Cleaning the engine bay?

Whats the best way to go about cleaning the engine bay? Mines covered in crap from mud splashing up into there. I've already spraid it with the hose (engine on, as I've heard to do) but I've still got water marks and shit all over my engine and bottom of my hood. Call it OCD but I want it to look as clean as I can in there....

 

I learned the hard way, the best way to clean is by using the damp towel from drying your truck after a wash.


You dont want water in/on your pulleys, and especially your alternator.

 

The engine cleaner made by Gunk seems to leave less of the white garbage behind.

I got one of those RV water filters, the type made to go between a camper and a RV park water tap and put it between my house spigot and pressure washer goes-inner. No more water spots. They're quite cheap at Home Desperate.

brianr raises a good point, cover that alternator before you spray! You have an 05 so no distributor to worry about.

 

toothbrush and simple green or any degreaser. but toothbrush works great then wipe clean. I have OCD in the engine bay to

 

Speaking of cleaning the engine. Anyone else with a hood scoop get water spots from leakage through the scoop?

 

Yeah I was thinking about doing something like that.

 

Yeah I'll do that. Thanks chris!!!

 

Don't the dealerships use high pressure steam to clean the engine bays? I thought I heard that some where.

 

I just cleaned the engine bay the other day after my trip out to Death Valley. Wow, it was filthy! I used (I think it's called) Foamy Engine Bright. After you hose it all off, use a leaf blower to get all the water off. Works pretty good if you don't have an air compressor like me.

 

So is hosing the engine bay a bad thing? After I hosed mine down im experiencing difficulty starting up. I have manual tranny and when I turn the key to turn it on sometimes nothing happens, as if I never held the clutch in. Im wondering if wires got messed up by the water? Can someone chime in. thanks

 

id put a bag over the battery and spray the whole engine and under the hood while keeping away from those areas with electrical wires...id recommend keeping the engine incase u do get water in some bad spots it can just dry it up depending how many u sprayed. after spraying engine with a pressure washer i soak it in degreaser and let it sit then spray it off again and dry everything. now put some dressing on it and whipe it down good

 

i just usually hose it down. Ive never used any of that engine brite stuff. Id imagine some good soap and water would be good, with that water filter mentioned above tapped inline on your hose.

 

i always pressure wash mine......staying away from the alternator....all while the engine is running, and never spray in one spot too long. i have never had a problem with this method.

 

Cleaning the engine bay, sham-wow, only thing I found good to use it for..............

 

I'm just wondering what the reasoning is behind having the engine running while hosing down the engine. Can anyone explain please? Thanks

 

Like in the Army, soak the rag in diesel oil, ring it out and just wipe clean. If you pass a military inspection with this it will look as new.