I tried cleaning my engine with it, but i didnt dilute it I just sprayed it right out of the bottle and it didnt really help at all. So is it neccessary to dilute Simple Green for it to work properly? Thanks

It's not necessary to dilute it. It just makes the bottle last longer.

Hey, try this, I use simple green all the time ie. bimmer and harley. Use it full strengh on only cold engines but get a collection of brushes I like to use a big paint brush with long soft bristles. It's great for getting in all the nooks and crannies then hose off. also Wesslys sp. bleach white for rubber items. it takes off oxidation off rubber I've used it on tires for years, I think it's the best cleaner for tires going. Oh and use a green scotch bright pad.

Thanks guys for the info, Ill give it another shot.

Be careful on wetting the engine! I wouldnt run a hose into there.. just spraying and hand drying..

^^^ What he said. There are a lot of things under the hood that don't take kindly to having water run on them.

Engines get wet all the time. That's how they got dirty to begin with. You can spray almost anything under the hood without worry. Just avoid blasting your alternator with a direct spray. And if you have an open air filter, cover it with a plastic bag. Use more of a shower setting than a blast setting.

Tell that to dealer that had to reset the crank position sensor code on my dad's BMW after a light wash. Got a little water on it, and the engine wouldn't even crank.

If you wash under the hood, just be very careful.

Tell that to dealer that had to reset the crank position sensor code on my dad's BMW after a light wash. Got a little water on it, and the engine wouldn't even crank.

If you wash under the hood, just be very careful.

If you spray too hard on any electrical component you risk getting water between the connectors and shorting the pins. Use a shower setting.

Besides, the crank position sensor is a common replacement item as it is. Mine went out too. Getting water on it" wont cause a failure as it gets water on it when you drive in the rain anyways. The sensor to block connection is sealed with a rubber gasket. So either the gasket was bad anyways, or water got between the connector.

I carefully washed under the hood of my 750iL every month without a problem. I usually just use the hose-end with no nozzel, but occasionally I will use a shower setting.

I've simple greened my engine several times, but will be oh so careful next time. appartently at some point i got a little bit on the tensioner pulley and it disolved the grease inside the bearing. Long story short, start to squeek occasionally, not horrible, then it decided to seize the bearing and break the pully right off the shaft. ouch. and in rush hour traffic of course. never had any problems with electrics though, i use about a 1:5 ratio of green and water on the motor and underbody, suspension and such.

Make sure that you are not spraying simple green directly on the engine. Use a rag and clean selectively the items that are dirty.

I used simple green to remove some of the cosmoline off my engine cover. If you want to do this than go on a nice drive and get the engine warm. Than apply simple green and scrun hard with a brush and it will take a lot of it off.

When washing the engine make sure that you do not spray any water on your firewall, alternator, and intake if you have an aftermarket one.

Make sure that you are not spraying simple green directly on the engine. Use a rag and clean selectively the items that are dirty.

I used simple green to remove some of the cosmoline off my engine cover. If you want to do this than go on a nice drive and get the engine warm. Than apply simple green and scrun hard with a brush and it will take a lot of it off.

When washing the engine make sure that you do not spray any water on your firewall, alternator, and intake if you have an aftermarket one.

The engine's just a chunk of metal. There's no reason a person couldn't spray it, and the firewall directy with the cleaner. I've been doing it for over a decade without any trouble. Especially Simple Green which is a very weak cleanser. People need to stop freaking out about cleaners damaging things under the hood. The most common problems arise from blasting electrical connectors/components with a water stream.

The engine's just a chunk of metal. There's no reason a person couldn't spray it, and the firewall directy with the cleaner.

Re-read my post please. I was talking about sraying your firewall with water not simple green.

Also it is still a good idea not to spray simple green directly on your engine, because you avoid the risk of overspray on paint.

I've simple greened my engine several times, but will be oh so careful next time. appartently at some point i got a little bit on the tensioner pulley and it disolved the grease inside the bearing. Long story short, start to squeek occasionally, not horrible, then it decided to seize the bearing and break the pully right off the shaft. ouch. and in rush hour traffic of course. never had any problems with electrics though, i use about a 1:5 ratio of green and water on the motor and underbody, suspension and such.

This should be enough warning! I can get my engine super clean with a spray bottle, brushes, and shirts. I know someone with a Lexus who ruined his engine by spraying water onto it. I would not spray water directly in the engine bay of ANY BMW.

AND another thing about simple green. It is quite strong.. thats why we use it.. Dont let it sit on your wheels for too long.. My sisters friend made her wheels stain green from doing that.

Use Gunk Engine Cleaner in a Spray Can, it works great

Use Gunk Engine Cleaner in a Spray Can, it works great

+1

I used to use the simple green in my honda and it ate up my valve cover. :mad

Re-read my post please. I was talking about sraying your firewall with water not simple green.

Also it is still a good idea not to spray simple green directly on your engine, because you avoid the risk of overspray on paint.

Uh yea, you can spray your firewall with water too.:rolleyes It get's drenched every time it rains, so I doubt a hose would hurt it. Remember, that's how it got dirty to begin with.

This should be enough warning! I can get my engine super clean with a spray bottle, brushes, and shirts. I know someone with a Lexus who ruined his engine by spraying water onto it. I would not spray water directly in the engine bay of ANY BMW

There's nothing special about BMW's in comparison to any other vehicle on the road other than the increasing amount of electronics. And even that is a common theme among modern vehicles. Just don't spray anything with a blast of water and you'll be just fine. Shit, look on any car lot and you'll see every car get completely pressure washed under the hood before it goes up for sale. If they were ruining engines, they wouldn't do it. Or if you're all so paranoid just let the crud build up until everything under your hood looks like it's off an old tractor.

Uh yea, you can spray your firewall with water too.:rolleyes It get's drenched every time it rains, so I doubt a hose would hurt it. Remember, that's how it got dirty to begin with.



There's nothing special about BMW's in comparison to any other vehicle on the road other than the increasing amount of electronics. And even that is a common theme among modern vehicles. Just don't spray anything with a blast of water and you'll be just fine. Shit, look on any car lot and you'll see every car get completely pressure washed under the hood before it goes up for sale. If they were ruining engines, they wouldn't do it. Or if you're all so paranoid just let the crud build up until everything under your hood looks like it's off an old tractor.


Haha, your the typical know-it-all e30 owner. Why don't you go over to r3vlimited so you can argue beligerently about stupid things with Jordan all day.

I dont understand why you guys would say washing your engine bay is safe. If you know what youre doing then it's probably ok, but I have personally seen engines get ruined because of being washed. Just clean it without a hose! It cant take that much longer.. Cant we all just get along?

http://www.apexcone.com/JimPowellHomepage/TechProcedures/EngineBayCleaning/ArmorAll.html

the above link is a diy on engine compartment care. it may offer some useful advice.

Haha, your the typical know-it-all e30 owner. Why don't you go over to r3vlimited so you can argue beligerently about stupid things with Jordan all day.

Haha I hate that guy too lol.

Haha, your the typical know-it-all e30 owner. Why don't you go over to r3vlimited so you can argue beligerently about stupid things with Jordan all day.

I've owned much more than just E30's. This is probably the crappiest car I've ever owned actually, but I had no problems washing under the hood of my previous $100k car either. It's a car fact as I know it, not related to BMW's. And don't forget who else is apart of this converstation :rolleyes :D

http://bimmerforums.com/forum/showthread.php?t=332925&highlight=tin+foilhttp://bimmerforums.com/forum/showthread.php?t=332925&highlight=tin+foil

The best thing to do is.. tin foil over EVERYTHING electrical, and put plastic covering the firewall where the ECU sits behind, i was really careful and taped it all down.

Then take two cans of engine de-greaser (the foaming kind) and spray it EVERYWERE dont be sparing about it... i used a can and a half. Your engine bay should look like the north pole.

Then take a hose, with no fitting on the end and just let the water flow onto the engine taking all the foam with it. Oh by the way, for best results the engine should be semi hot/warm, so that all the gunk can be easily loosened up by the de greaser.

To make the black plastic peices really shine pro detailers rub WD40 onto the plastic...(valvecover, basically everything black) i wouldnt reccommend using WD40 cause it can kill your sensors. I use a product called corrosionX, its pretty expensive and hard to get, but it works well.

god.. thats alot of writing just to clean up an engine bay.

good luck