Can I safely hide out my engine compartment?
 

Yes, right?

Been on dirt roads a lot and my engine compartment is a mess.

I’ll avoid jet things.

I'm not sure you'll fit with then engine being there but it's worth a try! Just make sure the engine has cooled down before you give it a go.

I think Vash meant "hose out".

Short answer - Yes... But be careful not to directly spray anything electronic.
And when you're finished make sure you wipe up as much of the water as possible before starting the engine.

Keep the air conditioner clutch and alternator as dry as possible.

****. Anyone see my reading glasses?

I think yer glasses are sitting on top of the hide :D

As we used to tell my dad, I don't wear them so why should I know where they are?

Oooooooooh... THAT hide.. now I get it!

Yeah I've used a hose with a spray nozzle a few times. I've switched to using a small pump sprayer. I fill the sprayer, put some dawn dish soap in, and spray everything down. Then I fill with warm water and rinse. I use a leaf blower when done to dry things.

Soap it up, push things around with a soft brush, rinse with a light spray hose. No conditioner required.

But some armor-all on the various bits gives it a touch of bling.

Just don’t accidentally cut the sack while trimming up.

Just remember ...

You can run, but you can't hose!

I have pressure washed a gazilion engines in my life. Never a problem, worst case, you end up with a missifre that goes away when the engine gets hot. Although I am sure someone has messed up a few electronic parts, it has never happened to me
Just use your head, and try not to douse the alternator,, and any electronics

"Can I safely hide out my engine compartment?"

No need, Vash, the wall came down over thirty years ago.

_

Same here. Most of the other advice seems to be from people who have never actually done it. I pull into a coin car wash, pop the hood and spray everything down with Gunk engine cleaner first. The only thing to not get it on is the hot exhaust, anything else is fine. I then walk over to the control box on the wall and slide my credit card and select *high pressure soap*. I spray down the exterior of the car starting with the roof which gives the dirty engine compartment time to soak and cool down a little.

Next, I spray down everything under the hood, starting wherever. It doesn't matter. I might start with the hood hinges or the brake MC but I spray EVERYTHING more than once. I also own a hot pressure washer and do it exactly the same way. There is nothing under the hood of a modern car that cannot tolerate getting wet for a short time. Electrical connections are a non-issue, they are either completely sheathed in plastic or completely exposed, (think battery cables), which dry off just fine. If you get the distributor cap wet on an older vehicle like an air-cooled 911, just pop it off afterwards and dry the inside with a clean towel.

Blow everything off with compressed air if you have it handy, otherwise just start the engine and drive the car. I'd only advise doing it in hot, dry conditions where everything dries quickly and completely. I can imagine issues in Seattle or Minnesota in the wintertime.

I was also wondering where he was going to hide in a 911 engine compartment??

I figured he removed his A/C

Keep it running. Don't directly spray anything sensitive.

Don't listen to this guy, he doesn't know what he's talking about. ^^^

In fact, do the opposite. Use common sense but there is nothing really "sensitive" in an engine compartment. And for fk's sake, don't leave it running.

What I do, Gunk, pressure washer, then after done rinsing spray it with tire shine-

usually spray as engine is just warming up- start cold.

rjp

I hose mine down often. Little simple green and car wash soap and a soft brush to clean off dirt and oily spots. Then rinse off with the power washer on low.

Yup don't listen to me guys....

well ^5 for not writing "engine bay". WTF does every YouTube kid post that they have an engine "bay", like some sort of mega yacht?

Ha! My 1984 Ram Charger 318CID would not make it through the car wash running. The water would drain from the windshield right on to the distributor. It was fine in the rain though.

Definitely clean it prior to hiding in there, some older cars with slant six have lots of room. I prefer low pressure and dish soap and cool to just slightly warm engine, exhaust manifolds below 200f. The other way is with wd40 and lots of paper towels and wear gloves, just spray and wipe. Years ago I cleaned the engine of a 1989 535i I had just purchased from a friend, would not start after, ended up needing a new engine management computer, just crap luck? Water was not even close to the sealed computer housing.

I hose down the engine area of the SC about once a month. Sand and salt where I live.

I just kinda hose the cold engine down and call it a job well done.

Once I sprayed some engine degreaser randomly around the place in there. That worked quite well for getting rid of oil spills from oil changes.

The engines are designed to be OK with water if you consider where the engine lid grill is and that some cars live outside in the rain.

I do it all the time. Simple green to get grease out if there are any, then hose it off. I start and run the engine for about 10 min. Let cool for 15, then wash away. it starts right up and I go for a short drive to dry things up.

Back in the late 70's and working as a grower at a large foliage nursery in Apopka, we had a shop, and once in a while I'd get the head shop guy Dave to clean the engine compartment of my '70 Volvo 145S. He used kerosene with a siphon gun and his air compressor.

You could eat off that compartment when he was finished!

Ah good idea.


I use kerosene for cleaning the Honda trail bike's chain. Great stuff. I might try that on the SC engine. Great thing about it is it leaves the area slightly oily so corrosion doesn't set in straight away.

Rinse off kerosene with water after? Wouldn't attract lots of dust?

well, I wondered if he was gonna use hides in the engine compartment, like EschesQueen did in the interior of her car(s)...

be real careful if you use a pressure washer - keep it away form electrics & seals

I prefer hot, hot water after using a detergent and brush

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/off-topic-discussions/1099449-new-all-time-low-televised-sports.html

There is an entire thread on the technical site of the obligatory photos of the owner in the engine compartment of their 911 after an engine drop. I have been there done that. And I was cleaning up in there not just getting a photo.

I did mine safely. It’s tan with black stitching. Looks great.

Can your car be driven in the rain? Right, so water in the engine compartment, not to big a deal.


Don't spray anything electronic with a powerful blast of water. Don't spray into the air intake. (I don't really think we had to tell you either of those.

it does not run

or else it gets the hide again.

I never use a pressure washer, just spray any greasy areas with degreaser, spray the whole engine bay with simple green, and hose it with hot water. I do blow it mostly dry with a leaf blower.

I’ve always called the space where the engine resides the engine bay. What else is it called?

Have done this
 

Recently. At a self-serve. Unfortunately, the A/C compressor had wires exposed. Shorted out. Seized. Had to replace the compressor. Otherwise, the engine compartment is nice and clean. Oh, well, 2002 BMW 325ix, 114,000 miles.

I’ve used simple green aircraft but also works really well in a foam cannon. Spray whole engine compartment and use your wheel brush to hit dirty areas or getting down low between wires and lines, etc. Rinse and with the engine bay still wet spray the whole engine bay thoroughly with a protectant like CarPro Perl or Meguiars D171 Water Based Dressing. I mean spray every single thing under the hood so it’s nice and wet and close the hood. You can just let it dry or go for a drive but I often just finish washing the car and park it. When you come back the next day it’ll look like a new car.
Oh and I usually mix my detailers to a low shine so either of the two listed I go with the minimum but if you want the cheap used car lot look like it’s all greased up mix to their higher shine and go for it. And lastly if you’re like me and like a minimum shine you can go back after it’s dried and do a quick wipe down with a rag.

Once you’ve cleaned the engine bay and protected it it’ll stay clean for a good while. Once or twice a year depending on your driving conditions just pressure rinse and add protectant and your done. Up keep is super easy and mostly touch less.


CTopher

The hiding place. Sheesh Patrick! :)

They're at the place where you mixed your last drink?

Just make sure you don't use the standard Simple Green - bad things happen to certain metals.

I use P21S Total Auto Wash. PH neutral citrus cleaner and safe to use.

I’ve seen on YouTube car detailers using dry ice cleaning machines. They do an incredible job. Obviously they can’t be cheap. But it looks so satisfying to see the dirt just disappear.

https://youtu.be/fHy_JpRI4lw