Thread: Cleaning engine bay

Can I use carb cleaner to clean the engine bay? Or brake disc cleaner?

Carb cleaner works like a charm but label says don't use on plastic or painted surfaces...

It will eat the paint off, just use engine cleaner and let it soak. scrub what you can and hose off.

yes STAY AWAY FROM BRAKE/CARB cleaner......(i found the hard way lmao)

i would highly suggest Purple powa!...(aka purple power) works best if the area cleaning is dry.....(basiclly don't spray water in the bay or where ever you plan on applying purple powa before you aply it.....spray it all over the place and if you want even scrub a little bit but let it sit in there for about 2 min or so then rinse away)

let us know how it comes out (AKA before and after pics ...or half done up with purple power and half the bay with gunk cleaner or something like that would be nice)

DO NOT USE BRAKE CLEANERS!!!!!

Purple power or Simple green work fine.

You should warm up the motor for a few mins. And turn it off. Cover you alternator cap & if you have an open air filter with a plastic bag. Make sure that your spark plug wires and down all the way to avoid water getting down there.

Spray the cleaner everywhere back. Go over it a few times and spend alot of it on the fire wall where it gets really dirty. Let it sit for about 5-10 mins.. spray some more. And wait another 5 mins. Use a old tooth brush for tight spots.

Once that is done, grab the hose or power washer and start spraying away. Go over it a few times. After that, grab a towel or shammy and soak up the water near the plug wires on the valve cover.

Remove all bags and start motor. Let it warm up and get most water off. Turn off the motor and let sit for about 5 mins.

Get a can of tire shine from Armor All and spray it all over the place. Once that is on, grab an old rag and start to polish everything.

I have been doing this for years and with a white car, people are amazed on how I have done this time and time again. Looks like show room new.

good luck.

-Wayne.

Thing is I have the motor out and want to take this opportunity to REALLY get it CLEAN.

Will it work if I use the carb cleaner on the hard to reach and difficult areas and then wash it off immediately with warm soapy water?

Here are some pics of where I'm at now.

Before:





After first wash with normal Clean Green:







It just aint clean enough!!! Want it perfect.

Oh and I have a little problem where battery acid seem to have leaked below the battery tray. Gonna have to sand down that rust, primer and engien enamel it. Any advice here would be appreciated as well.

If you want it perfect repaint it, don't drive it and cover your car.

simple.

If you want to realistic... then use the information provided at own risk. It's your car.

Simple Green really worked when I was cleaning the engine bay

....RHD

Okay so cleaned it up some more, removed the battery acid rust and resprayed that bit (just used normal enamel from my local autozone). ABS delete happening soon. Engine nearly ready to be fitted now as well.

after some sanding down:



Primered:


Sprayed (close match in colour - I'm quite chuffed with the end results)


Battery tray also got some bronze treatment:


Engine bay after clean:

looks alot better