Cleaning Engine Bay

[Christopherrr]

hey guys, I really want to clean out my engine bay, from past experiences I'm sorta afraid. I know not to use high pressure, but what should I do to keep from frying anything? There is a lot of dirt and sand along the strut towers; in and around the engine. Any suggestions welcome...just don't want to clean and not have her crank. Thanks again..

[wolfdogs]

simple green.
wd 40

and lots of tooth brushes........

then rags..

i never hit mine with anything like water under pressure.....too many nooks and crannies.......

just my 2 cents.....

[AndyLT1]

Hey Wolfman, I noticed that Mobil 1 sticker on the shock tower. Did the Comp T/A's come with that? Did it come with Mobil 1 from the factory?

Andy

[Josh '95 Z28 A4]

Hey Ken...

I had a couple of questions for ya, since your LT1 looks so clean that someone could eat their dinner off of it . Do you apply the simple green onto the engine with just a regular spray bottle? Also, what parts do you clean with the WD-40? Oh yeah, and your right about the toothbrushes, they are the best for one of those hard to reach places.

[Joe 1320]

I use the engine detailing kit from CD2. It used to be a two step process, but I haven't been able to find it lately in that exact form. It contained two cans.... one degreaser and one detailer. All I've been able to locate is the detailer at Autozone. First, I use compressed air to blow off any loose debris, degrease then spray the detailer and let dry, followed by a wipe down. I've been using it for years with great results. Suprising how it works on used cars that I've picked up. Makes the engine look new with very little maintainance afterward.

[00 Ragtop Z]

Re: Cleaning Engine Bay

[i] I'm sorta afraid. I know not to use high pressure, but what should I do to keep from frying anything? Any suggestions welcome...just don't want to clean and not have her crank. Thanks again.. [/B]

I know some of teh folks on the Board will not agree, but I have used the pressure car wash on the Ragtop engine bay since day one, have NEVER hada problem with starting or running, and at 48,000 have the cleanest engine bay in town (others have commented). I have had occasional problems on my 92 RS cleaning teh engine bay like this, but with 182,000 miles on it, I am willing to live with it now and then--usually a reuslt of moisture in a spark plug boot, teh coil wire, or dist. cap. Easy fix usually.

[Coop '02Z]

Well Ragtop...

It's a little different for the guys with Opti's. They are alot more vulnerable to misture than the multi coil systems we have. Might be ok but why tempt fate when the opti is pretty much guaranteed to fail anyway....you would just be helping it to do so.

Since you don't have the opti...I say get after it.

[Joe K. 99 Zeee!!]

I think a pressure wash may be ok as long as you don't blast away indescriminately. When iver I use one I stay the heck away from the opti and fusebox and some other areas and never ever use the high pressure trigger.