Is spraying the engine really necessary?

[Jon_Purdy]

Hello everyone!

The engine compartment in my '05 Mustang GT is about due for a good cleaning. After reading the many posts on the subject, I have concerns about spraying the engine. Is it really necessary or can a proper job on a not-too-dirty engine be done?

Thanks in advance for your input.

Jon

[sneek]

how do you plan on cleaning it with out spraying into the engine compartment??

its pretty safe to spray into the engine compartment, just cover you battery, alternator, fuse box, and air intake. Cover them with plastic bags or cling wrap and you should be okay.

What products are you going to use?

[gb387]

I have cleaned my engine with just a wipe on product but prefer to use water/degreaser. It takes time, a few towels and a few cuts on the hands withouth water. You are not going to get everything but you can just wipe the engine down, mainly the top plastic/hoses and so on. Good luck let us know what you do.

[Accumulator]

I've never had a problem with spraying (I *do* exercise a little common sense ) but you can do an good job without it. On cars that are gonna take a *long* time to get nice I don't use the hose anyway. E.g., cleaning a Jag's V12 takes an incredibly long time and you can't be spraying water everywhere for days on end or you'd spend all your time wiping it off.

Use the hose for areas where you need the lubrication of a "wet wash", like the inner fenders/underside of the hood where you don't want to mar the paint.

I find solvents especially helpful for the hose-less cleanups as they evaporate instead of needing rinsed. Use lots of rags and a zillion swabs. Try taping swabs to long thin sticks to reach the inaccessible areas. Many solvents are flamable and auto electricals can spark, so be careful you don't set things on fire.

Surfaces that aren't solvent-friendly (e.g., hoses) will still need done with the proper cleaner and a rinse. Just have to use wet towels/sponges/etc. instead of spraying with the hose.

[Jon_Purdy]

Originally posted by sneek
how do you plan on cleaning it with out spraying into the engine compartment??

its pretty safe to spray into the engine compartment, just cover you battery, alternator, fuse box, and air intake. Cover them with plastic bags or cling wrap and you should be okay.

What products are you going to use?

I'll have APC, Safe-Degreaser, and Hyper Dressing at my disposal. Not sure what to use right now.

Jon

[Lt1Corvette]

I cant spray my vettes engine bay so I do it all by hand. Some web towels and a lot of work and it can come out good. I used a degreaser on a rag or toothbrush, then sprayed it clean with a spray bottle with water and had a wet vac going at the same time to **** up the water I was spraying.

[BenP]

I find spraying the engine bay so much easier and quicker than trying to do it all by hand. I use Safe D-Greaser (or Super Degreaser if it's really grubby), agitate with various brushes and then rinse clean.

I then hose the entire bay down with Autoglym Super Sheen as it can be applied to wet surface and dries clear, shut the hood and then do the rest of the car.

Probably take me 10 minutes to do a pretty clean engine, 30 minutes for a dirty one.

Ben

[JG_Detailing]

That's what I do. I just wipe it done with some degreaser and a terry towel. Don't think I'm ready to spray some water into the engine just yet.