Cleaning Engine Bay?

The engine bay is super dirty. Full of sand and dust from the Arizona desert. I've had the truck for 2 years now and it hasnt cleaned itself.

Anyways, my question is what needs to be covered before hosing it down?

Obviously the battery and alternator. Anything else? I dont plan on removing the plastic cover either.

Just going to get it wet, spray Simple Green everywhere. Then hose off.

 

Maybe throw a towel over the fuse box too just in case

 

Where's the dirt?

 

not my truck. just want i want it to somewhat look like after i'm done.

And the picture was for reference for what to cover up.

 

It wasn't a tacoma, but I watched some people across the street from my parent's house pressure washing their engine. After they were done they tried to start their car, wouldn't start. Wonder why??

 

I bought my truck from CarMax. While I did have a great buying experience, it took me about an hour with a dry rag trying to wipe off all of the "Wet Shine" they put everywhere, especially the engine bay.

To the OP, regular pressure with a garden hose is fine. Just don't aim the spray directly at anything important, like the alternator.

 

Try Mr. Clean on a COLD engine. I have been using the green one for many years.

 

I don't cover anything - just spray it and the hood with a cleaner - I use Grease lightning but whatever you have is fine - let it sit for a min or two and spray it off with garden hose - then I start it to make sure no problems - never had any. I figure it has to be built to withstand rain and snow a little water from a garden hose won't hurt it.

 

rinse, spray simple green, spray off, looks good!

 

Turtle wax makes an awesome engine detailer.. It is called cd2. I don't use anything else Turtle wax, but that stuff is awesome. Follow the directions right on the can.

 

+2

 

Our local car wash place has several settings for cleaning your engine bay. One is a low pressure pre-soak that to me smells like a simple green mix of some sort .. must have a good de-greaser in it. Then you can put it on low pressure rinse and it's pretty gentle. Done that plenty of times with no probs.

 

simple green and pressure washer, I cover the fuse box in plastic sheeting and the airbox

 

Yea ha I just washed mine I just leave it running and i used the carwash wand and all is good. I dont soak it, but then after i am done I wipe it all down.

 

This is all I do except I do take the time to towel dry/wipe the areas I can and the engine bay always looks great.