade and ensure engine is warm to the touch.
2. Mix wash solution
3. Open hood and cover key electrical components with plastic (distributor, wires, etc).
4. Spray entire engine compartment with water using pressure washer or hose with nozzle to remove loose contaminants. Again, be cautious around electrical components.
5. Wet adjacent body panels with water.
6. Using wash mitt and wash solution, lather all adjacent panels. DO NOT RINSE!
7. Spray entire engine compartment with Meguiar's Super Degreaser (4:1 dilution). (I might mention that Safe D-greaser is a safer product and is a bit easier to use... I would substitute Meguiar's Safe D-greaser or Simple Green).
8. Agitate any stubborn areas with a brush.
9. Rinse engine using pressure washer or hose nozzle.
10. Remove all plastic from key electrical components.
11. Apply Hyper Dressing (4:1 dilution) to entire engine compartment. (any dressing will work... I prefer Meguiar's #40 under the hood).
12. Close hood.
13. Rewash adjacent body panels with wash solution and rinse with water as needed.



I think that should do it. That is, generally, the technique that I follow when I do an engine. It's not rocket science by any means but, you can cause VERY serious damage if you don't pay EXTRA SPECIAL attention to electrical and other sensitive items beneath the hood.

RP

 

Rockpick summed it up pretty well! If you would like to read some supplemenatal information about detailing your engine.It has some great tips along with informative pictures.

edited to remove direct advertising links

 

Having just cleaned my engine last week - using RockPick's excellent instructions almost to the letter - I'd recommend NOT doing it. Like RP said in his disclaimer, this is a very tricky area to play with and you can run into trouble - like I did. (See my post " No Good Deed Goes Unpunished" in the Engines Forum.) After I finally got everything back to normal, I made a mental note to add "Cleaning Engines" to my list of things I'll never do again - right up there with "rebuilding carburators" and "marrying Italian girls."

After talking with several mechanics, I've come to the conclusion that modern engines are just too fragile (I know I'm going to regret that choice of words) to go soaking with any kind of chemicals followed by water. My recommendation? Detail the outside of the truck and leave the hood shut. Good luck!

 

Well, here's my theory on engine compartment cleaning.........

Start when the vehicle is new, or if used, give the compartment one good "CAREFUL" cleaning! Then, from that point on, take the time after every wash, or every second wash, or at least once a month to wipe the comparment down with a good water based cleaner/protectant and some inexpensive cotton towels.

The trick to a clean engine compartment is not letting it get dirty!

 

There are exceptions to every rule... LMAO!

 

I think that the key to avoiding "complications" with this procedure is to take steps to eliminate any residual pools of water... If you have a leaf blower, or a "reversible vacuum" function, or compressed air, use it to dry the engine compartment after rinsing, before the water has a chance to penetrate sensitive areas.

 

Take it to one of those coin-op places. Crack the hood, dump some money in and turn the **** to 'Engine Cleaner'. Spray down engine. Turn **** to 'Rinse'. Insert more money if needed. Wait a sec... wait some more. Now rinse well. put another quarter in and finish it off. Get it truck, cross fingers and turn the key! If it starts, drive around a bit and get the engine real good and warm and it'll dry itself in no time.

 

I just soak mine in simple green, wait a couple of minutes, and hose it off. It gets the mud and dust out from under there, and the truck has not failed to start yet. My 90' F150 did on one occasion, though, and all I had to do was spray some WD40 under the distributor cap and she was good to go. My method might not give you a good "detail", but it gets the job done nonetheless. Like everyone has said, though, watch out for electrical stuff.

 

I wouldn't dare wash an engine compartment on any new vehicle with a pressure washer! I picked up an 00' with a 5.4. The DEALERSHIPS detailer had pressure washed the engine bay and managed to get water into one of my coil packs. Well let me tell ya the 5.4 don't like ta run on 7 cylinders. 20 min in the service dept., free of charge, and a new coil pack later and it was all set. Granted mine might have had a crack in the pack but who want's to take the chance? The service manager was pissed because he keeps telling the detailer not to use a pressure washer on the engine. The fact he told me this leads me to believe it's not the first time. Be carefull in these computer controlled engine bays.

 

I'll agree - again. I've pressure washed any number of engines in days gone by and never had a problem. I used a gentle spray from my Ultimate Hose Nozzle to rinse this time and got burned. (I even used my leaf blower to dry things out and drove the truck for 5 miles to dry things out.) I had absolutely no problems at the time, but 2 hours later the misfiring began.

I'm now of the opinion that washing under the hood now falls in the category of "things we used to be able to do."

 

I say pressure wash it. Just don't have the nozzle 2" from the engine!!! Keep your distance and you'll be fine. And if you have a crack or f'd up coil pack, better to find it under this case than back in the woods ripping through mud/water and have it get in there...

Coin-op. Easy, cost you 'bout $3 & no clean-up.

 

FYI!

This thread just popped up in SuperCrew today...

 

Yupper, sounds familiar. Like I said previously, I've never had a problem in the past, even when "gently" pressure washing. Looks like luck, mileage and production tolerances have something do do with it too. I'm glad I washed mine in my driveway instead of a car wash where I would have had to limp home.

By the way, as I was busy pulling coil packs and adding dielectric grease, my neighbor (who drives a bowtie) popped in. (Yes, timing is everything.) He didn't say a word. The look on his face said it all. I hope his legs grow together.

 

From everything I’ve read about the 5.4’s, getting water in the spark plug holes is the Death Blow. If you don’t get it totally dried out, when you start up the engine the heat turns any remaining water to steam and that’s when things go bad.