engine bay
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 655
Likes: 2
From: Rio Vista ca.
engine bay
This question is for those of you who have really clean engine bays (sam lam comes to mind). How do you all keep the engine bay so clean without getting moisture into all the electronics and if you use water, how do you avoid creating buckets o' rust?
Le Mans Master
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 5,488
Likes: 1,352
No water, I have an opti and it will do a wicked witch impersonation if you put water on it so I've heard. I don't drive mine in the rain either which helps it stay clean. I wipe down the engine everytime I clean the car.
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 655
Likes: 2
From: Rio Vista ca.
Yeah Vinnie, that's one purty engine bay. You must go through a lot of rags. Do you throw them away when done or wash and reuse them? Don't think my wife would let me wash a bunch of oily rags in our washer. I want a clean engine bay so I may have to buy a dedicated washing machine. 
Drifting
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 1,339
Likes: 2
From: port charlotte fl
before a show cleaning
I spray mine down with greased lightning and wash it off with a hose and the little trick is the leaf blower.When it's as dry as i can blow it I drop the hood and fire it up and let it come up to temp and let it sit and dry out completely.Thats when you can spray it all down with armorall if you want the shiny look. The leaf blower works great after washing the car as well-much better than a chamy.Gets all the water out from behind the mouldings.
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 655
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From: Rio Vista ca.
The leaf blower works great after washing the car as well-much better than a chamy.Gets all the water out from behind the mouldings.[/QUOTE]
Don't have any leaves. Can't justify a leaf blower just to dry my car. There's a product called a vac n' blow for vacuuming cars. Has anyone used it for drying the engine bay or car?
Don't have any leaves. Can't justify a leaf blower just to dry my car. There's a product called a vac n' blow for vacuuming cars. Has anyone used it for drying the engine bay or car?
Drifting
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 1,848
Likes: 16
From: St. Louis, Mo......... 1993 Torch Red w/White Interior...2006-07 Bloomington Gold 2005-ZR1/C4 Gathering, 2001-2012 Funfest
I'm with the rest of these guys. No water needed to keep the engine compartment clean.
Just alot of time with damp rags, simple green and other cleansers.
Once it is showroom clean, it is just a matter of constently wiping it down after driving.
The problem is getting caught in the rain and not cleaning it right away. Then you get to start over.
Good Luck
Rik
Just alot of time with damp rags, simple green and other cleansers.
Once it is showroom clean, it is just a matter of constently wiping it down after driving.
The problem is getting caught in the rain and not cleaning it right away. Then you get to start over.
Good Luck
Rik
Last edited by Riks40th; Jul 2, 2007 at 08:30 PM.
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Le Mans Master
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 6,564
Likes: 6
From: Woodstock Georgia
I never use water either. Just some rags and it only takes a few minutes. Of course I drive mine everyday, rain or shine and don't think of it as a show car. Did not even wipe it down for this picture:
Ignore the ugly guy in the reflection-
Ignore the ugly guy in the reflection-
Instructor
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 220
Likes: 0
From: cola sc
I spray mine down with greased lightning and wash it off with a hose and the little trick is the leaf blower.When it's as dry as i can blow it I drop the hood and fire it up and let it come up to temp and let it sit and dry out completely.Thats when you can spray it all down with armorall if you want the shiny look. The leaf blower works great after washing the car as well-much better than a chamy.Gets all the water out from behind the mouldings.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 9,884
Likes: 3
From: Magnolia Mississippi
St. Jude '03-'04-'05-'06-'07
Yeah Vinnie, that's one purty engine bay. You must go through a lot of rags. Do you throw them away when done or wash and reuse them? Don't think my wife would let me wash a bunch of oily rags in our washer. I want a clean engine bay so I may have to buy a dedicated washing machine.
Racer
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 269
Likes: 1
From: Anniston BAMA
Yeah Vinnie, that's one purty engine bay. You must go through a lot of rags. Do you throw them away when done or wash and reuse them? Don't think my wife would let me wash a bunch of oily rags in our washer. I want a clean engine bay so I may have to buy a dedicated washing machine.
Advanced
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 63
Likes: 0
From: Wantagh, Long Island New York
Racer
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 378
Likes: 1
From: Fremont NH
My engine compartment was pretty filty when I got the car last Feb. due to a power steering leak and years of nobody keeping the motor area clean..
I tore down the engine compartment so only the block was left in there and cleaned everything I could get my hands on with red rags and elbow grease.
I took the manifolds and brackets to a powder coating place and had them steel bead blasted and I had the valve covers powdercoated body color..
Now I just wipe it down every weekend and it stays looking pretty sharp..
I tore down the engine compartment so only the block was left in there and cleaned everything I could get my hands on with red rags and elbow grease.
I took the manifolds and brackets to a powder coating place and had them steel bead blasted and I had the valve covers powdercoated body color..
Now I just wipe it down every weekend and it stays looking pretty sharp..
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 655
Likes: 2
From: Rio Vista ca.
Man, those are some beautifull engine bays. If I ever get mine to look anywhere close to that good I'm going to remove the hood and throw it away!
Thanks for all the info, guys. I think I'll go the rags and elbow grease route (maybe rent a steamer too).
Thanks for all the info, guys. I think I'll go the rags and elbow grease route (maybe rent a steamer too).
Melting Slicks
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 3,266
Likes: 8
From: Indian Rocks Beach FL
St. Jude Donor '08-'09-'10
Steam cleaner is bad juju. Too many electronics under the hood. Like everyone else says, Simple Green, elbow grease and patience. Do a little each weekend and you won't burn out on it.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 2,531
Likes: 35
From: Lecanto Florida
Once it's clean, an easy way to keep it that way is a leaf blower (already mentioned) or what I do; the blower end of a Shop-Vac. After almost every trip, I use the force of air from the Vac and a long handled brush to get rid of anything accumulated from the road.
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 655
Likes: 2
From: Rio Vista ca.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 2,531
Likes: 35
From: Lecanto Florida
Drifting
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 1,714
Likes: 20
From: Ontario
Been cleaning the bay today, it's not too bad but the intake manifold has lots of divots (or erosion or whatever, not major to function but doesn't look purdy) anyways I've been filing it down to a shine, this a bad idea?