OK question for all the experts here: my engine bay has been filthy since I bought the car back in October and I have finally decided to tackle it. What will I need, what should/shouldn't I clean, and are there any sites that can help me out? Thanks.

-Wale

OK question for all the experts here: my engine bay has been filthy since I bought the car back in October and I have finally decided to tackle it. What will I need, what should/shouldn't I clean, and are there any sites that can help me out? Thanks.

+1, Im also considering tackling the engine bay next weekend. Would love to hear some tips...

simple green works great for me

Simple Green seems to clean things pretty well. I had some pretty nasty, oily spots on one of my previous cars that I cleaned up with mineral spirits. That stuff disolves petrolium-based gunk and won't damage the paint if you wipe it off right after. I would be very careful what you get that stuff on though, and make sure you're ventilated and wearing gloves. No matter what you do, be mindful not to get anything on your wires or electronics.

I would say stick with simple green, or one of the orange glow style cleaners. I would personally stay away from the gunk degreasers, unless it is beyond one of the above. If you must use those, limit its use, and the contact that it might make to some of the hoses. Use that only on the metal if it must be used. Also watch out for water in the fuse box, as that might keep your car from starting back up. Once you get it cleaned good the first time, it should always look pretty good, and be alot easier to keep clean.

Does anyone have a specific method they use, other then just wiping everything down? I'm just curious to know if there is a more effective method.<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p>

-Matt

I've only done this on my '03 530i, so I can attest to its safety, but do a search, other cars need more TLC prior to engine detailing. My car was purchased new in June of '03 and this was the first engine detail since then.

On a cold engine, spray inside of hood and engine down with Simple Green. I didn't remove my hood insulation, but you may want to, it absorbs mucho agua. Let sit for five minutes while you haul out the hose and nozzle on a chilly December morning. Extra Simple Green for the especially nasty parts.

Use a soft car wash brush to gently clean the underside of the hood (painted parts, not the insulation - did I mention removing that first?). Then the engine cover, then the outside of the engine bay, saving the ugly stuff for last. Use the simple green to clean the brush once finished and clean thoroughly to use it 2-1/2 years from now for the car's second engine detail...this shouldn't need mentioning, but rinse the brush between areas; no, I didn't use the two-bucket method, it's the engine bay...jeesh.

Using the "shower" setting on the nozzle, gently rinse off the inside of the hood, and then the outer portions of the engine bay. Oops, forgot something, remove the debris from the drains that are fitted to the cowl-mounted inside air filters. Found out the hard way the other day, but thats ANOTHER story.

After rinsing the outside of the engine compartment, rinse the engine itself. You may want to disconnect some of the wires from their plastic holders to better clean underneath them, but make sure you note their location.

Take your favourite drying cloth and start from the highest point of the hood and start drying down. I thought about using the leaf blower to expedite things, but decided against it...in my case, I used paper towels to remove any really nasty oily accumulation (my worst was the power steering pump cap) BEFORE I started the entire process.

The results were good, certainly not worthy of any concours show, but the engine bay is clean and somewhat shiny, and was a big improvement on not having done anything since June '03. The engine started immediately after I turned the key to move the car to start an exterior detail. It has run fine ever since. On the E39 530i, I don't know what I could have covered up in the engine bay anyway.

Good luck in all of your endeavors and drive safely...

If you dont want to dry it (but its a great idea) set it in the sun w/ the hood open.

So, when I sold my last car and a friend told me to use EasyOff oven cleaner... spray the entire cold engine... let it sit for 10 minutes... then wash with a hose... when done rinsing... start car and let it smoke for 20-30 min's and in the end you will have a shiny engine bay...

It actually worked on the E36.. but now being older and wiser Im realizing that it prolly wasnt good for the car.

303 aerospace cleaner or AutoGlym machine wash will work really well for you.

Spray your product on the whole motor and engine bay, let sit but don;t let it dry, then use a good pressure water hose to clean it all off. Then let it all dry out.

As stupid as this sounds I use Dawn soap ........ It really kicks butt when cleaning grease and backed on oil .

Oh by the way i would not use simple green on your engines. It will chemmically react with aluminum. Im sure it wouldnt really cause any damage. But if theres any dress up parts or anything with a nice brushed aluminum finish it usually leaves nice spots of corrsion. I know this beacsue i got my ass handed to me by a master chief, when i was cleaning a aluminum part on a f-18 with simple green, Lets just say it cost the navy alot money(about a 150k to be exact). So i guess i should pass that wisdom on to you guys.

anything special to consider if the car is 15 years old? or just MORE of the before mentioned stuff?

Oh by the way i would not use simple green on your engines. It will chemmically react with aluminum. Im sure it wouldnt really cause any damage. But if theres any dress up parts or anything with a nice brushed aluminum finish it usually leaves nice spots of corrsion. I know this beacsue i got my ass handed to me by a master chief, when i was cleaning a aluminum part on a f-18 with simple green, Lets just say it cost the navy alot money(about a 150k to be exact). So i guess i should pass that wisdom on to you guys.
WOW, good looking out. I'll be tackling this soon.

-Wale

i might consider switching to dawn, i didn't know simple green could attack the engine like that.

Most aluminum in your engine bay is already sealed. By its nature, aluminum reacts quickly with air and oxidizes. To prevent the oxidation, most manufacturers will seal the aluminum either by painting or other means. I've been using Simple Green on my motorcycles for years without any problems.

Do a Google search on Simple Green and aviation tests. You'll find the original article that says that if you soak bare aluminum in Simple Green for awhile, it will lose something like a few MICROgrams of material. Critical for aircraft applications - obviously so - for automotive, you make the decision.

It's biodegradeable, relatively cheap, and does a great job of cleaning. And if I soak by 3 liter inline six in it for the next twenty years, my engine will weigh one gram less than it did twenty years prior. Oh, for the uninformed, two paper clips weigh about as much as one gram.

I love these urban myths...and no, I don't own stock in the company. But I do like the performance of their product.

So, when I sold my last car and a friend told me to use EasyOff oven cleaner... spray the entire cold engine... let it sit for 10 minutes... then wash with a hose... when done rinsing... start car and let it smoke for 20-30 min's and in the end you will have a shiny engine bay...

It actually worked on the E36.. but now being older and wiser Im realizing that it prolly wasnt good for the car.
Oven Cleaner? Yeah that's bad, we already went over this awhile ago. Use the stuff you feel comfortable with and has been proven over time. My engine compartment was clean when I bought it, so all I use is softsoap and water with a rag. It usually takes me over an hour to clean and finish up with black magic but this is what I end up with:

http://pnolen2.photosite.com/~photos/tn/124_348.ts1089840787953.jpg


http://pnolen2.photosite.com/~photos/tn/125_348.ts1089840789296.jpg

Search for Gunk and CD2 brite write up. I've taught dozens of people to use this already and it works great, even though I was very skeptical at the time it works like a charm :)

-Andrew

Search for Gunk and CD2 brite write up. I've taught dozens of people to use this already and it works great, even though I was very skeptical at the time it works like a charm :)

-Andrew

I followed that write-up too. Worked great for me!

Before (not too bad):
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After (looks much better in person):
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I read this thread and i was thinking about cleaning the engine on sunday. Only question, should i be worried about taking a hose to the engine due to the electronic components?? Is there anything i should cover up before i go crazy with the hose and degreaser?

http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum/showthread.php?t=451645

Excellent cleaning on the 750! You had a bit more hardware to go over than most of us, too. :)

Excellent cleaning on the 750! You had a bit more hardware to go over than most of us, too. :)

Well thanks! So I s'pose if I can do it, anyone can eh? Only thing is I think I got my DDE ballasts too wet, so they stopped working and I had to get new ones :(.

Jesus, is that a V-12?! Learn somethin new every day

Jesus, is that a V-12?! Learn somethin new every day
Yessir, it's in my 99 750iL. 850's have them too, as well as the new 760's.

Well I never posted pics of my car...so this was after my engine detail (gunk/CD2)
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c23/Bmwpridem333/m3enginesmall.jpg

Looks great in person, and that picture does it justice in my opinion, happy detailing :buttrock


-Andrew

Yup, CD-2 is the bomb
http://www.members.cox.net/hawk352a/Plate.jpg

does anyone have pics on how you covered the ecu? Also, i have a CAI, do u think i needto cover the filter up too since its all the way near my bumpe anyways?

does anyone have pics on how you covered the ecu? Also, i have a CAI, do u think i needto cover the filter up too since its all the way near my bumpe anyways?
Put a towel over the firewall , thats what I did, and a plastic bag over the intake that works too :)