Tips for washing engine bay?

Don't want to mess up any of the electronics especially on the right hand side, or the alternator. Whats the best way to clean the engine bay on a 5vzfe?

 

The detailing forum might be a good place to look around.

Cleaning the bay isn't particularly gen specific. Or even vehicle brand specific. So you should find some goodie over there.

 

Cover the alternator with a plastic bag. You can use simple green and a brush.

 

coat the entire engine bay in engine degreaser. I mean everything. let it sit for 20 mins or so, and then rinse her down. do it a couple times. LA's totally awesome sauce (simple green) or whatever it is from dollar tree and a brush to get the rest. Never had any issue spraying my engine bay down completely, just don't drench things like the coils, and alternator and you will be good. Throw some back to black on all of the plastics if you want. my truck is 30 years old this year with plenty of miles and everything is still working fine after many washes this way. I wouldn't worry to much about it.

 

Pressure washing isn’t a good idea. Now I just soak the bay with foam degreaser and use a garden hose nozzle to gently rinse it. It takes a few repeat soakings. I used to hot pressure wash, not anymore.

 

I notice the black electrical tape is sometimes already unpeeling off the engine wires when brand new on the lot. How does years-old electrical tape hold up to engine cleaners?

 

When the tape starts to unravel add some new tape with super glue here and there.

 

$7 tesa 51036 High-Performance PET Cloth Automotive Wire Harness Tape, Black, 19mm x 25m, 1 Roll

tesa 51036 High-Performance PET Cloth Automotive Wire Harness Tape, Black, 19mm x 25m, 1 Roll: Amazon.com: Industrial & Scientific

 

Plastic bag and S 100 Total Cycle Cleaner...

 

Just use gentle shower or similar low pressure setting and don’t blast it. Water gets sprayed around indirectly when driving in the rain even on the alternator but you don’t want to rinse the crap your cleaning off the rest into that thing. I use a Hudson sprayer to douse it from the hood down to the frame then rinse it gently. No issues. It was more of an issue when we had carburettors with engine bay intakes, distributors and more exposed wiring from the coil and such.

 

I just pop the hood open with the truck on, spray literally everything with the pressure washer, then call it a day.

 

why with the truck on? shouldnt it be off, battery disconnected?

 

Been doing it that way for years on multiple vehicles, including an "unreliable" Euro car. Just don't think about it to much. Try not to hit wire plugs or the alternator for too long, I still hit them though.