Best way to clean the engine off??

Ok, I see some pics of used Taco's with a nice and spiffy clean engine. Then I look at my dust bowel and feel "dirty". Anyone wash off/hose off their engine compartment? Mine is mostly dirt/dust, no major grease issues on top. Hose? Cleaner spray?

Too bad i am not back up near my parents, the State Penn inmates will do a super detail for 25 bucks. My dad's F250 looks like new now. ha.

 

I hosed my off the other day. Just dont hit the battery or any electronics.. theyre all designed to get wet.. so just dont SOAK them and you're okay. I went to town on it and it came out pretty good. Just used my hardest setting on my garden hose and came out okay..

 

just head down to a self-wash place and use the green tire/engine spray, works like magic!

 

oo thats a good idea

 

You guys leave the engine on or off while spraying?

 

I was paranoid and would spray for a bit.. turn on the engine.. Yup it still works.. turn it off.. spray.. clean.. turn it back on.. okay it still works...

 

off for sure

 

i used a very gentle, low flow from my garden hose. had a bucket with a mild dilution of simple green, and used my soft wheel washing brush to scrub everything down. i took my truck camping in very dusty conditions, and some cute woodland creature decided my engine compartment was a great place to take nuts and twigs to eat...and crap. no issues. i assumed what i was doing was less aggressive than hitting a water puddle at highway speeds. pretty clean now.

 

I know where I'm going after school today. All that offeoadong finnaly caught up with me and my engine bay looks like crap! I'm gonna try copdoctors idea and see if they work!!!

 

I've always used Gunks Foaming Engine Brite. Just spray on, leave it for 15 minutes, then hose off. Then run engine for 15 minutes to dry. Never a problem doing this and it works great but keep it off the paint because it takes the wax off.

 

is there anything we should mask off prior to washing the engine bay?

 

I've always heard you should avoid getting the alternator wet.

 

anything with wires. Just dont spray it directly and you'll be fine.

 

everything in the engine bay can get wet... however any frayed wires will short... also if you use a pressure washer try to avoid long term spray on any connectors or wires to avoid blasting them open, other than that you are good. You can blast the shit out of the battery and nothing will happen unless it is broken open... avoid the lights too

 

have you used the engine brite junk before? I jsut sprayed with a hose and got pretty good results.. but since ive never taken a hose to an engine compartment... just kinda nervous bout goin to town myself.

 

I need to clean mine bad. It has a solid layer of mud/dirt etc. I was just thinking about taking it somewhere to be detailed professionally. I don't feel like trying to get into all those small, hard to reach places to really get it clean like I want it to be. I just don't know how much a good engine detail would cost.

 

I always use simple-green. On a cold engine, spray everything down with the simple-green then rinse with the hose but not too hard. Then towel off the engine compartment and hood, fenders, etc a bit then start it up to dry the rest with engine heat.
I've never had any starting or other problems at all.

 

not on the tacoma... but on my previous car and it was fine, I blasted it off with the pressure washer at the car wash.

If you're nervous go slow... remember your entire engine gets wet during drives in rain storms... just be careful on wires and connector

you don't need to dry it either the heat from the engine will dry it quick... but start with a cold engine

 

i'm sure everyone knows that the engine compart gets wet when you drive in the rain,

 

the green tire/engine gunk at the car wash is what i've always used. and it works great. if you use it once every couple months, it keeps your engine and bay looking clean and new.