Engine cleaning

I wash even when there's no mud. I use a garden hose on a cold engine and simple green. You can use a pressure washer but don't get too close to anything because you can force water past seals.
 
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I use orange clean from Home depot. Warm the engine, spray on the orange clean and let it set for about half an hours. Hose off then hose again. All dust and pollen and roadkill pieces are gone. When everythingis overnight dry, I spray the underhood plastic with tire dressing. A thorough spray and let dry keeps things looking like new and dust and garbage doesn't stick. The underhood of my 06 GMC looked new at 12 years and 126K miles.
 
Ive always been hesitant about washing my engine or under the hood in general just because of all the electronic stuff thats there. Is using a garden hose and rinsing instead of a pressure washer the answer? Is there anything specifically not to get wet?
 
bdarnold12 said:
Ive always been hesitant about washing my engine or under the hood in general just because of all the electronic stuff thats there. Is using a garden hose and rinsing instead of a pressure washer the answer? Is there anything specifically not to get wet?
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Do you worry when you drive down the road at 70 mph during a thunderstorm for an hour or more? Use a hose and wash downward so you don't splash water up under a lid, like your fuse panel under the hood. Everything else gets soaked going down the road from rain. I've used pressure washers to clean under the hood, but it general it hurts more than it helps and splashes snot all over the place.

PS Wet the fenders, hood surface and windshield first so that any cleaner that splashes on the paint or window will do no harm.
 
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OR17TRD said:
Simple green and a hose with a nozzle to increase the pressure some but not a pressure washer.
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I've not uses simple green for many years. Any trouble with it bleaching or lightening black plastic like the piece on top center of the V6?
 
i was a mud dog back in mich.
it depends on how much electrical crap you got in there.
first, try to seal all conections with silicone or somethin.
wrap a towel or wrag around the distrib, then wrap it good with a garbage bag or somethin. just try to blast AWAY from all electrical.
or...... don't let it get there in the first place.
 
I use a pressure washer at about 4~5ft with no chemicals to clean. I do like the idea of the tire dressing on the plastic pieces..... I will be doing this at next wash!!
 
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