Engine/Transmission (1998.5 - 2002) Cleaning engine compartment

[JCyrbok]

Dont know if this is the correct forum but I have a question as to how to clean the engine/engine compartment.



What ( if anything) are people using to clean the engine and engine compartment. I want to get rid of all the pill bottle residue on the front of my engine and the rest of the ordinary grim on and around the engine. Also would like to clean after winter to get all the salt residue, etc off.



I have a power washer, is this safe to use? What kind of cleaning product should I use? What under the hood should NOT get wet or should be covered etc?



Is this something that I could do in my drive or does it make too big of a mess on the ground after? Coin spray wash?



ANything else you can think of please let me know.



Thanks

J-

 

[dieselshu]

J, first of all cover the alternator as best that you can, and the air intake, I use simple green... but ensure you rinse it completely off. Use a garden hose and make sure engine is cold. If you have alot of oil mist build up it may take a few washes to sparkle again. I would not recommend a pressure washer, to much chance of damaging something or injecting water where you dont want it. Biggest thing to remember is rinse throughly.





Good luck



DS

 

[CumminsPuller]

J-



I would add after you do wash and rinse it that you start the truck with the hood closed and let it run for a bit letting the heat from the engine dry it off.



Jason

 

[ralphr]

engine clean

watch the elecrtical thingies, don't want to get them wet. (I spray mine with WD40 and the like to help repel the water. Also, I thought a while back there was a thread on engine cleaning and someone stated that simple green would/could dis-color the valve cover??? not sure it was a while ago, in any case if you use simple green use it sparringly around VC and rinse it off quickly. I have also heard that the wheel cleaner stuff would be ok on Valve Cover.

 

[CumminsPuller]

I haven't had it discolor my valve cover. I did hear that it will corrode aluminum I believe. But like it was stated earlier, make sure you rinse everything thourghly. I usually spray on the simple green and let it sit 5-10 minutes then rinse everything off. Start and let the engine run 5-10 minutes depending on the temp outside.



Jason

 

[Ron Bissett]

I do the Simple green ,cover the stuff , Use WD 40 then wet the area and motor with a low pressure then spray with the Simple green let stand for two or three min then rinse off , start motor take for a ride to dry every thing out. Ron Bissett in Metro Louisville KY

 

[Sticks]

I use the GUNK degreaser, and only spray it where there is oil build up. Mine gets done about every oil change. I think frequency is the key. The areas that are just dusty, the water rinses it off just fine.



Ditto on the above precautions for electrical. I avoid the ECM behind the air cleaner, and am very gentle, around the alt, batteries, and harness plugs. If you have no choice but to use a coin op power wash, be VERY CAREFUL about where you point that thing. It does not take much pressure to shoot water past a seal or gasket. Garden hose with a stream is OK. I occasionally use mine, but I keep the tip a good 5 feet away from everything when I use it. Using it on the radiator, keep the water flow direction to go straight through the fins, not at an angle.

 

[Pit Bull]

I drive 5 miles to the car wash so the engine is warm not hot. Use the engine cleaner at the wash and spray the engine staying away from the electrical, then rinse on low pressure don't pull the trigger. I do this every 6 months when I wax the truck. looks like new all of the time.

 

[ben_ak]

At the shop I work at up here in Alaska, we wash engines with every major service. We use a cleaner called Zep 50. The stuff is absolutely the best cleaner I have ever used. With the engine warm, spray it on, then rinse with warm water, use a bit of compressed air to spray away most of the water and start the engine to evaporate off what ever you couldn't get with the air nozzle. Go to www.zep.com and search for Zep 50. You guys would love this stuff.



(no, I am not a rep for this company)

-Ben