Clean Engine Compartment

[captainm27]

My friend just bought his first car: A 2005 Hyundai Elantra. So I went over to his house to congratulate him, looked at the car, checked out the inside, and all. Everything looked pretty good...except when I popped the hood. Holy Smokes! Rust everywhere! And lots of dirt too. How can this happen in such a short time? Can this happen to the Yaris too? I do notice a little bit of dust and stuff building inside my compartment. Now, I've seen youtube videos of people spraying cleaning stuff inside thier engine, and then washing it out using thier garden hose! Is this safe for my engine? Would that prevent rust from forming down the road?

[detroiter]

They actually make a spray can of stuff that is engine bay cleaner. You pretty much use it and soak the whole engine bay with it and let it sit a little bit. Then you use a hose and rinse it off with slight water pressure, not blasting the thing. Then it comes out looking like a top. I can't recall the name of the stuff but I'll be sure to post it up if I recall it.

[captainm27]

So Spraying water on the whole engine won't damage it in anyway? Like the moving parts and gears and all? Just like that?

[darkmoon87]

So Spraying water on the whole engine won't damage it in anyway? Like the moving parts and gears and all? Just like that?

i do it all the time and I do because I know (worked at a professional car wash place for a while before) as long as you dont blast the engine bay with way too high pressure. I usually use something like garden hose pressure.

[uncleyaris]

Check the DIY section and use the search function.

[detroiter]

The hose should be fine to rinse it off. Just DO NOT use the power washer at a car wash. I made that mistake a long time ago and I learned from it. Soon as I fired up the Del Sol and pulled out, it started bogging and missing severely. Guess from all the pressure from the washer, it got water into the spark plug chamber and fouled out the plugs something fierce. It took a few days to eventually get back to running 100%, me having to pull the plug wires when I wasn't driving it so it could dry out and also replacing the plugs.

So yes, garden hose will be ok..power washer will NOT be ok.

[supmet]

My brother is selling his 93 camry. The block and basically every piece of metal had oil, rust, dirt, you name it covering it. I had a wire brush and a can of oven cleaner. 10 minutes later and a spray with the garden hose it looked like new.

Unless you have a CAI spraying it off with the hose should be fine, just don't blast the alternator, spark plug boots, or air filter

[detroiter]

Oui...

[supmet]

fuse box is ok:iono:?
:rolleyes:

splashing it with water won't really do anything to it, unless your coming from underneath it.. I didn't really feel like listing every part that shouldn't get wet, just the main ones..

[captainm27]

Check the DIY section and use the search function.

I took your advice, Uncle Yaris, and found this thread.


http://www.yarisworld.com/forums/showthread.php?t=4729

Ahh, I feel better now knowing that I can safely spray my engine bay with the hose. Will be trying this real soon! Hopefully this rainy weather will clear soon.

[detroiter]

Just to let you know as well if you go that route, it might smell mildly for a day or two. It's nothing to worry about. It's just the cleaning products and the heat from the engine bay mixing together.

[uncleyaris]

I took your advice, Uncle Yaris, and found this thread.


http://www.yarisworld.com/forums/showthread.php?t=4729

Ahh, I feel better now knowing that I can safely spray my engine bay with the hose. Will be trying this real soon! Hopefully this rainy weather will clear soon.

:thumbup::thumbsup:

[blktiger60]

I have used Black Magic Engine Shine on mine http://www.blackmagicshine.com/products.aspx/58/black-magic-2-in-1-engine-shine

It works really well.

[captainm27]

Just to let you know as well if you go that route, it might smell mildly for a day or two. It's nothing to worry about. It's just the cleaning products and the heat from the engine bay mixing together.

Oh yes, nothing like the smell of mildew while cruising around!:drool:

[captainm27]

I have used Black Magic Engine Shine on mine http://www.blackmagicshine.com/products.aspx/58/black-magic-2-in-1-engine-shine

It works really well.

That black magic product says to use on a warm engine. Assuming your engine has been sitting all night, how long would you leave it on to assume "warm"? Like, as soon as the COOL light turns off? Or 10 minutes idleing?

[blktiger60]

Ten minutes might be more than long enough. I know my heater blows warm air long before the cool engine light goes off and that takes maybe 5 minutes.

I'd say try five minutes and then open the hood and check by feeling with your hand - use the "hot stove" technique of barely touching it for a millisecond.

It depends on the outside ambient temp. On a hot day (90+) sitting in the direct sunlight a mere 2 or 3 minutes might be plenty.

[blktiger60]

Just to let you know as well if you go that route, it might smell mildly for a day or two. It's nothing to worry about. It's just the cleaning products and the heat from the engine bay mixing together.

I would hazzard a guess that any engine compartment cleaner will have a residual "chemical smell" for a bit after using it.
When I use Black Magic - if I remember right - it was not noticable the next day. Still, it's not a terrible smell and my "spiced patchuli" Little Tree over powers it fairly quickly.

[detroiter]

^^ that's what I was going to reply. To the poster, it's not mildew that your smelling but it's the left over residual surface from the cleaning product. Some are stronger then others but don't worry about it, it will go away :)

[nerp]

If you're worried about damage to electrical components, I strongly recommend using a plastic bag and some zip ties to protect sensitive areas before taking a hose to your engine compartment. Then you can spot clean those areas with a cloth.

And yeah, you want the engine to be warm but not scalding hot before applying the chemicals.

[captainm27]

I just bought a can of degreaser. On the instructions, it says to apply it on a cold engine.

[blktiger60]

I just bought a can of degreaser. On the instructions, it says to apply it on a cold engine.

Probably because it's highly flamable. Hot engine + flamable liquid, could = fire.

[500snakz]

Just go to the car wash and use the engine and tire setting. Usually it sprays green degreaser. Spray everything(it wont hurt anything)Let it set for a couple of minutes and spray it off without pulling the trigger on the wand(low setting) After it dries, use tire FOAM and spray the entire engine bay. Wipe off any excess. Thats what I allways do to all of my vehicles and NEVER had a problem. Simple,easy and quick, and works great.

[captainm27]

Probably because it's highly flamable. Hot engine + flamable liquid, could = fire.

Yes, you are right! That's what it says on the can.

[captainm27]

Just go to the car wash and use the engine and tire setting. Usually it sprays green degreaser. Spray everything(it wont hurt anything)Let it set for a couple of minutes and spray it off without pulling the trigger on the wand(low setting) After it dries, use tire FOAM and spray the entire engine bay. Wipe off any excess. Thats what I allways do to all of my vehicles and NEVER had a problem. Simple,easy and quick, and works great.


On that last step of the tire Foam....ok, so I spray the engine with tire foam, and it gets foamy.....do I let it also sit for a few minutes, or do I spray it out like you would do with the degreaser?

[Yaris Hilton]

Don't spray it off.

[captainm27]

And it will just dissappear?

[Yaris Hilton]

Like the original poster said, wipe it with a clean rag with some of the tire gloss on it, so you'll end up with an even sheen, not a blotchy mess.

[captainm27]

Thanks, I'll give this a try soon!

[500snakz]

Works well for me on ALL of the vehicles I own.

[captainm27]

Cool! First time I ever cleaned an engine! I just did what everyone suggested. I bought a quick can of AutoZone Engine Degreaser (probably the weakest degreaser), but that's ok, cause my engine is still less than a year old. Anyway, so I just sprayed it, let it sit for 10 - 15 min, and hosed it down. I didn't have any tire cleaning spray with me, so I just did a regular engine wash.

I take it then, Yaris Hilton, that the Tire Shine just evaporates, and that there is no need to wipe it off all the little nook and crannies in the inbetween spots, but just wipe it off on the major top area of the engine where I can actually reach?

[Yaris Hilton]

Read Razr's thread on the "10 Minute Engine Detail" that is linked near the top of this one. I thought we were in that thread.