Cleaning the Engine Compartment Advice
Racer
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 275
Likes: 5
From: Circle Pines MN
Meguiar's Natural Shine Vinyl and Rubber Protectant Natural Shine's for a little extra gloss if you like,plus it doesn't make it grease and keeps from pick up alot of dust.
Last edited by cmjuhl; Jul 3, 2015 at 10:17 AM.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 2,185
Likes: 641
From: Garland TX
Just did mine yesterday due to all the dirt build up under the FRC.
Engine cold
Spray your favorite degreaser everywhere
Let it sit for 10 minutes
Rinse off with hose on "shower setting"
Leave in sun for 10 minutes to dry
Drive
Seriously it's that simple
No I did not cover any electronics
Engine cold
Spray your favorite degreaser everywhere
Let it sit for 10 minutes
Rinse off with hose on "shower setting"
Leave in sun for 10 minutes to dry
Drive
Seriously it's that simple
No I did not cover any electronics
Safety Car
Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 3,572
Likes: 420
From: Taildragers rule! USA1
Just did mine yesterday due to all the dirt build up under the FRC.
Engine cold
Spray your favorite degreaser everywhere
Let it sit for 10 minutes
Rinse off with hose on "shower setting"
Blow dry with leaf blower!
Leave in sun for 10 minutes to dry
Drive
Seriously it's that simple
No I did not cover any electronics
Engine cold
Spray your favorite degreaser everywhere
Let it sit for 10 minutes
Rinse off with hose on "shower setting"
Blow dry with leaf blower!
Leave in sun for 10 minutes to dry
Drive
Seriously it's that simple
No I did not cover any electronics
1/4 mile/AutoX
Joined: Jun 2014
Posts: 11,442
Likes: 2,189
From: Buffalo Texas
Melting Slicks
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 2,300
Likes: 115
From: Odessa FL
St. Jude Donor '10-'12-'13-'14-'15-'16-'17
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Jul 2014
Posts: 107
Likes: 1
From: Savannah GA
Awesome guys!!! Thanks for all of the ideas!! I didn't get around to it today, but I may give this a go tomorrow if I get some free time! I'll have to check out froggy's videos on youtube too!
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Racer
Joined: Feb 2014
Posts: 251
Likes: 61
From: Peru Indiana
I owned my 98 C5 for about a year before I decided to clean the engine compartment . It wasn't really all that dirty - mostly accumulated dust . Sprayed it down with NoTouch tire foam - even sprayed the hood insulator . Next day everything looked great ,the plastic all looked new and the hood liner looked a 100% better - it took all the white water stains out . I sprayed the wheel wells with it too ! That stuff works great on rubber and plastic .
Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 2013
Posts: 2,491
Likes: 315
St. Jude Donor '15-'16-'17-'18-'19-'20-'21-'22
Excellent!!! Thank you!!!
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 24,502
Likes: 312
From: Scottsdale AZ
Probably any type of 'tire shine' will do the trick.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 3,021
Likes: 133
From: Conejo Valley CA
Here's how I do it...
I'm super paranoid and won't spray any water into my engine bay. So how do I do it?
1) Take a "blow gun" attachment on air compressor and blow stuff away,
http://www.harborfreight.com/air-blo...ion-68257.html
2) Take a damp cloth, apply simple green when needed, and wipe down surfaces
3) Use long thin tools to get cloth into hard to reach places
4) Perform the job with the expectation it is going to be an entire afternoon
I don't consider myself a professional detailer and there might be better ways but I've been pretty happy doing it this way.
1) Take a "blow gun" attachment on air compressor and blow stuff away,
http://www.harborfreight.com/air-blo...ion-68257.html
2) Take a damp cloth, apply simple green when needed, and wipe down surfaces
3) Use long thin tools to get cloth into hard to reach places
4) Perform the job with the expectation it is going to be an entire afternoon
I don't consider myself a professional detailer and there might be better ways but I've been pretty happy doing it this way.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 6,951
Likes: 449
From: Puyallup WA
I went ahead and did mine today. 
Used Meguires Super Degreaser, diluted of course. While it's not "show car clean." It is much cleaner. I blew the dust off, covered a few things, wet the engine, sprayed the degreaser, let it sit for a few seconds, sprayed everything off, then dried it with a leaf blower and my master blaster sidekick.
And it still runs. LOL
Then this evening I put some new fluid caps on.
Before
During:
After:
Even More After, with the new caps (Bad lighting)
Used Meguires Super Degreaser, diluted of course. While it's not "show car clean." It is much cleaner. I blew the dust off, covered a few things, wet the engine, sprayed the degreaser, let it sit for a few seconds, sprayed everything off, then dried it with a leaf blower and my master blaster sidekick.
And it still runs. LOL
Then this evening I put some new fluid caps on.
Before
During:
After:
Even More After, with the new caps (Bad lighting)
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Jul 2014
Posts: 107
Likes: 1
From: Savannah GA
Looks good!!! I did mine today as well. I took out my air intake system and cleaned that separately. I did the same as you with cover some items such as the alternator, some connectors, and a few other things. I removed the plastic fuel rail dressing covers though. Then I blew everything out with compressed air. I lightly misted everything with water and then sprayed it all down with simple green. I used a brush to clean some thicker areas of grease. Then I rinsed. After I was done with this, I decided to put more simple green on it again and let it sit a bit longer and brush some of the areas again. While it isn't perfect or a showroom quality in my opinion, it looked much much better. After everything was all dry and looking good, I used Meguiar's supreme shine protectant on everything. It looks a great deal better than what it did, but I feel it still needs a decent bit of work.... I have found that there are tons of nook's and cranny's. This winter, while this may sound crazy and I probably won't get to it, but I would love to pull the engine and and really spend time on the frame and body attaching hardware areas. Then clean up the engine really well and put it all back together.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 6,951
Likes: 449
From: Puyallup WA
Looks good!!! I did mine today as well. I took out my air intake system and cleaned that separately. I did the same as you with cover some items such as the alternator, some connectors, and a few other things. I removed the plastic fuel rail dressing covers though. Then I blew everything out with compressed air. I lightly misted everything with water and then sprayed it all down with simple green. I used a brush to clean some thicker areas of grease. Then I rinsed. After I was done with this, I decided to put more simple green on it again and let it sit a bit longer and brush some of the areas again. While it isn't perfect or a showroom quality in my opinion, it looked much much better. After everything was all dry and looking good, I used Meguiar's supreme shine protectant on everything. It looks a great deal better than what it did, but I feel it still needs a decent bit of work.... I have found that there are tons of nook's and cranny's. This winter, while this may sound crazy and I probably won't get to it, but I would love to pull the engine and and really spend time on the frame and body attaching hardware areas. Then clean up the engine really well and put it all back together.