I had enough time during the 4/8 Detail Day to clean out the engine bay on MY01. Was actually easier than the test clean on the Saturn a few weeks back.

Total Time 30 minutes
Difficulty Level: 1
Cost: Under $15.00

Start with cold engine compartment.

Items that are needed:
Aluminum Foil, Citrus Engine Degreaser, Armor All Foam tire cleaner, various sizes of detail brushes. The ones pictures are a medium bristle brush, fine wire brush, medium wire brush.



Engine Bay looked like this before starting:


Preparation:
* Using Painters or Masking tape, cover any stickers or lables that you don't want to peel
* Use Tin/Aluminum foil to cover alternator and any exposed electrical plugs (about 7)
* Brush-Scrape off any excess dirt and or grease









Apply Degreaser:
* Spray 1/2 of degreaser generously over entire engine compartment.
* Wait about 5 minutes
* Come back using scrub brushes and hit any areas that have not come clean
* Spray remainder of degreaser
* Wait another 10-15 minutes

Rinse & Dry:
* Using cold water, rinse engin bay
* Use as little water as possible
* Try to stay away from any covered plugs and alternator
* Remove foil
* Dry/Remove any standing water.
* Wipe down any remaining dirt

Apply Tire Foam
* Spray entire bay with Tire foam
* Focus on rubber and apply extra coat
* You'll use about 1/3 of the can of foam

Start and Bake
* Close Hood
* Start Car
* Run for about 15 minutes
* If car smokes, don't panic. This is expected.

Enjoy fruits of your hard work
* Open Hood
* Wipe off any excess tire cleaner with clean cloth

 

OOOOH! AAAAHH!
Updated post on the "One Stop Shop" thread, too! Thanks Mike!

 

Can you use magiuars tire foam? Or it has to be amor all?

 

Any tire foam cleaner will be fine. The key is that it must be a FOAM cleaner

 

awesome write up! will be doing soon. my bay is disgusting.