How did you clean your engine??

[askingxforxit]

Yep that's right! Lets see the many ways you guys clean up your engine and everything under the hood. Post pics or links of chemicals and other cleaning accessories. Thanks everyone!


P.S. Tried searching, came up empty.

 

[X-North]

Hertel or Mr.Net cleaner spray it everywhere and then start the engine...when it get hot it will make a lot of white smoke so its time to use the water hose

 

[Sams01XplrSprt]

simple green

 

[Joe Dirt]

Simple Green and a rag. That will be coming for Snowball in a few weeks when it warms up and I know the salt is done.

Some others:

My SHO- Simple Green and a rag

My 2004 Taurus- Simple Green and a rag

My Mustang- Simple green and a rag (bay was painted black when the engine was being rebuilt, but after that, maintained with Simple Green and a rag...)

 

[IAmTodd]

Just Simple Green and water. Keeps the dust off.

I love the intake runners on the SHOs. In fact, I just love the SHOs!

 

[aldive]

Take a look at post # 16 in the following thread: http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=122171&highlight=engine+detail

 

[TekMan05]

Where can wer buy this "simple green"? Before I was just power washing it at the carwash. I know its recommended to do so but never affected my truck before. We just covered the Cone filter with a plastic bag.

 

[Turdle]

Where can wer buy this "simple green"? Before I was just power washing it at the carwash. I know its recommended to do so but never affected my truck before. We just covered the Cone filter with a plastic bag.

I think you can get it about anywhere-

http://www.simplegreen.com/products_all_purpose_cleaner.php

 

[IZwack]

Just make sure you pick up Simple Green, and not the other box of similar name

 

[Joe Dirt]

Classic!

Yeah- SG should be at any medium to major retailer. Buy the concentrated one, you'll go through it fast. If you don't have a spray bottle to use, grab one of those too, so you can refill it.

 

[TekMan05]

Would it be safe to use simple green then power wash it off at the car wash??

 

[92greenexplorer]

drive thru some mudd

 

[aldive]

Would it be safe to use simple green then power wash it off at the car wash??

I personally would never use a power washer.

 

[askingxforxit]

Some great tips guys thanks!!

When using simple green should the engine be cold or hot and when rinsing should the engine be cold??

 

[askingxforxit]

Take a look at post # 16 in the following thread: http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=122171&highlight=engine+detail

Thanks and yet another super awesome sweet post!! Seems easy enough thanks aldive!!

 

[Joe Dirt]

Hot engine + Cold water = Craaaaaack

I won't pressure wash either, but please- let's not get into that battle again...

 

[askingxforxit]

Hot engine + Cold water = Craaaaaack

I won't pressure wash either, but please- let's not get into that battle again...

Oh yeah i'm not that dense to put cold water on a hot engine. I've heard pros and cons about pressure washing.. if you have a variable pressure control then it would be ok AS LONG AS YOU STAY AWAY FROM THE ELECTRICAL. But I could be wrong.

Thanks again for the tips guys!

 

[storlied]

Simple Green and a rag. That will be coming for Snowball in a few weeks when it warms up and I know the salt is done.

Some others:

My SHO- Simple Green and a rag

My 2004 Taurus- Simple Green and a rag

My Mustang- Simple green and a rag (bay was painted black when the engine was being rebuilt, but after that, maintained with Simple Green and a rag...)

Hey, so how exactly did you go about it? Did you just put it on everything under there and wiped it off after letting it sit? Or Put it on the rag and wiped everything down? And the rinsed it off?

 

[Joe Dirt]

Spray bottle of 3/4 full strength simple green and about 5,000,000 rags. I sprayed it good and let it sit for a few minutes, but it cleans really well. Easier to do in sections. Here is a pic of my '90 SHO when I was doing it. I got 1/2 way through and sold the car to someone that drove by, so no finished pics, but here are some process pics of my "quick clean"...

Before closeup inside fender:

After closeup inside fender:

Overview Pass side inside fender, front, & headlights finished- I fixed one rust spot in front of the airbox, but the passenger half was unpainted- it matched perfect!

Yes, I know my plugwell seals were shot. The new ones were in the trunk!

A lot of the plastic covering I pulled off of the '97 SHO so I could get in the nooks and crannies. That SHO was the hardest, because I bought it with 130,000 negected miles, adn it was trashed. I pulled the intake to clean the tank and runners, to that helped, and it took about a weekend to get to that point. The 2004 I owned since new, so my **** retentive-ness was merely maintenance, and the Mustang was less complicated to clean up.

 

[storlied]

Is mine bad? Idk..

It was a lot worse before.. I cleaned all the plastics I could reach with dash wipes... uhh.. Will this de-greaser crap clean the top of my engine? That would just not come clean...

Any advice?

Yeah.. sometimes I get carried away with pictures..