Best way to clean engine?

[DJ Taso]

Well I got my car back after my water pump incident, but the problem is there's coolant and oil all over my engine compartment. I was thinking of bringing my car to a self-serve carwash and power washing the engine while it's still running. A friend of mine did this to his '97 Z28 and he said it was safe, just don't get water in the ram air box?

[BadWS6]

I use simple green, rags, a selection of nylon brushes and a minium of water. I dont want to pay for another Opti

[casey02ws6]

You do not want to spray down an LT1. Best bet is to wipe it down with some wet rags. That being said I did spray my LT1s down a couple of times when I had them but you are risking the health of the opti!

[94 formula]

Do not spray your engine down. Use a damp rag or some other type of cleaner but it is not worth the risk of ruining an opti or other electrical component.

[droptop z]

i dont know if this is true or not but i heard that putting cold water on a hot engine may result in a cracked block. i just wipe it down with a rag.

[TraceZ]

I use simple green, rags, a selection of nylon brushes and a minium of water. I dont want to pay for another Opti

This is exacly how I do it. A solution of simple green and a long bristled brush. Use a minimal amount of water an keep the opti dry.

If you have aluminum surfaces which are stained or otherwise not as clean as you would like, use a wire wheel in a drill to brush them clean. Some disassembly may be required, but the results are very nice.

[Joe 1320]

Well, leave it to me to go against the grain.......

I liberally apply simple green over the whole engine bay except for the area on the very front of the block so that the optispark doesn't get wet. All the other areas have weatherpack connectors which help keep the electrical contacts dry. That doesn't mean high pressure blasting is OK........with this method, I've never had any problems.

First I put a towel or two around the front of the block area around the water pump to help shield the optispark and then start applying simple green, let is soak in for 15 minutes. Then I start applying more simple green while I go ever every area with a toothbrush. Finally, I rinse with water from the garden hose but using a mist setting on the nozzle. Then I remove the towel shield and manually wipe that area down with rags and simple green, sometimes using the toothbrush for stubborn areas. Followed up by a final wipedown with a slightly damp rag to remove any residue.

My last secret is a product call engine detailer, available at Autozone. It comes in spray cans, contains a resin/treatment that cures with engine heat. I spray it all over the bay, let it sit for the prescribed time and start the engine. Let it heat up and most of the product cures. Whatever is left I wipe down with a clean rag. The result is a nearly brand new looking engine every time. I just did this with the Z I picked up, so I'll take a picture in a few hours and post the photo. I get comments all the time on how fantastic the engine bay looks..... folks are blown away when they find out that it has 140K miles on her.