Proper approach to engine cleaning (not detailing)

[mpierce9]

Hello, in order to identify if anything is leaking I'd like to loosely clean my engine and engine bay. I'm not looking to take this thing to the show or anything I'd just like to degrease it and spray it down to get rid of the muck. But i would like to do it safely and in a way that doesn't damage anything. Tell me if i'm missing something.

I believe the approach would be

• Remove the air cleaner and intake
• Cover the carburetor and distributor with a plastic bag
• Soak it with purple power or similar cleaning agent
• Let it sit for about an hour
• Hose it down

Does that cover the basics and keep my engine safe? below are images for you to judge, it's hard to tell but the valve covers and break booster are covered with muck. Along with pretty much everything else.


These aren't intended to be glammer shots.

[wilkin250r]

I would cover the alternator as well.

Plastic bags are good, I would double-up. Myself, I usually use aluminum foil.

And low pressure for water. That doesn't mean just a trickle, go ahead and spray, but it definitely means no 2400psi pressure washer.

[cory d]

i just use dawn dish soap and some brushes. then lightly spray it off. if she is old an crusky, some heavy duty gel syrap can stuff works great, you can grab that at your local auto store

[D.FENS]

I've had really good results with Simple Green. Spray it on heavy, let it sit for a while then agitate with a paint brush.

Lather, rinse, repeat. You know.

[aotte1]

Warm or warmer toward hot water helps too, when brushing off the crud. I put hot water in a spray bottle for rinse. Straight Royal purple in spray bottom too.


O Royal purple sprayed on, soak, more royal purple agitated with brush/paint brush. If heavy grime/crud I loosen it up dry with putty knife and other tool that fits.

O Next rinse with hot water in spray bottle, with help from another paint brush.

O I soak up the crud from engine in news papers appropriately placed to collect runoff if done in driveway.

This is slower then hose, but more controlled in where crud goes, along with how much water flooding you get where you do not want it.

Stay Clean
Les

[Malo83]

Take her to a car wash and spray her down, this is what I do to my 83 with no problems, spray yours down with some cleaner and let it sit for a little bit then hit it hard with the spray wand