^^^Water would invariably get all over the place, would it not be better to turn on the engine to help in the drying process?

 

I would like to recommend Adam's In and Out spray for detailing the engine area. It heightens the color of the plastic areas without adding a gloss or slick residue.

 

You don't want to dress a hot engine. Plus you would have to let it cool down long enough to wash/polish/wax the car afterwards. Extends the detail by a couple of hours minimum.

 

You need to be careful with simple green, it'll mess up your paint in the long run.

You should use Amazing Roll-off, it's PH Balanced neutral.

 

I have no idea if this was bad, but I put WD-40 on a rag and rubbed hard on the grease spots, and then wiped down with wet rag after and dried, did the job pretty well. I was pretty anal about getting the liquids into the cracks and what not of the valve cover...Duno was my frist time, and it took me awhile.

 

Oh man, so many products and I'm getting lost haha. So basically you can spray ANYTHING other than covered alternator/battery/air filter?

 

I am also very new to detailing but have gleaned literally hundred of tips for the experts on this board.

It does tend to get overwhelming so I try to take it in small steps.

The first time I cleaned my engine, I just used the wash water from my car and an old rag - - - it was 100X better than before I did it. Now I use some of the products and processes mentioned above.

I would stay away from Simple Green as it can be corrosive to certain metals/coating.

I don't use a nozzle and "hard stream" of water and I don't cover anything in the engine bay. I think of it as going through a puddle at 60mph...the engine bay is designed to get wet. Just don't put a direct stream into the intake.

https://www.s2ki.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=669026 This guy did a great write up on a recent detail. He has some nice pictures and process for the engine bay.

 

1) Let your engine cool down until it is warm to the touch.

2) Cover up your air filter / air box and alternator with plastic or foil.

3) Liberally spray a citrus degreaser of your choice (I prefer P21S Total Auto Wash) all over the engine bay.

3) Let the product soak for a few minutes, and use a brush to scrub off any stubborn dirt/grime.

4) Hose down your engine bay lightly. Some people use a pressure washer for this, but I'm a little paranoid and would prefer not to force water into places it shouldn't be.

5) If you have one, use a leaf blower to get rid of as much standing water as possible. Use a towel to wipe off any excess water if necessary.

6) Apply CD2 or other engine detailer to your engine.

7) Shut the hood, start your engine, and let it run for about 10 minutes or so.

8) All done!

 

I never turn the engine on to dry it. I hate the water spot from the water evaporating. I let it dry naturally while I detail the rest of the car. Best to wash the engine first, then do the rest of the car and come back to the engine a few hours later and just dab up the little bits of water that is still there. Then dress with cd2.

 

I use a leaf blower.