Proper Way To Clean An Engine Bay/Engine

[Kevin Glover]

Curious on some proper methods for cleaning an engine bay. Everyone I've seen uses Degreaser & a Power Sprayer. I am just worried about the electronics in the bay, like Battery, Alternator, etc.. I am sure the process is really simple, I am used to wiping down the inside of the bay, but I want to flush my engine, and all the internals, make sure it's all clean, so I can slap in some new fluids, and I wanna make sure all the internals are sparkly clean haha.

Thanks! :3

 

[ctag]

I've also read about the powersprayer method, but have shied away from it. Instead I just take a brush+rag and degreaser or armorall to the different areas. Rinse off with a bucket or rag. Definitely more work and I'm not sure it's as effective, but whatever

 

[Kevin Glover]

I've also read about the powersprayer method, but have shied away from it. Instead I just take a brush+rag and degreaser or armorall to the different areas. Rinse off with a bucket or rag. Definitely more work and I'm not sure it's as effective, but whatever

Ya that's what I am always used to, the spraying water into something obliviously just sketches me out haha. I rather just wipe down the parts, and bay myself, then run some engine cleaner fluid through the rad, block, and everything else, to get rid of all the grease inside the parts.

Like spraying water on the outside might clean the outside, but the inside of the parts are just as important.

 

[lethal6]

Worked summers at my cousin's professional detail shop way back when I was in highschool. We pressure washed everything. Door jambs, trunk sill, entire engine bay, underneath, you name it. Only thing we did for protection was covered the distributor in a plastic bag, covered any engine bay fuse boxes with another bag, and tried not to spray directly on any electronics for a long time. Then the car was dried with a back pack leaf blower and ran until the engine heat burned off all the rest of the water.

Only once did I get water inside a distributor cap (had a bad seal and the bag blew off) and the car wouldn't start.

Pressure washed hundreds of engine bays over those 3 summers.

Just be careful and stay away from fuse boxes and control units. Batteries are fine, you aren't going to do anything to a battery, they are sealed very well.

 

[Kevin Glover]

Worked summers at my cousin's professional detail shop way back when I was in highschool. We pressure washed everything. Door jambs, trunk sill, entire engine bay, underneath, you name it. Only thing we did for protection was covered the distributor in a plastic bag, covered any engine bay fuse boxes with another bag, and tried not to spray directly on any electronics for a long time. Then the car was dried with a back pack leaf blower and ran until the engine heat burned off all the rest of the water.

Only once did I get water inside a distributor cap (had a bad seal and the bag blew off) and the car wouldn't start.

Pressure washed hundreds of engine bays over those 3 summers.

Just be careful and stay away from fuse boxes and control units. Batteries are fine, you aren't going to do anything to a battery, they are sealed very well.

Alright cool! Ya I know that batteries are in a shell, so they won't directly get affected by water, and to be 100% sure I might just use distilled water, because I used to run a lot of water cooling loops for computers, and sometimes water would drip from my reservoir onto my graphics card, and with distilled water, it won't cause static discharge anything electrical, at least from my experiences it hasn't haha. I don't trust tap water, or water with minerals, or things that might cause electrical components to discharge.

What sort of chemical cleaners did you use? Just basic degreaser stuff, or any specific brand?

Also for cleaning the inside of the block/manifold/rad/ all that have you used any engine cleaning fluids? If so what brands have you tried.

Thanks for the reply! :3 very helpful!

 

[anv2tk]

Worked summers at my cousin's professional detail shop way back when I was in highschool. We pressure washed everything. Door jambs, trunk sill, entire engine bay, underneath, you name it. Only thing we did for protection was covered the distributor in a plastic bag, covered any engine bay fuse boxes with another bag, and tried not to spray directly on any electronics for a long time. Then the car was dried with a back pack leaf blower and ran until the engine heat burned off all the rest of the water.

Only once did I get water inside a distributor cap (had a bad seal and the bag blew off) and the car wouldn't start.

Pressure washed hundreds of engine bays over those 3 summers.

Just be careful and stay away from fuse boxes and control units. Batteries are fine, you aren't going to do anything to a battery, they are sealed very well.

ditto on the covering of dizzy and fuse boxes. also, I either cover/tape over, or hand wash spark plug wire area. I once got water inside the spark plug chamber and the engine sounded like a Subaru but ran like a lawn mover! lol

 

[anv2tk]

Alright cool! Ya I know that batteries are in a shell, so they won't directly get affected by water, and to be 100% sure I might just use distilled water, because I used to run a lot of water cooling loops for computers, and sometimes water would drip from my reservoir onto my graphics card, and with distilled water, it won't cause static discharge anything electrical, at least from my experiences it hasn't haha. I don't trust tap water, or water with minerals, or things that might cause electrical components to discharge.

What sort of chemical cleaners did you use? Just basic degreaser stuff, or any specific brand?

Also for cleaning the inside of the block/manifold/rad/ all that have you used any engine cleaning fluids? If so what brands have you tried.

Thanks for the reply! :3 very helpful!

I have used both a spray can product by the brand of "gunk off" engine degreaser, as well as diluted "purple power" in s spray bottle. in my experience, the purple power is a great degreaser, albeit it tends to leave residue unless you rinse VERY thoroughly, and you get more bang for your buck...

 

[lethal6]

Alright cool! Ya I know that batteries are in a shell, so they won't directly get affected by water, and to be 100% sure I might just use distilled water, because I used to run a lot of water cooling loops for computers, and sometimes water would drip from my reservoir onto my graphics card, and with distilled water, it won't cause static discharge anything electrical, at least from my experiences it hasn't haha. I don't trust tap water, or water with minerals, or things that might cause electrical components to discharge.

What sort of chemical cleaners did you use? Just basic degreaser stuff, or any specific brand?

Also for cleaning the inside of the block/manifold/rad/ all that have you used any engine cleaning fluids? If so what brands have you tried.

Thanks for the reply! :3 very helpful!

I usually use simple green at home. Stuff is cheap and plentiful. At the shop we used something called Detsol (sp?). I don't know if it is even available anymore but it was heavy duty stuff and only available commercially.

I never did an internal engine flush. Never felt the need. I know a lot of people swear by it but I read in a bulletin at work once that something like 90% of cars will never need a flush. If the oil is changed regularly it's fine. If your engine is bad enough off internally that this would be needed, you have more problems than you know and may even cause headaches by loosening stuff up that should be left alone at that point.

Radiator flushes are different and there is stuff at any auto parts store to achieve this. I have done it a couple of times but it is a pain in the rear. I now usually just flush out the entire cooling system and refill with the proper stuff and skip the "cleaner".

I have flushed a couple intake systems, but the way these [Hondas] are set up it isn't needed. German cars are different and most models need this type of flush due to carbon build up. Civics don't seem to have that problem in their intake systems because of a different type of fuel delivery.

 

[HeX]

One thing I'd like to add is that, regardless of cleaning method using water, I blow dry the bay using either a leaf blower or a compressed air nozzle. That helps ensure dryness at the electrical components.

 

[Kevin Glover]

Thanks everyone for the tips! I think I am on the right track now! and + 1 for simple green, that stuff smells so good haha. For a home cleaner also, try this, it smells amazing, and surprisingly cleans surfaces really well. http://thd.co/1SjSxpU

But I still want to do an engine flush, I just want to suffice my OCD haha. + If I just flush out the engine parts now, I won't have to do it for a long while. I like tackling all of it from the start, like cleaning out the bay, flushing out the parts, then adding new fluids, kind of an overall making sure I am running the best feeling lol.

 

[lethal6]

Yes, but keep in mind that others have found that flushing out the inside of a block has loosened sediment and gunk that you would otherwise want kept where it is at if it is actually that bad. This goes very well for Honda automatic transmissions. They are notorious for dying shortly after a full flush is done because the sediment was holding together or successfully hiding an underlying problem or the flush moves gunk into the valve bodies and burns them out.

We have had customers come into work with their vehicle running very poorly after doing a flush. It usually ends up being that the flush loosens up gunk, the engine burns it off and it clogs up the cat which costs an arm and a leg. Plus sensors get destroyed by the nasty s**t coming out. Just the tip of some of the problems that could come up.

Like I said, I am a firm believer against internal flushes. I have heard more horror stories than good ones when it comes to that, and have also seen many horror stories up close and it isn't pretty or cheap in the end.

Just a warning and my 2 cents.

 

[anv2tk]

Yes, but keep in mind that others have found that flushing out the inside of a block has loosened sediment and gunk that you would otherwise want kept where it is at if it is actually that bad. This goes very well for Honda automatic transmissions. They are notorious for dying shortly after a full flush is done because the sediment was holding together or successfully hiding an underlying problem or the flush moves gunk into the valve bodies and burns them out.

We have had customers come into work with their vehicle running very poorly after doing a flush. It usually ends up being that the flush loosens up gunk, the engine burns it off and it clogs up the cat which costs an arm and a leg. Plus sensors get destroyed by the nasty s**t coming out. Just the tip of some of the problems that could come up.

Like I said, I am a firm believer against internal flushes. I have heard more horror stories than good ones when it comes to that, and have also seen many horror stories up close and it isn't pretty or cheap in the end.

Just a warning and my 2 cents.

while valid, and verifiable (based on what what I have seen at work myself). I still believe that when done regularly/on time and in conjunction to other proper maintenance procedures, flushes keep things running well.

 

[Kevin Glover]

Yes, but keep in mind that others have found that flushing out the inside of a block has loosened sediment and gunk that you would otherwise want kept where it is at if it is actually that bad. This goes very well for Honda automatic transmissions. They are notorious for dying shortly after a full flush is done because the sediment was holding together or successfully hiding an underlying problem or the flush moves gunk into the valve bodies and burns them out.

We have had customers come into work with their vehicle running very poorly after doing a flush. It usually ends up being that the flush loosens up gunk, the engine burns it off and it clogs up the cat which costs an arm and a leg. Plus sensors get destroyed by the nasty s**t coming out. Just the tip of some of the problems that could come up.

Like I said, I am a firm believer against internal flushes. I have heard more horror stories than good ones when it comes to that, and have also seen many horror stories up close and it isn't pretty or cheap in the end.

Just a warning and my 2 cents.

Alright for sure. I'll prob take my Civic to a specialist, and see what they recommend, before flushing my system completely.

while valid, and verifiable (based on what what I have seen at work myself). I still believe that when done regularly/on time and in conjunction to other proper maintenance procedures, flushes keep things running well.

I agree with this also. While there might be some negative points, regular maintenance would eliminate the problem for potential problems with engine flushes. Now I do agree with lethal6 because, I have no idea if this car has had a flush before, or have inspected the inside of the engine components yet, but from what I am hearing, it runs good, and so far so good, but I'll tread with caution on the flushing, until I make a solid decision, or take it to someone, like a specialist, or mechanic, and see what sort of advice they have!

Thanks everyone! :3

 

[xxBLOOD88SHOTxx]

Don't do the damn flushes. If the car was taken care of properly it won't need anything of the sort. If it wasn't taken care of properly then sure as hell DO NOT do the flushes, just do some fluid changes. The factory does not have an "engine flush" on the maintenance schedule, it is not a needed procedure.

 

[lethal6]

Don't do the damn flushes. If the car was taken care of properly it won't need anything of the sort. If it wasn't taken care of properly then sure as hell DO NOT do the flushes, just do some fluid changes. The factory does not have an "engine flush" on the maintenance schedule, it is not a needed procedure.

Definitely agree. We won't do them at work because they are notorious for creating problems. Even if done right. A lot of shops like to "up-sell" this type of service. We don't because it isn't needed as 90% of our customers have impeccable maintenance records on their cars, but to be fair we are working on a whole different beast there and high end car owners tend to be ocd about their cars. There is a lot of snake oil procedures and "cure-alls" in the auto industry and internal flushes are one of them in my opinion. If the car is running fine, I would just leave it be.

 

[Kevin Glover]

Don't do the damn flushes. If the car was taken care of properly it won't need anything of the sort. If it wasn't taken care of properly then sure as hell DO NOT do the flushes, just do some fluid changes. The factory does not have an "engine flush" on the maintenance schedule, it is not a needed procedure.

Definitely agree. We won't do them at work because they are notorious for creating problems. Even if done right. A lot of shops like to "up-sell" this type of service. We don't because it isn't needed as 90% of our customers have impeccable maintenance records on their cars, but to be fair we are working on a whole different beast there and high end car owners tend to be ocd about their cars. There is a lot of snake oil procedures and "cure-alls" in the auto industry and internal flushes are one of them in my opinion. If the car is running fine, I would just leave it be.

Thank you all! I think I have come to a 100% conclusion! I'll just forget about engine flushes for now! :3