Engine Detailing

cfabluenose · 11-26-2009, 09:02 PM

Do folks have some suggestions about how to clean up the engine compartment? I don't want to spend tons of time under the hood. But the engine is getting dusty and a bit grimy. Not surprisingly, it's not as fresh and shiny as when it was new (about 8 months old now). Thanks for your suggestions.

zaxjax · 11-27-2009, 10:01 AM

Diluted Simple Green, bucket of car wash soap and warm water and various brushes and towels.

I lightly mist the bay, make sure the engine is cooled down, and spray down the bay and components with a diluted APC. Scrub the tough areas with various brushes. I soak a sponge in my wash media, ring it out and gently wip down everything, rinse and repeat. Lightly mist with the hose and wipe everything dry. Dress with 303 Aerospace and be done.

ToadHollow · 11-27-2009, 10:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by zaxjax

Diluted Simple Green, bucket of car wash soap and warm water and various brushes and towels.

I lightly mist the bay, make sure the engine is cooled down, and spray down the bay and components with a diluted APC. Scrub the tough areas with various brushes. I soak a sponge in my wash media, ring it out and gently wip down everything, rinse and repeat. Lightly mist with the hose and wipe everything dry. Dress with 303 Aerospace and be done.

........... although if OP has access to an air hose (with a trigger type connector) it would be much better to blow the heavier water out of the engine bay and then wipe the excess. This is what I normally do on my cars & have for years.

Don't concentrate on or let the water "soak" the more vital areas such as the headlights or exposed wiring. You don't want anything being exposed to water that normally wouldn't otherwise.

zaxjax · 11-27-2009, 10:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ToadHollow

........... although if OP has access to an air hose (with a trigger type connector) it would be much better to blow the heavier water out of the engine bay and then wipe the excess. This is what I normally do on my cars & have for years.

Don't concentrate on or let the water "soak" the more vital areas such as the headlights or exposed wiring. You don't want anything being exposed to water that normally wouldn't otherwise.

What Todd said

lopealle · 11-27-2009, 12:23 PM

what they said lol

jopa489 · 11-27-2009, 12:29 PM

#4, haha.

I use Simple Green, a sponge, a couple of brushes, and the air compressor. Works well, admittedly I'm not looking for perfection with the engine bay though. Normally don't dress it at all, unless for a specific event or something.

328i · 11-27-2009, 12:36 PM

I would recommend Meg's Degreaser or APC + over simple green. Simple green will oxidize/dull aluminum and magnesium from my experience.

cb1111 · 11-27-2009, 01:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 328i

I would recommend Meg's Degreaser or APC + over simple green. Simple green will oxidize/dull aluminum and magnesium from my experience.

Yep - it even says so right on the bottle.

ToadHollow · 11-27-2009, 02:12 PM

Gunk works very well also ............ it's main use is degreasing engines.

zaxjax · 11-27-2009, 05:37 PM

Diluted Simple Green is very safe but make sure you use the proper ratio

328i · 11-27-2009, 06:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by zaxjax

Diluted Simple Green is very safe but make sure you use the proper ratio

I am talking about diluted simple green as well. It's not something I would recommend, when there are better products for the same purpose.

BK · 11-27-2009, 11:12 PM

I use P21 TAW -- spray it on, brush any particularly dirty spots, rinse off with water through the CR Spotless, and it looks great.

prototyp · 11-28-2009, 01:20 AM

Gentle misting, a little soapy water, some wiping and brushing... If you're dealing with mostly road dust it'll come off easy. Old greasy, oily cruft is much more work. Mine when I bought it at 44k miles probably hadn't seen any love in the engine bay:

wasup1357 · 11-28-2009, 01:28 PM

does having a dirty engine bay affect performance? just wondering (im too lazy and scared to spray water inside)

Craig@SupremePower · 11-29-2009, 06:43 PM

somebody come do mine...

sonic · 11-30-2009, 04:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wasup1357

does having a dirty engine bay affect performance? just wondering (im too lazy and scared to spray water inside)

my friend dont be scared just u have to know where and how!!! to spray it ! ok!

BK · 11-30-2009, 10:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sonic

my friend dont be scared just u have to know where and how!!! to spray it ! ok!

+1 If you see exposed wiring or things that look like they shouldn't get too wet, put a bag or lay a towel over them for peace of mind if you want. Eventually, you'll realize that the stuff that gets gunked up is the stuff that can get wet, anyway, and you won't worry so much about spraying water on the engine bay.

Just don't use a flood of water and don't do it on a hot engine.

11-26-2009, 09:02 PM	#1
cfabluenose Lieutenant 39 Rep 430 Posts Drives: 2009 BMW 328i Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Wolfville iTrader: (0)	Engine Detailing Do folks have some suggestions about how to clean up the engine compartment? I don't want to spend tons of time under the hood. But the engine is getting dusty and a bit grimy. Not surprisingly, it's not as fresh and shiny as when it was new (about 8 months old now). Thanks for your suggestions. __________________ 2009 328i
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11-27-2009, 10:01 AM	#2
zaxjax Major 44 Rep 1,210 Posts Drives: 2008 Crimson Red 335i Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Annapolis iTrader: (2) Garage List 2008 335i [9.00]	Diluted Simple Green, bucket of car wash soap and warm water and various brushes and towels. I lightly mist the bay, make sure the engine is cooled down, and spray down the bay and components with a diluted APC. Scrub the tough areas with various brushes. I soak a sponge in my wash media, ring it out and gently wip down everything, rinse and repeat. Lightly mist with the hose and wipe everything dry. Dress with 303 Aerospace and be done. __________________ Detailed Image
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11-27-2009, 12:23 PM	#5
lopealle Resident Black Guy 280 Rep 2,302 Posts Drives: Lion Join Date: May 2009 Location: Federal Way, WA iTrader: (2) Garage List 2006 M5 [10.00]	what they said lol
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11-27-2009, 12:29 PM	#6
jopa489 Major General 127 Rep 6,594 Posts Drives: Anything with Wheels Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: USA iTrader: (9)	#4, haha. I use Simple Green, a sponge, a couple of brushes, and the air compressor. Works well, admittedly I'm not looking for perfection with the engine bay though. Normally don't dress it at all, unless for a specific event or something. __________________ X7 LCI // Incoming C7 ZR1 ZTK // Sebring + TRX // Hydro + Raptor Gen1 Roush // Tuxedo
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11-27-2009, 12:36 PM	#7
328i Colonel 153 Rep 2,934 Posts Drives: E46 ///M Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: central NJ iTrader: (15)	I would recommend Meg's Degreaser or APC + over simple green. Simple green will oxidize/dull aluminum and magnesium from my experience.
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11-27-2009, 02:12 PM	#9
ToadHollow Once upon a time ...... 283 Rep 5,048 Posts Drives: 2008 JB E92 - SOLD 5/2010 Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Asti, Italy & Austin, Texas iTrader: (16) Garage List 2008 E92 335i [8.00]	Gunk works very well also ............ it's main use is degreasing engines. __________________
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11-27-2009, 05:37 PM	#10
zaxjax Major 44 Rep 1,210 Posts Drives: 2008 Crimson Red 335i Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Annapolis iTrader: (2) Garage List 2008 335i [9.00]	Diluted Simple Green is very safe but make sure you use the proper ratio __________________ Detailed Image
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11-27-2009, 11:12 PM	#12
BK Smiling politely 179 Rep 7,931 Posts Drives: 330i Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Washington DC iTrader: (0) Garage List 2006 330i [9.00]	I use P21 TAW -- spray it on, brush any particularly dirty spots, rinse off with water through the CR Spotless, and it looks great. __________________ E90 330i Black Sapphire 6MT \| 991.1 C4 Platinum Silver 7MT
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11-28-2009, 01:20 AM	#13
prototyp Lieutenant 234 Rep 459 Posts Drives: '19 X3 M40i Join Date: May 2005 Location: Bay Area, CA iTrader: (3) Garage List 2019 BMW X3 M40i [0.00] 2021 BMW X5 40i MSport [0.00]	Gentle misting, a little soapy water, some wiping and brushing... If you're dealing with mostly road dust it'll come off easy. Old greasy, oily cruft is much more work. Mine when I bought it at 44k miles probably hadn't seen any love in the engine bay: __________________ 2019 X3M40i DGM/black vernasca, 2T4, 2VF, ZPX, ZPP, ZDA, DWS06+, etc, etc. Since July'19. 2021 X540i MSport CBM/black merino, 337, ZMP, ZPP, ZPK, etc. Since Dec'20. 2006 330i SGM/black, ZSP, ZPP, 217, HuberOps, M Splits, K Lines, AS 3 on EC-7. Sep'08-July'19.
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11-28-2009, 01:28 PM	#14
wasup1357 First Lieutenant 29 Rep 391 Posts Drives: E90 325i Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: SoCal iTrader: (9)	does having a dirty engine bay affect performance? just wondering (im too lazy and scared to spray water inside)
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11-29-2009, 06:43 PM	#15
Craig@SupremePower G.O.A.T.! 1027 Rep 74,992 Posts Drives: '18 GMC Yukon XL Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: New Jersey iTrader: (14)	somebody come do mine...
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