Anyone wash your engine bay?

[Tangent]

In my old Ranger, I could go to the self serve wash and spray it down with the hose and it would be fine. Are Dodge engines water proof?

 

[Joshwaa]

I would not say any engine is "waterproof". Yes you could probably hose it down but if it was that bad that it required hosing I would bag the alternator, and not spray near the computer, headlights, or the TIPM.

 

[JB1]

I was nervous too but I watched this video from a member here and it turned out fine. I followed his method and covered the alternator, throttle body next to it and also covered the fuse box. I used simple green to spray mine down with, we use it around the house for many things. I was going to use my pressure washer but just used a garden hose with sprayer instead and it worked great. Then I hand dried it and used Areospace 303 on the plastics.

Just don’t forget to remove the bags before you start the truck.


https://www.amazon.com/Simple-Green...&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=simple+green

https://www.amazon.com/303-30313-CS...ds=aeropscec+303#immersive-view_1538950725119

 

[PoMansRam]

Any time I hand wash my vehicles I use the remaining wash bucket water, give the dirtiest spots a quick wipe down and light rinse. My engine bays always look new this way. Been doing this for 35yrs. Never had an issue.

 

[ramportin1]

Cover your electronics/computer/alternator/ battery and I also cover my cai, spray gunk engine degreaser, agitate with a soft bristle brush (use common sense with what you brush and how hard) then rinse, blow water off with air then drive it around the block. Engine looks brand new, that's what I do.
Just dont do the dealership method and use a pressure washer

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[Pull Ya]

IMHO--if you let it get dirty, oily and greasy enough to have to use a pressure washer on it, let someone else clean it for you.
Jay

 

[WilliamS]

every 6 months or so ill wait till the motor is cool, hose it down with all purpose cleaner and let it sit a few minutes, then follow up with my pressure washer. Pressure washer is about 3-4 feet off the motor so its doesnt force water into anything sensitive. never failed me over the many cars Ive owned.

This is the exact same way the dealer I work at cleans every single car. Thats over 5000 cars a year and yet to have had an issue on a post 1994 motor.

 

[BWL]

I pressure wash mine every month after spraying it down with cleaner. So far so good, but maybe I'm just one of the lucky ones.

 

[ramportin1]

IMHO--if you let it get dirty, oily and greasy enough to have to use a pressure washer on it, let someone else clean it for you.
Jay

Lol you got a point [emoji482]

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[kkreit01]

I wouldn't. I did back in 1993 -- on my Daytona Iroc. Afterwards, the wipers started coming on randomly. Never again did I take a hose underhood. What I do, is take a damp rag, and manually wipe everything at every wash (last step). Then, it never gets very dirty. It I want it real clean, I use some sort of safe plastic/rubber dressing.

 

[Pull Ya]

It's a lot easier to keep up with if you do it every time you wash your truck---or at least every other times. Then you don't have to use a pressure washer or a de-greaser, just a quick wipe down and your good to go.
Jay

 

[PaulTGarrett]

The engine compartment gets water spray from the tires and through the radiator all the time... Nothing to worry about... Go to Home Depot, Lowes, WallyWorld, or a garden store and buy a generic water hose garden sprayer. Put a generous squirt of Dawn dish soap in it, hook up the hose, and soak down the engine compartment. Let it sit for a few minutes and hose it down again. Rinse and repeat a few times...

I don't bag or cover anything, I just avoid a direct shot of water into the alternator, air intake and fuse box. I'll also usually give the batteries a good cleaning with baking soda if they look funky.

That's all I've ever done to get the mud, blood, and crud out from under the hood... I've never had a problem.

 

[gofishn]

wow.

plain old fashion hand wash, car wash power wand.
lift hood, spay rinse cycle water on engine and call it good.

if engine is grimy, old caked grime, use simply green or 409 or whatever cleaner i have laying around, even used that oven cleaner stuff once. spray off with rinse cycle water from car wash.

have never had an issue and my engines rarely show anything other than dust, only wash engine bay once a year, if i remember.

 

[Kozmo2]

All the time

 

[Later2u]

Every spring I take my RAM to the self wash, soap it up and clean with high pressure, then rinse with high pressure water. Never had an issue.
I don't cover anything.
I then go home and wash and wax for the summer.

 

[Pull Ya]

bump
Jay

 

[Midnight Storm]

I find these engines are pretty nice for keeping clean!
My previous stupid truck (2008 f150) would get super dirty after driving it in the rain once. This one looks amazing all the time and I pretty much just use a clean micro cloth and some detail spray on it every few weeks.
I follow the above mentioned video advice every 6 months or so using simple green just to deep clean it.

This is a random pic I took after putting the red decals on it and as you can see by the dust on the fan shroud, this is as dirty as it gets!

 

[PolarisCobra]

I use a product like Simple Green, about twice a year. Use garden hose to rinse, not on high pressure, just enough to rinse the cleaner away. Then a quick wipe with Armor All or something like that on the plastic parts Engine bay looks new, maintenance is easier cause i don't get all cruddy.

Never bothered to cover everything, just go easy. Lots of mist and water under there when driving in a rainstorm...

 

[Roadhouse]

Good tips. How would one clean the hood insulation without shredding it?

 

[PolarisCobra]

Not sure you find a decent way to clean that stuff. Maybe remove it and lay it out on the driveway?