Cleaning the engine

How many of you clean the engine bay and surrounding area? What do you use to clean it?

 

Always try to keep it clean, makes identifying leaks easier, extends the life of moving parts that are susceptible to dust/dirt/grime ingress, and makes it easier to perform maintenance or repairs. what i use depends on how dirty the engine bay is, a steam cleaner is a great option and provides great results while still being affordable, along with a basic set of brushes, cheap mf towels, and some all purpose cleaner. the detail geek on youtube has a great video on this method.

now if the engine bay is caked in grease and grime, a pressure washer with low pressure and low flow rate with some degreaser, such as meguiars super degreaser, super clean, or zep citrus. the reason i say low psi and low gpm is to limit how much water you are spraying into the area and the lower pressure is less likely to work it's way into connectors or other sensitive areas.

for drying: compressed air, an electric leaf blower, metro blower, or even a good shop vac with a clean hepa filter and an empty/rinsed bucket to get the majority of the water. MF or terry towels work as well. I also try to only do engine washing in the spring or summer with i can open the hood on a hot day and let the sun and heat bake everything dry before reconnecting the battery/running the engine.

once you have the engine bay clean, just keep up on it regularly with some quick detailer to make future cleanings quicker and easier.

edit: drying info added and I forgot to specify to use a 40 degree fan nozzle if using a pressure washer.

 

Cleaning the engine bay is just part of cleaning the vehicle; I do it each time I wash. If you're going to use any sort of flowing water, ensure you (1) disconnect the battery; and (2) bag the alternator. Once that's done, a reasonable flow of water won't hurt anything.

 

Not sure how crazy you want to go, but ChrisFix has a great tutorial video. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PRSoRkM8GcM

 

Never use a pressure washer IMO.

Standard hose pressure and a fog pattern to knock the dust and grease off things with a MILD degreaser maybe once a year for me.

 

water can kill A/F and O2 sensors.