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How do you clean an engine block?

Coolmanfoo

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So I noticed my engine is extremely dirty. Obviously part of it is just the plastic cover which I can remove and scrub but how don't clean the actual block without damaging it.

Also how do these stains even get here? It's driving me insane. Is it rat pee? Dirty water? Did the Ford techs who changed my oil get their nasty hands all over it?

Thanks guys, LOOOOOOVE you all.
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NoVaGT

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Good God man!!! Have you been deep-frying under your hood?

Just wash under the hood the same way you do the rest of the car.
 
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Coolmanfoo

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Haha it does look like a deep frier. Sadly it has been awhile since I opened the hood.

I thought I heard that the chemicals in soaps eat through the metal? Is there any truth to that?
 

NoVaGT

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Haha it does look like a deep frier. Sadly it has been awhile since I opened the hood.

I thought I heard that the chemicals in soaps eat through the metal? Is there any truth to that?
No, there's no need for any of that. Really, just clean under the hood like washing the rest of the car. Now, if you just run your car through a car wash, I guess that doesn't help.

I use Meguiar's Ultimate Wash & Wax Auto Care Fluid, then I get the hand-towel I wash with nice and sudsy, and get to work under the hood. Then I just spray everything down, I don't bother to dry it. But you could.

10 minutes and you're done.
 

Draklia

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Haha it does look like a deep frier. Sadly it has been awhile since I opened the hood.

I thought I heard that the chemicals in soaps eat through the metal? Is there any truth to that?
Simple Green technically isn’t good for aluminum, but I’ve washed plenty of aluminum parts with it, but never let it soak very long. Since learning that I’ve switched to simple purple and works just as good.
 

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Coolmanfoo

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No, there's no need for any of that. Really, just clean under the hood like washing the rest of the car. Now, if you just run your car through a car wash, I guess that doesn't help.

I use Meguiar's Ultimate Wash & Wax Auto Care Fluid, then I get the hand-towel I wash with nice and sudsy, and get to work under the hood. Then I just spray everything down, I don't bother to dry it. But you could.

10 minutes and you're done.
Hey I gave you crap the other day about being a douche but hey thanks man I really appreciate your help!

I'm happy to eat my own words! So uhh yeah sorry about that
 

texasboy21

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I usually go with the 'steam cleaning' method every time I was the car. Pop the hood and gently spray down the engine bay with low pressure water. Next douse the engine bay with a 50/50 mix of simply green and water. Close the hood and start the car. Allow it to idle for about 20min (I use this time to clean the wheels prior to the car wash). The engine heat and moisture will effectively steam clean itself.

Pop the hood after and touch up any troublesome spots/repeat depending on how dirty the engine bay is.

After I am done washing the car (and the engine bay dry/mostly dry) I then dress the plastics.

The key to keeping the engine bay clean is never letting it get that dirty. If you clean (even quickly) the engine bay every time you wash the car it never gets that bad, and doesnt require that much work.
 
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Coolmanfoo

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Thanks for the help. I was planning on doing a deep clean of my car and I'm excited to get the engine shined up. I must say tho using soap and spraying water directly on it has me paranoid. I trust you all and I'm gonna do it, it just doesn't seem right for some reason.

Also any idea what causes stains like that ?
 

NoVaGT

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Hey I gave you crap the other day about being a douche but hey thanks man I really appreciate your help!

I'm happy to eat my own words! So uhh yeah sorry about that

THAT WAS YOU!!??

OH MY GOD!!!


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J.k., it's all good.
 

Ebm

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.

No, there's no need for any of that. Really, just clean under the hood like washing the rest of the car. Now, if you just run your car through a car wash, I guess that doesn't help.

I use Meguiar's Ultimate Wash & Wax Auto Care Fluid, then I get the hand-towel I wash with nice and sudsy, and get to work under the hood. Then I just spray everything down, I don't bother to dry it. But you could.

10 minutes and you're done.
+1 I usually use Meguiar's Wash and Wax on the whole car. I seldom go through a car wash, but a car wash has its place still. Especially getting in every nook and cranny.



So I noticed my engine is extremely dirty. Obviously part of it is just the plastic cover which I can remove and scrub but how don't clean the actual block without damaging it.

Also how do these stains even get here? It's driving me insane. Is it rat pee? Dirty water? Did the Ford techs who changed my oil get their nasty hands all over it?

Thanks guys, LOOOOOOVE you all.
You think water will damage the engine? Do you own a Mustang with hood vents? :lol:

Put a plastic bag over your battery(or disconnect it), alternator, and air intake if you have an open air intake filter. Be easy around the coil packs. After that, let it rip man.
 

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Bullitt

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I used to detail at a dealership and a few of the detailers would go crazy with the power washer on the engine bay and get the coil packs wet or make the electrical system go a little wonky. As long as it's low pressure water and you have a little distance, you should be fine though. I always did it very briefly (i.e. didn't soak it). If you clean it often enough, even just a wet towel should be enough to get the dust and light grime off.
 

texasboy21

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Thanks for the help. I was planning on doing a deep clean of my car and I'm excited to get the engine shined up. I must say tho using soap and spraying water directly on it has me paranoid. I trust you all and I'm gonna do it, it just doesn't seem right for some reason.

Also any idea what causes stains like that ?
I use the 'mist' setting on my garden hose nozzle.
 

UAmach1

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Great video on how to detail an engine bay.

[ame]
 

2015Etrac

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On my 05' Grand Cherokee with the 4.7 v8 and a cold air intake, I would spray the engine with some orange clean spray, wait 5 minutes, then hose it off. I never once had an issue and it looked like new even 10 years later. On my Mustang I just wipe it down each time I wash my car so it never has a chance to get too dirty. Like others are saying, just spray it with Simple Green, Orange Clean, or something like that, and gently hose it down. If you have an open air intake make sure you cover the filter. Some guys run the engine after to dry it off, others use compressed air (I always worried this could force some water into electronics), I would just keep the hood open and let it air dry in the sun.
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