How you feel about clean (and cleaning) your car engines??? Your best methods.

[bcossa2020]

I use Simple green, but just spray everything and let it sit. If something is super dirty I’ll spray it again. Might hit a bad place or two with a toothbrush. Then I hook the hose to the water heater drain and lightl, slowly, mist/rinse it off with the hot water.
I used the Castrol Super Clean once and it cleaned the heck out of the engine but I never could get rid of the odor……

 

[2226]

I was once told when washing the engine bay keep the engine running. That way you'll find out what doesn't care much for water.

I haven't cleaned the engine bay on my VW Polo. So far just dusted off the covers and dressed them. Will have to do a proper clean from down low as road grime is building up.

On my mk1 Golf I've done the degreaser and pressure washer approach without issue. Just avoid the distributor, coil and carb. And even if they did get wet ... it's a distributor, coil and carb that's easily dried. But cleaning the mk1 engine bay is a losing battle. At over 170K km the little thing oozes stuff from everywhere. And then there's the nightmare of a destroyed inner CV boot slinging sticky CV grease everywhere. You get to a point where you just call it "rust preventative".

 

[RooflessVW]

I use a citrus based APC and various brushes. Keep the pressure washer nozzle at a distance. Finish with Meguiar's Hyper Dressing.

 

[svtrit]

I’m a fan of both Simple Green and Dawn soap. Generally I’ll spray the cold engine bay down liberally. Then I wash the rest of the car.

After that, I lift the hood and give the engine a gentle spray. It keeps them looking very clean and requires minimal scrubbing.

The plastic covers all get a 303 treatment after I’m done drying the rest of the car.

 

[Spyderman24_7]

sweet. that is what I used to do. Just have not really had to clean the engines in the last two cars until recently since they parking in a gravel parking lot. Those engines looks nice. I know Griot's garage sells all sorts of detailing products but don't think they are really needed unless detailing a show car or high end. Even then maybe not.

I like using Griot's products for my only ride as they get the job done and definitely outlast anything else I've used over decades in terms of long lasting protection that is easily noticed.

 

[SammyChevelleTypeS3]

I like using Griot's products for my only ride as they get the job done and definitely outlast anything else I've used over decades in terms of long lasting protection that is easily noticed.

Drives the wife bonkers lol, YET.... at least two to three times a year she will see those Griot's boxes arrive on the door step.
I always seem to find something in those mail order catalogs they send to the house!