What Engine Cleaners Do You Use?

[Juggalo88Accord]

I just started working on cleaning my engine bay (Thank you Xybris) and im wondering what cleaning products all of you use. What do you use to shine tha valve cover, hoses and cables? Ive been using Simple Green and its comming along nicley not anyware near done yet just getting off all tha caked on grease and oil im sure this is tha first time in 20 years my engine has been cleaned. Its so nice to be able to see body color on tha firewall and be able to read tha power steering fluid level. Hell i even Uncovered tha block number now theres no mistakin i got a a20 lol.

[ghettogeddy]

simple green royal purple and the engine gunk gel works for me
your best tool is gona be a scrub brush something with with a long handle on it

or take it to the nearest do it your self car wash and use one of there pressure washers

[Xybris]

I had a pretty clean slate to work with. But I used pretty much any degreaser, even some Dollar Store stuff, and sprayed it into the areas I couldn't reach by hand. Wire brushes, rags, etc. And then to give the black surfaces that shiny look I used some stuff called Black Again that's meant for side trim/moldings. Since I had the car I did a little cleaning to the engine bay every week when I washed the car so after three years it's as easy as simply wiping it down.

[Joay]

If you can find it, Auto Balm is un-fucking-believable.

[Civic Accord Honda]

simple green is what i use... want to try purple power... and this is what WD 40 can do .. amazing product
http://www.d-series.org/forums/1825686-post108.html
:jawdrop:

[dacantu]

simple green is what i use... want to try purple power... and this is what WD 40 can do .. amazing product
http://www.d-series.org/forums/1825686-post108.html
:jawdrop:

are you kidding me!? thats incredible!

[86AccordLxi]

WD 40 looks good for maybe a day or two til it attracts every piece of dirt and grime that it can.

[ghettogeddy]

WD 40 looks good for maybe a day or two til it attracts every piece of dirt and grime that it can.

ding ding ding

[dacantu]

WD 40 looks good for maybe a day or two til it attracts every piece of dirt and grime that it can.

ding ding ding

Im assuming these other brands arent all sticky and dont leave a residue for dirt to be attracted to? because thats true that wd40 does do that.

[Juggalo88Accord]

Nice. and i do need to get a long handle brush ive been using toothbrushes and its hard to reach alot i figure ill prolly put tha car up on jack stands so i can get at it from tha bottom to. Theres so much thick grease tha toothbrushes are no good after really scrubbing for about 15 min.

[Bass Man]

I cleaned my engine compartment with Super Clean. It worked fine, but I heard Purple Power was miles above everything else.

Bay before:

Bay after:


This is what I did with a wire-wheel on a drill, and some Purple Power on my Tranny:

[ghettogeddy]

I cleaned my engine compartment with Super Clean. It worked fine, but I heard Purple Power was miles above everything else.

Bay before:

Bay after:


This is what I did with a wire-wheel on a drill, and some Purple Power on my Tranny:

i bet that tranny is polish able

[Bass Man]

I think it is!! It was amost shiney with just the wire brush. Little work with some sand paper and it could be real shiney... I don't want it to shine, though... Just clean... Heh.

[87roach]

It will corrode if you don't put anything on it, shoot it with some paint or a couple layers of wax.

[da9]

dawn dish soap and a pressure washer

[-DWM-]

I always used Simple Green and a nozzle on my garden hose.

[mykwikcoupe]

The best thing to use is something acidic with hot water. The hot water is key. From a detailer through the way back years I could get 1/2in caked on nastiness off with a very nice hot water pressure washer and some good deep cleaning chemicals. the problem with the acidic chemicals is they etc glass, oxidation and aluminum so anything that had a gloss lustre before wont afterwards unless you keep it soaped and cleaned and the acid off of it. Id highly recommend searching for a hot water car wash, a firend with a landa sprayer or any other kerosene fired unit. These units get the water the hottest to me and just able to melt the grime and grease with minimal scrubbing. If you shop at napa get some of the mequiars wheel cleaner. Itll clean almost anything in the bay but like I said its acidic so keep the fenders, hood, glass good and soapy and rinsed. Let it sit and if the stuff foams on vertain pieces like the CC vac booster its cool.

For a non expierenced person Id search for the hot water still but use mote OTC chemicals like everyone else has listed. Im a simple green guy so I like the commercial MAX in full concentration. Good luck and post pics

[halxi]

Spray it down with purple power, let it sit for a few, then pressure wash it. Will clean up great with minimal scrubbing.


As far as detailing an engine bay.

Simple green, purple power, mequires black, clay bar, rubbing compound, glaze then wax. And lots of time/patience.

[MessyHonda]

il use what they have in napa and then see if the stuff works

[Bass Man]

They sell Purple Power in the white jug, and Super Clean in the purple jug. I think PP is better.

I just poured the stuff into an old windex bottle and sprayed away!