Engine cleaning
 

Can anyone recommended any companies that can professionally clean the engine bay, or recommend a way this can be done at home?

My engine bay (and engine, looms and hoses) are all looking very dirty and aged. Quite a fair bit of grease build up here and there too, so would really like to get it spruced up.
I've heard that they can be steamed cleaned? But wouldn't know if this is safe.
I was going to pick up some engine degreasing stuff from halfords, but couldn't get the side walls and hoses clean without hours of work...

I used to clean engine bays occasionally at the garage and we sprayed trf(traffic film remover) over everything, leaving it a couple minutes, start car and the hose down or use pressure wash with the lance on wide spray, no water near intakes and as little as possible around electrics. Only Renaults so far had problems with this, it knackers the coils.

Google "Polished Bliss" ! Every you want to know in their "How to's"

Use a pressure washer first. You are best of going at it with one of the supermarket hot soapy ones.

The trick here is not to be a moron. Unless you point the lance point blank at the fuse box, you will not suffer any water ingress.

After that, drive home and get some gunk spray on the go. Leave it 20 mins and rinse with hot water.

After that, I repeated with Mr Muscle kitchen cleaner and scotchbrite pad.

The final part is to cover the engine in silicone tyre shine spray.

You then get this on a 10 year old engine:

http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a2...0/P1090468.jpg

I use a Kärcher & rainwater; that stuff is solvent!

Finish with a cheap interior spray like Autoglym:

http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u...cture003-1.jpg

Most of my pics seem to have disappeared in the pissflappin' upgrade - apologies.

When I had an oil filter blow off I used Marine clean from frosts, it did a good job on mine but it was just oil. I don't know how well it would work with ground in dirt.

With engine cold, use clingfilm or baking foil (I prefer the later) to cover the air intake, the top of the alternator and the ytop of the battery.

Spray all over with 3 in 1 Heavy Duty Engine Cleaner/Degreaser. Grab a paint brush and work it in where its thick, then let sit for ten minutes.

Hose off with broad-spray hosepipe. Mop up any water puddles that you can reach with a drain pipe.

Remove the cling film/baking foil and start the engine - let it run for 10-15 mins to gently heat the block and start the drying process - switch off and take an old towel to anything not dry that you'd like to end up looking shiny. Anything you don't physically dry will dry naturally later.

The bits that you do want to look shiny should be sprayed with engine dressing - I use Maguiars - and wiped down with an old microfibre.

The engine dressing also protects and nourished rubber and plastic in the engine bay, allegedly - don't know about that, but it sure makes it look lovely. An alternative WD-40.

It'll smell a bit of engine dressing for the first trip you take as surpless burns off - not unpleasant and it does go away very quickly. The effects last for a lot longer though.

I followed a truck and trailer from Holland, who was going into the back end of Stansted Airport this evening who could wash your engine, It was a United Technogies Company, Pratt and Whitney , On wing jet engine wash !

Best way without getting high pressure water near anything is to get some Autosmart 101 from here -

http://www.elitecarcare.co.uk/autosm...r-5-litres.php

Mix it up in a spray bottle and cover the entire engine in it, leave to dwell for 2-3 minutes and then work it in with a stiff brush or even better a cheap paintbrush but chop the bristles short. Then either rinse it off with watering can or use a damp cloth and clean bucket of water.

Once dry and with cold engine liberally spray the entire engine bay with Aerospace 303 and close the bonnet -

http://www.elitecarcare.co.uk/303-ae...ctant-16oz.php

Job done, I have just done mine and it's come up mint!

Si